Seething Lane
Jack Jewers
Hardback
3 September 2026
ISBN: 9781916678095
RRP: £18.99
Kindle
3 September 2026
RRP: £9.99
Audiobook
3 September 2026
RRP: £16.99
SUNDAY TIMES PICK OF THE MONTH
Paperback cover
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, Seething Lane sees the return of infamous diarist Samuel Pepys, complete with his trademark audacious wit, keen eye for observation and gripping historical adventure.
The Samuel Pepys Mysteries
Buy now
Hardback
eBook
Audiobook
Reviews of the Samuel Pepys series
-
“Excellent... A lively tale of adventure and intrigue, rich in period detail.”
The Times
-
“Hard to imagine Samuel Pepys being any more interesting than he already was, but Jack Jewers has done it for him, imaginatively, brilliantly, convincingly, in the now plural (praise be!) Samuel Pepys Mysteries.”
Rev. Richard Coles
-
PICK OF THE MONTH: "One of the very best novels which brings the past to life.”
The Sunday Times
-
“A thoroughly enjoyable historical thriller… great fun.”
Mail on Sunday
-
BOOK OF THE WEEK: "A fine thriller to get stuck in to.”
The Londonist
-
“Jewers' reimagining of Pepys as sleuth in the heady days of the Restoration is a blinder - what's not to like? Palace intrigue, the roar of the greasepaint and our Samuel's eye for detail. A wonderful combo artfully reimagined.”
Jasper Fforde
-
BOOK OF THE MONTH: "A zestful imagining of the lost late memoirs of one of Britain's great historical chronicles.”
The Independent
-
“Outstanding. Wonderfully researched and rich in period detail, Seething Lane is absorbing and moving, as both a crime novel and as a portrait of the times.”
Philip Gwynne Jones
-
“One of the best historical fiction novels of the year.”
The Sunday Times
-
“This is all-thriller... The memory of experiencing this work will sit jaggedly in the reader’s mind for a long, long time. I’d be surprised if Seething Lane is not featured in the key literary awards for 2026.”
Shots Magazine
-
“A thrilling and atmospheric historical adventure which brilliantly reimagines infamous diarist Samuel Pepys and conjures up the world of London theatre in 1670. Hugely entertaining.”
Anna Mazzola
-
“Brutal, addictive and rich, [Seething Lane] feels alive and vivid... truly thrilling, an utter page turner throughout.”
All That Dazzles
-
“Swashbuckling action-packed drama.”
Woman and Home
-
“There is a palpable sense of dynamism to the rapidly changing city of 1670, yet the danger and deceit remains lurking menacingly in the shadows. A joy - compelling, exciting, moving and like all the best murder-mysteries, with enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing to the very end.”
James Holland
-
“Combines historical depth with dazzling story-telling and introduces the reader to a rich tapestry of actors, beggars, nobility - and Mr Samuel Pepys. All-absorbing.”
Fiona Forsyth
-
“Impressive.”
The Times
-
“Bustles with life… a beautifully-drawn page-turning murder mystery.”
The Reviews Hub
-
“Debuts don’t come better than this… a page-turning crime thriller. Jewers, like the best historical novelists, has done his research. He recreates the world of 1669 in a vivid, realistic and natural way.”
The Sunday Independent
-
“A gorgeously-written, intriguing mystery, packed with meticulous period detail and many wonderful turns of phrase - a brilliant jewel of a book.”
Emma Haughton, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Dark
-
“Evocative."
Crime Monthly
-
“Jack Jewers has no scruples. He revels in such phrases as 'bull's pizzle' and delves into as many décolletés as are to hand... His rip-roaring yarn is also a bodice-ripper… Something for everyone.”
The Irish Examiner
-
“The sheer pleasure of sinking back into Pepys's world so long after his last diary was an unexpected treat. Even readers who wouldn't consider themselves historical fiction fans will find something to love in this book."
C.S. Quinn, bestselling author of The Thieftaker series
-
“Every bit as lively, witty and entertaining as the inspiration but with added intrigue and swashbuckling. A proper treat that would no doubt delight Mr Pepys himself.”
Cass Green, Sunday Times bestselling author of In a Cottage, In a Wood
-
“The genius of Samuel Pepys brilliantly channeled by the genius of Jack Jewers in an exciting, heartfelt 17th century adventure.”
Greg Mosse, author of Murder at Church Lodge
-
“A gripping new mystery."
My Weekly
-
“Rarely has historical fiction become as thrilling as this... judiciously researched period detail striated into a truly ‘edge-of-the-seat’ narrative. Essential.”
Shots Magazine
-
“One of the best novels that I have read in the last decade… In the absence of a time machine currently existing, worry not, Jewers’ literary talents are the next best thing. Absolutely outstanding.”
Julian Evan-Hart, Treasure Hunting Magazine
-
“A page-turning adventure with historical detail that will make you feel as though you are really there.”
Alexandra Walsh, author of The Marquess House Trilogy
-
“An action-packed, thoroughly entertaining read, full of adventure and amazing historical detail.”
My Weekly
Some of our other titles
