It was full of fun facts, the writing style was brilliant as I had expected from reading some of this author’s previous books and I was giggling at some of the witty comments and sometimes inappropriate things said! A fun book to read and kept me interested.

This made historical crimes accessible and fun! Fascinating and well researched. The writing was a little difficult to engage with at times. Worth reading for lovers of history.

When I picked up this book I wasn’t sure if it was for kids or adults. But now that I have read it, I’m still not sure! Then again, maybe that is the point.

Terry Deary is certainly best known for his ‘Horrible Histories’ series and they definitely are aimed squarely at children. This book (and potential series) has a similarly childish cover and is told in the same flippant, humorous, scattergun style of informing the reader as the children’s series but is just a touch more sweary and has prostitutes in…

But at the end of the day, this title is well researched, informative and engaging and is probably perfect for ‘young adults’ who have enjoyed but outgrown Terry Deary’s books aimed at younger readers. However, for those used to serious history texts the elements and style of this title that will appeal to the author’s fans could, I imagine, become a little wearisome; but I enjoyed it!

This is the best way to learn history! Every book by Terry Deary is wildly entertaining, educational, and fun! His books (including this one) give the most interesting parts of history. As a teacher and a parent, I've seen these books spark students' interest in both reading and history! I HIGHLY recommend this book (and all books by this author)!

I really enjoyed this book. It was funny and interesting. Some of the crimes are ones I had heard of but most were obscure examples. I could tell the author completed a lot of thorough research. I enjoyed out the of context quotes that correlated with the chapter.

This is most definitely not your Mother's history book! You will find NO boring, often told and retold historical events in this book. What you will find is plenty of individual historical events that will entertain as well as educate. Both action and consequence are told with an origin twist of humor that will have you looking for more of Terry Deary's books of history and how it sometimes is stranger, much stranger, than fiction.

This is the kind of book that makes history accessible and fun. There are a lot of interesting facts written in a way that flows easily. I found myself laughing out loud quite often. Highly recommended!

I know Terry Deary's work from the Horrible History series. Even though this is marked adult I think its fine for high school students and am planning on placing it onto one of my own Historical Literature booklists soon.

I thought that this book was excellent!

It was full of fun facts, the writing style was brilliant as I had expected from reading some of this author’s previous books and I was giggling at some of the witty comments and sometimes inappropriate things said!

I read the book over the space of a few days as it is one that you can easily dip in and out of and it was a book I genuinely looked forward to picking up. The layout and chapter length was spot on too.

It was interesting and informative - it is 5 stars from me for this one, I thought it was excellent - jam packed full of facts, and fun too - very highly recommended!!

This was a well written book. This is my first time reading anything from Terry Deary. The stories were well written and entertaining. A few of my favorites where of the Peasants getting revenge on the rich people.

If you want a quick and entertaining read, I recommend this book.

Rating 3.5

Terry Deary is of course most famous for his ever popular Horrible Histories series which contain interesting details and a large amount of information along with humorous pictures. Although aimed at children they do also appeal to adults and I wonder how many both young and old have gained an interest in history by reading his books. Here we find Deary looking at British history from the bottom up rather than from the usual presentation deriving from the history of Kings and Queens and the powerful.

Although the writing is light hearted and humorous it nevertheless contains a multitude of facts and information that shows that there has always been an egalitarian tradition in this country that was prone to constant suppression. Revolt in the face of repression is a theme running through the centuries. There is much ground covered here as he also looks at the underside of society with highwaymen, hooligans, forgers and sheep rustlers. Witches, grave robbers and garroters are just some of the other subjects covered in this extensive but always accessible foray into the real often covered up story of the past. Recommended for both young and old this may well lead the reader onto further study.

Thanks to Netgalley and Pen and sword History for the opportunity to read this book.

Most will recognise the name of this author as the writter of the Horrible Histories books, in this book he turns to
writing for more mature audience. Which he does thought out the book you feel his sense of humour is still very much part of the book.

The stories included ones about murder, robbery and unusual tales of selling one's spouses and impersonating a Egyptian.

As with the Horrible Histories the book interesting, informative and fun to read and really enjoyed this book.

I would definitely recommend this book too people enjoy reading history , with a large dose of humour added it is also great for those who find history books boring.

Being a big fan of Horrible Histories I was really interested to see how Terry would write for a more mature audience and I was happy to find out that his sense of humour is still very much present. The amusing quotes throughout helped to lighten a sometimes dark topic such as revolts and the oppression that people went through, though some did make me roll my eyes. I actually enjoyed the section on the history of football! Which I never thought I'd say, if football was more like it was back then with no rules and violence I'd be more interested in watching it. There are the usual tales of murder, robbery and body snatching but there are also the less usual selling of spouses and impersonating a Egyptian. If you enjoy reading about the darker side of history with a sense of fun (and dad jokes) give this a go!

It’s always a joy to read anything from Terry Deary and this book is no exception! Interesting and informative without inducing boredom!
5/5 and I highly recommend.

I really enjoyed this book by Terry Deary. I felt like he was sitting on my shoulder reading it aloud to me. Some very iontersting facts but some parts I did find a bit boring.

Loved all the Quotes spaced thoughout and I did learn a good few things. Including bursting my Dick Turpin being a good looking Highwayman bubble!! The Poor Peasants, rich get rich and the poor suffer, sometimes horrifically!!!

Thanks to Netgalley and Pen and sword History for the ARC. My review is my own opinion.

Will Add review to Amazon once the book is published.

This book was written in such a way that I often became bored. The stories as a whole were interesting, but the writing made it easy for me to set aside, and resist picking up again.
My thanks to Netgalley.

This is a fascinating and entertaining book. Well written and interesting. There are some great stories of the peasants getting even with the rich.

An interesting book, although a little too easy to pick up and put down. Not a book to sit and read through, but it is organized well into sections, which makes it easy to follow. A collection of stories of crimes committed by the peasant class of years gone by. While I did enjoy reading about them, especially when they "get one over" on the abusive ruling class, at the same time the author admits he has no idea what happened next. Sadly, I am sure many did not end well. Still though, the stories were fun to read, enjoyed the quotes a lot too. Would highly recommend this book and author.

Disclaimer: ARC via Netgalley.

This book uses my favorite Terry Pratchett quote. You know, the one about fire and man.
Yep, that one. Now you want to read it don’t you?
So, I don’t have to say anything else, do I?
Oh, alright.
Deary’s book lists crimes committed by the little people. These include women who murdered their husbands (who sometimes deserved it), Dick Turpin (who wasn’t hot), the Fairy Flag (you’re understand when you read it), the morality of the Fairy Flag among other stories.
There is also the wonderment of a why is there always just one survivor. Though that girl who ran ten miles while injured was bad ass.
The history is done tongue in cheek, but actually does raise some good points. Like did the Stuarts kill Shakespeare? (Seriously, it doesn’t really ask that question, but he did die during the Stuarts, so anything is possible).
There are even sports. I knew Chaucer was a bit of a football hooligan but there is a bunch of other football stories that seem to indicate that English fans have calmed down a bit. There is a bit about assassinations. The one about the Egyptians.
Like the mention of Turpin above, some of the cases are famous, for instance Mary Ann Cotton, but most are not as popular or well known. So, there are little gems -such as what some women did to the dead members of an army as well as letting you know what the difference between blackmail and settlement is. This is important for your future.
And the quotes. Oh, the wonderful quotes. Learning history should always be this fun.

"Crime is news. The human race...is fascinated by the misdeeds of others...And the 'curiouser' the crime, the more curious the reader." [curiouser-a "quaintly cobbled word" provided by Lewis Carroll] "When a dog bites a man, that is not news, because it happens so often. But if a man bites a dog, that is news." -John B. Bogart (1848-1921)

In the 1100's, villages would challenge each other to a "Mob Football" match. "Both teams rush for the ball and try to score by kicking the ball over the other team's goaline. No murder or manslaughter allowed. Apart from that...no rules really." In the 1500's, attempts were made to outlaw football arguing that it "causes beastly fury and extreme violence." The game continued to be "much in vogue". In the 1800's, it was suggested that "after playing a good game of football, young men are more glad to go to bed than visiting the public house. So football is credited with SAVING the workers from the evils of liquor."

In the early 1730's, "the idea of robbers as gentlemen of the road ...[the] aura of polite pilferer persists against all the evidence..." Dick Turpin was a "highway villain... robbed stagecoaches but was always very polite...especially to ladies...All...legend...all mistaken. At one isolated farm...an old farmer's wife was roasted over her own fire..." until she told Turpin where her money was hidden!

1789, Quarter Day. The rector was expected to collect rent from the peasantry and transfer these payments to officers of the Crown. Oh, no! The rector died just prior to collection day. His wife concocted a plan. She had "...immersed the corpse in vinegar...He was well and truly pickled. On Quarter Day, she rinsed off the corpse, dressed it and propped it in his chair...the tenants paid up." She set the rectory ablaze and absconded with the rent money. The rector's widow had committed both fraud and arson.

"The Peasants' Revolting Crimes" by Terry Deary is a lighthearted, fact-filled history of ghastly crimes and equally gruesome punishments. Did you know about the Halifax Gibbet, a head slicing device used for petty theft committed by "peasant pilferers"? "Lifting shopper suffered chopper". Did you know that the word "quack" comes from the old Dutch word 'quacksalver"-"someone who quacks (boasts) about the virtues of his salves and medicine?" A highly recommended tome.

Thank you Pen and Sword History and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "The Peasants' Revolting Crimes".