Life in Fragments

A powerful and personal memoir that tells the real story behind the headlines of how two people got caught up in a struggle against Putin's regime - one that continues today.

The photo of Alexander Litvinenko lying on his deathbed in November 2006, poisoned by polonium, caused shockwaves around the world. But how did it come to this? And why are the lessons he provided still important now, twenty years on? In Marina Litvinenko's compelling new memoir, A Life in Fragments, we find out exactly why and discover the inspirational personal story behind the public tragedy.

Marina met the man who would change her life on her thirty-first birthday; she was a dancer while he was an agent in the Russian security services. They fell in love and soon had a son, Anatoly. But Russia in the 1990s was a difficult place in which to live a happy family life; soon, Alexander was uncovering corruption at the heart of the state in the aftermath of the communist era. His fearless investigations led to his arrest and imprisonment on false charges; eventually the Litvinenkos had to escape the country, seeking political asylum in the UK.

Litvinenko remained an outspoken critic of Putin's regime, which could not be tolerated. His murder left Marina seeking justice for her husband, but she was obstructed every step of the way by Russia. Even the British government appeared reluctant to hold Russia to account, and it wasn't until 2016 that a public inquiry finally confirmed it had been a 'state sponsored murder'. Marina had won her battle, providing hope to all those who continue to fight to reveal the crimes of Putin's regime and to deliver justice for the victims.