A Suitcase Between Friends

First published in 1993, A Suitcase Between Friends tells the story of the Rt Hon Lord Hurd of Westwell, CH, CBE who enjoyed a distinguished career in government spanning sixteen years. He was educated at Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he obtained a first-class degree in history and was President of the Cambridge Union. After joining the Diplomatic Service, he went on to serve at the Foreign Office in Peking, New York and Rome. He ran Edward Heath's private office from 1968 to 1970 and acted as his Political Secretary at 10 Downing Street from 1970 to 1974.

He later served in the governments of Margaret Thatcher and John Major; following terms as Minister of State in the Foreign Office and the Home Office, he became Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1984-85) and Home Secretary (1985-89) before his appointment as Foreign Secretary in 1989. He was MP for Mid-Oxfordshire (later Witney) from 1974 until 1997.

Upon his retirement as Foreign Secretary in 1995, Lord Hurd joined the Nat West Group and is now Deputy Chairman of Coutts Bank. He is also Chairman of British Invisibles and Chairman of the Prison Reform Trust charity. Viewed as one of the Conservative Party's senior elder statesmen, he is a patron of the Tory Reform Group, and remains an active figure in public life.

Hurd is a writer of political thrillers including The Image in the Water, and a collection of short stories in Ten Minutes to Turn the Devil. He lives in Oxfordshire with his family.