A Life in Fragments

'The definitive account of one of the major political crimes of modern times' John Simpson

'One woman's testimony of how Vladimir Putin's Russia destroyed the man she loved' Sarah Rainsford

'A love story forged in the chaotic collapse of the Soviet Union... A gripping tale of defiance, principle and hope' James Waterhouse

The photo of Alexander Litvinenko lying on his deathbed in November 2006, poisoned by polonium, sent shockwaves around the world. But how did it come to this? And why are the lessons he provided still important now, twenty years on?

A Life in Fragments is the story of one woman's fight for justice for her husband, revealing the 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.

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