Swift treats the reader to an unexpectedly funny and intricate plot ensconced in a vivid historical setting.

This was a great story. The character development was strong and the plot intricate. Bess, portrayed as a bright, ambitious, wife, is the driving force keeping the family afloat, but she has to do so carefully so as not to insult her husband, Will as the man of the house.
Ms. Swift also really paints a visual about how the plague impacted society at the time.
There was not a page that bored me. I recommend it.

Very enjoyable book that takes place in the 17th Century.
Will and Bess are a married couple that seem unable to get a break until. Bess decides to take it upon herself to visit a Mr Pepys, who has control over just what kind of job her talented husband Will. will get.
The dreaded plague is just hitting London and many are getting boarded up in their homes with no food
or water.
This is the 2nd.book in the series,I haven't had the pleasure of reading the 1st.but fully intend too.
I think you will find that the sexual more's of the 17th Century are decidedly different than what is acceptable today.
All in all an enjoyable read and one I would recommend !
I would like to personally thank the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review "A Plague on Mr Pepys"

Excellent book! I'm a huge fan of historical fiction, and I've really enjoyed this book. Set in the 17th century, the characters are nonetheless highly relatable - they have family problems (deadbeat relatives, embarrassing relatives, strained relationships with parents and children - that contemporary readers can identify with. I also enjoyed the rich social history in this novel. The author did a terrific job of showing how people actually lived in England during this time period.

I'm down for reading just about anything involving the bubonic plague. I have a morbid fascination with it. This was a very well-written tale, descriptive, exciting, and with exceptionally rendered characters. Normally I don't read books set in this period, but like I said - plague! So I read it and am really glad I did. I will certainly read more by this author.

I got increasingly depressed as Bess and Will sink into a miasma of their own making and end up hurting each other. Bess is headstrong while Will is weak. They stay true to their characterization but wow did I want to shake them, most especially Will, until their teeth rattled. However, given their recorded actions in Pepys diary, you had to come up with some reasons that could lead to what Pepys tells us. Are the ones presented here what could have driven Bess to do what she did and Will to react as he does? Poverty, debt and fear are powerful motivators so it’s not unreasonable. But it is depressing. Very depressing.

Then finally the plague arrives on stage. Blech. Okay the descriptions seem accurate but I wasn’t expecting them to be quite so front and center on the page. Blech. Death, horrible suffering and more death. Lots of people dying and Samuel Pepys acting in a way that makes me hate him. Have Bess and Will gotten past their marital pain and can they forgive each other? I’m told the answer but honestly I wonder. Given all the pain and anguish over the course of the story, all I can say is I was more relieved when it was all over and at least some people had gotten their just desserts. Though not all which pissed me off. There are a few other characters who deserved the black death. Plus there’s another character who has been left in a terrible situation and we don’t know her fate. So a B for the historical details and keeping me reading but I don’t know what for depressing me almost to the point of drink.

Beautiful Bess Bagwell dreams of a better life for her and her carpenter husband, Will. Having escaped the mean streets of London where she lived in hunger and poverty, Bess seeks to meet the right people to help her husband gain meaningful work in the shipyards. As Bess tries to improve their station in life and make the right connections to help her husband, Will's money scheming cousin Jack seeks to advance his get rich quick plans by duping Will and others to invest in his anti-plague elixir. Set during The Great Plague of 1665, there was never a dull moment in this novel with it's cast of characters from the famous diarist Samuel Pepys, to Bess' nosey neighbor Mrs. Fenwick whom she seeks to impress with her charitable donations, Bess' determination to improve her lot in life only seems to get worse as her timid husband Will falls prey to cousin Jack's schemes. Very atmospheric of this period in history where many perished and many sought to prosper in the midst of The Great Plague. Interesting notes as well on the very real Samuel Pepys who I did not know existed in history.

Thank you to author Deborah Swift and NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

A Plague on Mr Pepys continues the Women of Pepys's Diary series. I thought it was good. I give it 3 1/2 stars.