In the early years of the 18th century London was full of sedition. Pamphleteers walked a fine line between expressing opinion and outright treason and the ones to suffer were the publishers. In a business where most were only just above the poverty line, publishing a successful booklet could make one’s fortune. When Edwards publishes the ‘Histiry of the Church’ he falls foul of the law and the Queen’s agent Harley is determined to punish all involved but who are they and where have they gone.

This book is a fascinating insight into the early days of political journalism and publishing. The appetite for news and opinion was great and the authorities were ruthless in their attempts to stem the tide. This book takes a single case and explores the system as a whole. It is meticulously researched and very interesting.

This was an interesting look to a specific moment in British history. The writing was good and generally accessible to read. There were a few chapters i did think that were a bit dry and they needed to edit it aa bit as it didn't read as good as it could have. I did like this but it was a little bit underwhelming for me.