A review by catherine_t
To Catch a King: Charles II's Great Escape by Charles Spencer

adventurous informative tense fast-paced

5.0

 In 1651, Charles II's Royalist forces were soundly trounced by the New Model Army at the Battle of Worchester. Charles himself managed to evade the Parliamentary forces, fully aware that if he were captured, he'd suffer the same fate as his father. Thus began six weeks of running and hiding across the length and breadth of England. 

English Civil War history isn't a specialty of mine; I've never really looked into it much, to be honest. I'm much more a medievalist who enjoys a side of World War II European history. But I also like to be somewhat well-rounded when it comes to British history, so when I came across this title as a bargain e-book, I couldn't really resist. 

I'm glad I didn't, because this is a pretty fascinating tale. It's practically a Boys' Own story, what with the hiding in priest holes and, most memorably, up an oak tree, the wearing of disguises, and the near misses and close calls Charles suffered. From the moment Charles shouted, “Shift for yourselves, gentlemen!” to the fleeing men of the Royalist forces to the skin-of-his-teeth escape in the ship Surprise, I rather found myself on the edge of my seat, as it were—despite knowing the eventual outcome. 

Spencer writes with a fluidity not many can achieve. I look forward to reading more of his work.