My grateful thanks to Amanda at Moonflower for sending me a copy of Seething Lane by Jack Jewers in return for an honest review. It is my pleasure to share my review of Seething Lane today.

Published by Moonflower on 3rd September 2026, Seething Lane is available for purchase through the publisher links here. 

Seething Lane

January 1670. London is enduring its worst winter in decades. But for Samuel Pepys, the darkest days are yet to come.

When a strange young man turns up at his office on Seething Lane asking for help, Samuel Pepys is too distracted to take him seriously. Nell Gwyn is about to make her scandalous return to the stage and he wouldn’t miss it for all the world.

But in the cold of a winter’s dawn, tragedy strikes. Called upon to investigate the brutal murder of a libertine aristocrat, Pepys discovers that the dead man is connected to his mysterious visitor in the most shocking way possible.

A trail of secrets leads Pepys from the backstreets of London to the glamorous world of the theatre, where nothing is quite as it seems. But whatever the dangers, he may find that the deadliest threat lies closer to home…

Reimagining one of Britain’s greatest historical figures through a 21st century lens, Sunday Times Book of the Month Seething Lane is a gripping historical thriller from the author of the critically acclaimed thriller The Lost Diary Of Samuel Pepys.

My Review of Seething Lane

Samuel Pepys is working for the King.

What an absolutely cracking read. If you want adventure, politics, conspiracy, theatre and history all blended into the most exciting and engaging narrative, then Seething Lane is it. I thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed it. Pepys’s first person diary entries not only give a framework and sense of time to the story, but they draw in the reader because it is as if they are being given confidential information, especially as his tone is often quite conversational as well as authentic for the historical period.

Steeped in the most glorious sense of time and place, Seething Lane could not be a more apt title. The narrative seethes and bubbles with such intrigue that it is impossible to know what will happen next. I found the twists and turns of the plot completely gripping and so convincing that I was never quite sure how much was fiction and how much historical fact. I had no idea how the story would resolve itself and loved the realism of the ending because, like real life, not everything is quite as one might wish. 

Given that there are historical figures involved, there is absolutely no need to have any concept of the likes of Samuel Pepys, Nell Gwyn et al to enjoy the fabulous storytelling. Seething Lane may be historically accurate as a result of meticulous research, but above all else, it is a really good story.

I thought the depiction of Pepys was excellent. He is by no means perfect and very much a man of his time, and yet there is a warmth and humanity to him that makes him immensely likeable and therefore ensures the reader respects him and cares about him for all his faults. I also adored how Nell Gwyn was characterised as she truly came to life on the page. Reading Seething Lane had me every bit as enthralled by her as the theatre audiences. 

The theatrical thread was fabulous. Much of the mystery is centred on the theatre and at the same time there is an authentic and fascinating insight into the C17th drama which adds to the reader’s enjoyment. Indeed, the era is vividly portrayed – from the weather to medicine, royal courts to London slums, all life is here in dramatic entertainment.

I thought Seething Lane was excellent. Richly layered and textured with themes of family and society that still resonate today, Seething Lane is a really satisfying book. I finished it feeling I had been treated to a truly ‘proper’ story. It’s fast paced, exciting and totally convincing. I thoroughly recommend it. 

About Jack Jewers

 

Jack Jewers is a filmmaker and writer. His 2022 debut, The Lost Diary of Samuel Pepys, was named one of the historical fiction books of the year by the Sunday Times, and a book of the month by the Independent and the FT. Jack’s passion for history has led him to many unexpected places, from uncovering hidden love stories in 3000-year-old poetry, to sending a portrait of Shakespeare into space. He has also served on Parliamentary committees for the arts and has been nominated for a BAFTA. 

For further information, visit Jack’s website or find him on Instagram.