The Monster of Harrods: Al-Fayed and the Secret, Shameful History of a British Institution

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Alison Kervin

The Monster of Harrods

Al-Fayed and the Secret, Shameful History of a British Institution

Alison Kervin

$49.99

Hardback

Forthcoming
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English

HarperCollins
05 June 2025

True stories of heroism, endurance & survival; Violence in society; Sexual abuse & harassment; Corporate crime; Political corruption

This explosive exposé reveals the shocking truth about Mohamed Al-Fayed's controversial 25-year reign at Harrods.

To the public, he was the jovial, eccentric owner of one of the world's most iconic department stores—handing out lollipops and gifts to customers. But behind the scenes, Fayed wielded his power with cruelty, humiliation, and abuse that went unchecked for decades.

Drawing on extensive firsthand interviews with former employees, executives, police officers, and erstwhile friends, The Monster of Harrods exposes chilling accounts of misconduct, many detailed here for the first time. Through court records, witness testimonies, and previously unpublished accounts, the book uncovers:

The personal stories of victims whose lives were shattered. The systemic failures, threats, and NDAs that enabled years of silence. Astonishing details of how abuse was overlooked by those in power.

Fayed’s actions caused profound harm, from psychological trauma to breakdowns. Despite multiple allegations, police reports, and victims coming forward, his influence shielded him from accountability. Why were his crimes ignored? And why did senior figures at Harrods and beyond fail to act?

This is not just a story about one man’s abuse of power. It’s about the people and systems that allowed it to continue. The Monster of Harrods brings to light harrowing new evidence and asks urgent questions of those who stood by all the way up to the highest levels of governance.

This is the full unflinching investigation into power, corruption, and complicity at the heart of one of Britain’s most famous institutions.

By: Alison Kervin
Imprint: HarperCollins
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 240mm, Width: 159mm, Spine: 23mm
Weight: 270g
ISBN: 9780008756055
ISBN 10: 0008756058
Pages: 320
Publication Date: 05 June 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Alison Kervin is an award-winning writer, biographer, journalist and author of 14 books. She became the first female sports editor of a national newspaper when she took over the reins at the Mail on Sunday in 2013. She was awarded an OBE in 2017. She was COSMOPOLITAN’s ‘Woman of Achievement’ and has won ‘Feature Writer of the Year’, ‘Interviewer of the Year’ and ‘Magazine Editor of the Year’. Alison runs Gold Medals Media Agency, and writes for The Sunday Times and The Spectator.