In a sweeping narrative that takes the reader from palaces and battlefields through exile, bitterness, triumph and deceit, Stephen Coote strips away the varnish of sentiment that has clouded the image of the merry monarch to reveal Charles as a fascinating, brave and dangerous man - a gambler, a fixer, a survivor.

Coote depicts the twists and turns of Restoration public life and weaves these together with the major events of the day including the Plague and the Fire of London. We also are taken behind of scenes of Charles s private life and meet the many mistresses: Lady Castlemaine, Lady Portsmouth, streetwise Nell Gwyn, exotic Hortense Mancini and many others.

In his detailed and fascinating overview of the time, Stephen Coote offers a vivid account of the events that led to the Restoration and which schooled Charles in the ways of the world and made his reign unforgettable.