In 1641, England exits a plague-ridden and politically unstable summer having reached a semblance of peace: the English and Scottish armies have disbanded, legislation has passed to ensure Parliament will continue to sit and the people are tentatively optimistic. But King Charles I is not satisfied with peace – he wants revenge.

So begins England's winter of discontent. As revolutionary sects of London begin to generate new ideas about democracy, as radical new religious groups seek power and as Ireland explodes into revolt, Charles hatches a plan to restore his absolute rule. On 4 January 1642 he marches on Westminster, seeking to arrest and impeach five Members of Parliament – and so sets in motion a series of events that will lead to bloodshed and war, changing a nation forever.

The Blood in Winter tells the story of an English people's great political awakening. Jonathan Healey utilises meticulous archival research to recreate the times that led to Charles's desperate decision to march on his own government, its aftermath and the societal conditions that brought England to the brink. Taut and thrilling, Healey's newest social history shows us what really happened in those five fraught winter months that led to civil war. From the radical enclaves of London public houses to a king forced from his capital by the people, it is a rich tapestry of a society in profound distress.