#WWWWednesday – 2nd September 2026

whatcathyreadnextLeave a comment

Hosted by Taking on a World of Words, this meme is all about the three Ws:

  • What are you currently reading?
  • What did you recently finish reading?
  • What do you think you’ll read next?

Why not join in too?  Leave a comment with your link at Taking on a World of Words and then go blog hopping!

What I’m Currently Reading

Miss Veal and Miss Ham by Vicki Heywood (Muswell Press)

It is 1951 and behind the counter of a modest post office in a leafy Buckinghamshire village Miss Dora Ham and Miss Beatrix Veal maintain their careful facade as respected local spinsters. But their true story is one of passion: suffragist activists who fell in love at a rally in the 1900s, danced in London’s secret gay clubs between the wars, and comforted one another during the first night of the Blitz. Together they have built a life of quiet dignity and service in rural England.

Now over the course of one pivotal day their carefully constructed world begins to fracture. Through Beatrix’s wry perspective we witness the severe impact of post-war changes on their peaceful existence. Changes that will lead to heart-breaking decisions for Miss Veal and Miss Ham.

The Newer World by Sebastian Barry (Faber & Faber via NetGalley)

I knew as I made my way home that there was no home. All the old things . . . were gone forever.

Against the rapidly shifting landscape of post Civil War America, Tennyson Bouguereau – freed man, devoted brother, nascent singer, conflicted soldier and wanted man – journeys to find meaning and belonging. From the relative safety of home in Tennessee with his sister Rosalee, he is offered the possibility of a whole new life in Nashville, until a surprising trip to Victorian England changes everything.

What I’ve Just Read

Seething Lane by Jack Jewers (Moonflower Books)

Farewell to Eden by Sebastian Faulks (Hutchinson Heinnemann)

Philip Deval, a soldier recently returned from the beaches of Normandy, arrives in Palestine on a peace-keeping mission in the final days of the British Mandate. The Sea of Galilee glitters in the distance as war-weary troops marvel at the novelty of oranges and sun – a paradise that belies a fierce new conflict about to erupt.

Some years later, Philip begins work teaching at a school in the English countryside and meets the enigmatic music mistress, Frances Darwood. Over long evenings spent listening to records in her music room, they grow close.

But Philip is a changed man, and must confront the secrets and scars of all he has lived through – which threaten, even now, to upend his future. (Review to follow)

Cold Sunset by William Boyd (Viking)

Gabriel Dax is on route to Russia, tasked with delivering a mysterious Blanco drawing to celebrated defector, Kit Caldwell. But Caldwell is convinced that the KGB suspects him of treachery and he wants to get out – now.

When Gabriel is ordered by his enigmatic handler Faith Green to help, he is pulled into a web of shifting loyalties and dangerous escape plans. As tensions rise and trust fractures, he is forced to confront the fine line between devotion and deception. But which will he choose? (Review to follow)

What I’ll Be Reading Next

May We Feed the King by Rebecca Perry (Granta)

She is a curator, who spends her time dressing the rooms of historic buildings to bring them to life. But in the lush private quarters of a medieval palace, she finds herself so transfixed by the reign of an almost-forgotten King that the edges of her life begin to blur.

He is a reluctant ruler with no hunger for power, rushed to the throne after the untimely deaths of his older brothers. But it isn’t long before whispers begin to fly around the court. And with the growing belief that the King is not fit for the throne comes the idea that another might rule in his stead.

Book Review – Seething Lane by Jack Jewers

whatcathyreadnext1 Comment

About the Book

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..

Format: Hardback (473 pages) Publisher: Moonflower Publishing
Publication date: 3rd September 2026 Genre: Historical Fiction, Crime

Find Seething Lane on Goodreads

Purchase Seething Lane from Bookshop.org [Disclosure: If you buy a book via the above link, I may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops]

My Review

Seething Lane is the second book in the author’s historical mystery series featuring famous diarist Samuel Pepys. In reality Samuel Pepys kept a diary for almost ten years but then suddenly stopped for reasons that are unknown but have been the subject of much speculation. As in the first book, The Lost Diary of Samuel Pepys, the author imagines the events Pepys might have recorded in his diaries had he continued.

This is an unsettled period in English history. King Charles II is without a legitimate heir, despite fathering numerous children with his equally numerous mistresses, thus creating uncertainty about the succession. Without an heir, Charles’s brother James will inherit the throne but he is a Catholic which threatens a return to civil unrest. London is a city being rebuilt in the wake of the Great Fire of London but theatres have re-opened and, scandalously for some, women can now appear on the stage. The author cleverly incorporates elements of these into a plot that involves murder, conspiracy, treachery and political intrigue whilst at the same time being a rip-roaring adventure.

The focus for much of the action is the Drury Lane Theatre. Pepys is a dedicated theatre-goer but unexpectedly finds himself playing a role in a production of Shakespeare’s As You Like It, sponsored by the King as a vehicle for his current mistress, Nell Gwyn. Nell is an accomplished actress with the ability to bring the house down with a cheeky wink or unscripted double entrendre. I loved Nell’s bawdy wit and her realism, understanding that her position as the King’s mistress will only be temporary so she better make the most of it while it lasts.

As imagined by the author, Samuel Pepys is not only a diligent diarist but an intrepid investigator, a faithful friend and someone with an unexpected taste for adventure. He also proves to be doggedly determined but dangerously impulsive at times. However, his focus on the investigation he has been tasked with means he’s distracted from events at home.

The book immerses the reader in the London of the period in all its grimy and fetid detail. The streets and alleyways are places of danger and desperate poverty. For many it’s a miserable existence. In contrast, the theatre is a magical place, transformed from empty auditorium to a scene of spectacle once the players take to the stage.

The book includes some great characters, many based on real individuals, including Pepys’ longtime assistant Will Hewer. Some things we learn about characters made me think ‘Surely that’s an invention?’ but it turned out it was rooted in fact. The book contains beautifully drawn maps and floor plans of key locations.

By the end of the book, it’s clear there are some things that, for reasons of state, must be kept under wraps. As for Pepys, well, certain events have changed his life forever.

With its combination of intriguing plot, colourful characters and great period atmosphere, Seething Lane will definitely appeal to fans of historical crime mysteries.

My thanks to Amanda at Moonflower Books for my proof copy.

In three words: Entertaining, inventive, intriguing
Try something similar: Rags of Time by Michael Ward

About the Author

Jack Jewers is a filmmaker and writer. His 2022 debut, The Lost Diary of Samuel Pepys, was named one of the Sunday Times‘ historical fiction books of the year, and a book of the month by The Independent and Financial Times. His career has been spent telling stories across multiple media formats and his work includes film, TV, and digital media.

His films have been shown at international film festivals, including Cannes, New York, Marseille, Dublin, and London’s Fright-Fest, garnering multiple accolades, including an award from the Royal Television Society and a nomination from BAFTA Wales for Best Short Film.Jack’s passion for history has led him to many unexpected places, from hidden love stories in 3000-year-old poetry, to sending a portrait of Shakespeare into space.

Seething Lane is Jack’s second novel.

Connect with Jack
Website | Instagram | Bluesky