An impressively vivid account of an extraordinary piece of England's history. Rideal is particularly good on the great set pieces - the plague, the fire and (especially) the naval battles - which she brings to dramatic life with telling details The Times A book firmly anchored in the grain of contemporary accounts, sparking with the crackle of first-hand reports Guardian Sympathetic and sharp-eyed ... an enjoyable book about an exciting period of history Daily Telegraph Rideal's London pulses with humanity ... It is Rideal's vivid and confident style, teamed with meticulous research and a curiosity for the quotidian that makes 1666: Plague, War and Hellfire a memorable, gripping and very satisfying read Historia Accessible and entertaining ... a keen eye for engaging anecdote and historical personality The Spectator 1666 is described brilliantly ... a rollicking new book Evening Standard Bound to reveal secrets you won't have heard before History Revealed

Rebecca Rideal is a factual television producer and writer. She runs the online history magazine, The History Vault, and is currently studying for a PhD on Restoration London during the Great Plague and the Great Fire at University College London.