House of Cards

House of Cards is Michael's most famous novel. More than twenty-five years since its first publication it is still considered to be the definitive political thriller.

The idea for a novel based around the dark political arts came to me shortly after the 1987 general election campaign, which had been a particularly bruising one. Margaret Thatcher won that election comfortably, but she made many enemies while doing so – too many, I thought. It inspired me to begin work on a plot – entirely fictional, of course – to get rid of a Prime Minister. The book was picked up by the BBC. And during a week that had the nation holding its breath in astonishment, the first episode of the television series aired almost on the day she was forced to resign. It seemed almost impossible, but she was gone.

The BBC's television adaptation of the House of Cards series received fourteen BAFTA nominations and won two. It has been one of the best-selling television series worldwide made by the BBC in the past twenty years. And now the US adaptation, which stars Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright and Kate Mara and is directed by David Fincher. Once more my cup overflows.

The US version is different, of course – but not that different. Kevin Spacey recently said: "The original was about a wily, murderous politician worming his way to becoming Prime Minister. This is about a wily, murderous politician worming his way to the White House. It ain't your daddy's West Wing! " He also said "this wouldn't have been possible without the brilliant material it was based on". He's not only one of the most talented actors of our age but kind, too.