To cut a Long Story Short - that apparently is the title of Jeffrey Archer's soon-to-be-published next novel. It also aptly describes the sudden death of the not-so-noble lord's grand plan to become London's first elected mayor.
The nightmare of London's mayoral race continues to haunt both the Labour and Conservative parties, even as it entertains the nation at large.
But in a dramatic reversal of fortunes, a bad week for Labour ended on Saturday with the Tory candidate quitting the race - exposed as a liar who was prepared to pervert the course of justice, and now facing the possibility of criminal charges for conspiracy.
The Prime Minister, Mr Blair, had already won respite from his bid to block "Red Ken", Mr Ken Livingstone - news of the expected Blair babe wonderfully eclipsing charges of "dirty tactics" and "cold war" campaigning.
Indeed, even before Lord Archer's final disgrace, voters had rewarded the prime minister's virility, by reversing a narrowing gap and adding five points to Labour Party's lead in the opinion polls.
But not even Mr Blair could not have hoped for this further double bonus. Tory "sleaze" is back in the headlines in the very week the voters of Kensington and Chelsea should see Mr Michael Portillo returned to Westminster.
And even before Mr Portillo has time to find his way to the back benches, fresh doubts are being cast on Mr William Hague's leadership.
All that "common sense revolution" and determined Euro-scepticism suddenly and cruelly undone. After Thursday night's sensational news from Downing Street, it was already clear that not even a similarly happy event for William and Ffjon would be enough to put the Tories in contention come the general election.
Now, after all the internal reforms and talk of past lessons learned, Mr Hague finds himself on the rack for Lord Archer's past misdeeds. It was instantly clear that Mr Hague would almost certainly live to regret declaring himself satisfied about Lord Archer's "probity and integrity" following his selection six weeks ago.
Yesterday Mr John Major's former spin doctor, Mr Charles Lewington, said Mr Hague and the former Conservative Party chairman, Lord Parkinson, would "rue the day" they decided not to refer Lord Archer to the party's ethics committee.