This is a well researched and documented book telling the history of one of the most notorious buildings in British History.
He touches on the known stories (Anne Boleyn/Princes in the Tower) but focuses on the stories we don’t hear about all the time in documentaries and other books.
As an Anglophile and British Monarchy nerd this is going to forever be a must have/must recommend book when it comes to British History.
If you have a British history nerd in your life, or you’ve just come back from London and can’t get enough British knowledge now this is a great book.

NetGalley, Kimberly Tierney

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

An interesting fascinating read which has been researched so well.
It was very engrossing. A fantastic book.

NetGalley, Tracey Hewitt

The book gives a good insight into the tower of London and it’s prisoners. In chronological order (1066-2020) it gives you an overview of most of the notable and lesser-known prisoners their treatment and outcome. You may take for granted the Tower as you view the outside, after reading this book it will never look the same again. The stories told are factual. The Tower brought fear and dread to all that entered as one of the most infamous prisons in the United Kingdom if not the world. A good read well researched and put together.

J Stout - Roots Family History Service

Wonderful! A Hidden History of the Tower of London. This amazing history told by John Paul Davis is very compelling and fascinating. The book commences with the building of the Tower by William the Conqueror and covers it’s history from 1066 for an incredible 1,000 years, up to the present day. This is a very comprehensive read, with some wellknown cases but also some lesser known stories, which are an eye-opener to many unanswered questions. Excellently told and an informative narrative.

Family and Community Historical Research Society Newsletter, Volume 22, November 2021

What a wonderful read!

Packed to the brim with the best stories from the Tower, and almost 1,000 years of history – some you will know and some you won’t. John Paul Davis tells the remarkable story of the Tower of London through the lives of the people who have resided under its roofs – some of them most unfortunate indeed! We hear the stories of those fortunate people who escaped – and the not-so-fortunate who died in the attempt. John Paul Davis examines every aspect of the Tower of London, its role as a royal fortress, prison and place of execution; and the national events in which it played apart, such as the Peasants’ Revolt and the executions of 2 of Henry VIII’s queens. Written in 23 chapters, the story of the Tower as a prison is told from its foundation in 1066 to the present day.

With these incredible and often heart breaking stories, John Paul Davis clearly demonstrates how the fortress acquired its sinister reputation.

A Hidden History of the Tower of London is a thoroughly enjoyable read, and impossible to put down.

Read the full review here

HISTORY… THE INTERESTING BITS!

Fabulous! This wonderful book, A Hidden History of the Tower of London, England's Most Notorious Prisoners written by John Paul Davis, is GOLD! He covers the Tower's beginning with William the Conqueror in 1066 and continues throughout 1000 years to the present time. Now that includes all the characters we are all familiar with...Henry II, John the Gaunt, Mathilde, Edward and his love Elizabeth Woodville (another author of British history calls her The White Queen) Margaret Beaufort, Henrys V, VI, VII, and of course the great beastie of them all, Henry VIII of Divorced, Beheaded, Died, Divorced Beheaded, Survived. They're all in this wonderfully written book. How was Mr. Davis able to write just a few pages per character when there are books and books written about each one of these historical figures. And then there is the star of the book, The Tower of London! I cannot even imagine what it must be like to be inside it, as I have never been, standing in the rooms that held Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard! This is a fabulous book! I give it 25 stars!!! It was fascinating, interesting and answered questions that I have of the place. Alas, we'll probably never really know what happened to the Princes in the Tower, or I should say, who murdered them? and who is the ghost that haunts the Tower!! A great great read!

See the full review here

GoodReads, Ellie

This book is a good book to read for a history of the Tower as you can tell though the writing how much the author is passionate about his subject. The Tower of London casts a long and sometimes infamous shadow and anyone who is interested in the history of the UK needs to know something about the Tower. The book covers from the foundations of the Tower, in the mind of the Conqueror, up to the present day, and has interesting stories within about prisoners, eras, and a possible origin story for J. R. R. Tolkien's, Lord of the Rings.

NetGalley, Zoe Pollock

The Tower of London is an iconic building having imprisoned no less than 8000 unfortunate souls since it was built in the reign of William the Conqueror. Inspired by new research, Davis offers a fascinating account of the plotters, rebels, pretenders, murderers, escapees and others who found themselves incarcerated within its walls. But, as Davis also points out, the Tower has played host to diverse royal functions and served as an observatory, menagerie, place of capital punishment and a museum. To this day the Crown Jewels can be viewed there. And according to legend, should the famous ravens leave the Tower, the kingdom will fall. A compelling history of one of London’s most famous landmarks.

Read the full review here

Julian Stockwin

Now I have to admit here and now I am a super fan of the Tower of London, just because so much went on of which we know about for fact and other events that are still not concrete. Plus if you have ever seen the videos on YouTube of ‘Billy the Beefeater’ you will understand that man can bring any story to the masses with an added tone of amusement and sarcasm. So I was really hoping to get sent this book to review and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. The book goes through 20 chapters telling all that happened in periods of history from the first tower being built right up to WW2 when it received bomb damage and where Rudolph Hess was held when he flew over to the UK to negotiate a peace treaty. Included are all the famous faces of history including Henry VIII and his six wives, Henry III, Elizabeth I, Guy Fawkes, the many that were executed and so much more.

This book is very well written and researched by the author John Paul Davis, it is very comprehensively written and doesn’t waffle on around the facts, you get all the beautiful detail and facts. The book doesn’t contain many pictures or drawings, apart from the one small part in the middle of the book, but these aren’t really needed. It’s a fine book, well divided into subjects. I will say this now, this might well be the best book I’ve read so far this year. A five out of five.

UK Historian

John Paul Davis's history of the iconic Tower of London is as complete and informative as anyone could possibly want. Striking fear iunto the hearts of the 8000 people incarcerated in the Tower, the building is as imposing now as it ever was, and the author's complete and thorough knowledge is imparted in grand style.

Books Monthly

This was a historical and insightful tutorial to say the least. Although the book reads like a tome at times, covering the world renown tower through the royal reigns (i.e. Willam the Conquerer to King George VI), the copious amount of information kept me engaged while and I was pleased in the end.

Keep in mind that a bulk of the research is committed to the agonized prisoners who once filled the cells and endured excruciating torture (everyone from poets to kings and queens). John Paul Davis peppers up the overall experience of those who perished (and in some cases absconded) by describing the architectural progress of the tower, key battles and events, and royal succession. The accounts are significant in their own ways, and as an American who only knows enough about British history and various monarchs, I can only conclude that some of these prisoners did not die in vain and were pivotal in England’s overall success and development.

If the history doesn’t fancy your interest, check out some of the ghost stories in the back of the book. And the ravens, don’t forget about he ravens.

NetGalley, Ryan Whitson

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I love this kind of book and couldn’t wait to get stuck in!

I thought that the different sections were great and I will admit my favourite periods in the book were those in the run up to the end of the Tudor period. Personally I am not a huge fan of the time of James I and after that until we get to Victorian times but there were still a few interesting characters in that period.

I liked the descriptions given as to why the people were in the Tower, the different escapes that were attempted, those that were successful, and those that weren’t, the things that had affected the Tower through its different periods of construction too including fires and more recently attacks from the IRA. It was a genuinely interesting book and I found it to be an easy read too – definitely one I would recommend – it was packed with detail!

NetGalley, Donna Maguire

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Loved this - I've only been the once but so enjoyed reading about the history of it.
Loved the writing style, so accessible and interesting.

For anybody interested in history, an absolute must read.

NetGalley, Maria Martignetti

The Tower of London is my most favourite place to visit. Jam packed with History, full of atmosphere, I read everything and anything I can get my hands on written about it.

Full of facts and information, I’d recommend this to all history fans of all ages.

NetGalley, L. J

It goes right back to when the Tower was first erected by William The Conquerer who wanted those upstart Londoners, living within the old walls, to know who was boss. They definitely got the message although it was a “sport” from time to time to torment rebellion of one form or another and the Tower usually played an integral part in the game. Often it was where those in power sheltered. Often it was where those who failed were housed and taught the errors of their ways. In the centuries it went from being a home and stronghold of the monarch to a combination of home and prison and then solely prison, expect for the Yeoman Warders and ravens who live there.
It is a fascinating place to visit and thanks to the guides, quite entertaining. This book is a good adjunct to a first hand visit or a great prep for a future one. Either way, it is complete and very detailed.
Four purrs and two paws up.

NetGalley, Susan Johnston

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

An interesting and fascinating read, well researched and full of information.
I found it engrossing and informative, an excellent read.
Highly recommended.

NetGalley, Anna Maria Giacomasso

This book is a 1000 year history of the Tower of London. Certainly a fascinating place both architecturally and historically, the book is chock full of stories, rumors lives and deaths of it’s many and varied inhabitants over the years.

NetGalley, Andrea Johnson

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

If you enjoy the Tower of London, then you really are going to need to grab a copy of this book. Get the ins and outs of daring escapes, fires, prisoners of renown, and the little known history that lay behind the Tower of London.

While reading through this book, there were several pieces that were presented that I was acquainted with, but there were many that I had never heard of. We know of some of the higher profile nobility that were held within the tower, but this book gives you so much more.

The stories presented in this book, and the tidbits of history left me wanting to dig deeper! To whet the appetite of a historian - well, you can imagine the copious amounts of notes, highlighting, and research that could be delved into.

A great and amazing read - I look forward to hearing more from this author in the future! Well written, and full of wonderful information, this book is a winner!

NetGalley, Rebecca Hill

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I don't read a lot of non-fiction, but when I come across a book like this I really have to ask myself why. Packed full of the people and events surrounding the Tower of London, author John Paul Davis really brings history alive in "A Hidden History of the Tower of London". It honestly surprised me how little I knew. This book is very informative and written in a very engaging way.

NetGalley, Dawn Lewis

I love learning about the tower of London. Even more so about the hidden history of it. Really interesting book with loads of information that I never knew about it! 4 stars

NetGalley, Millie Scott-Allen

This is a very comprehensive book of those imprisoned in the Tower. As a Tudor fan I found it pretty interesting and it was a great way to learn more about the Tower itself.

NetGalley, Amy McElroy

This is a (very) comprehensive history of the life and times of those who at one time or another inhabited the Tower of London from its inception by William the Conqueror. It was remodeled several times throughout the years, so much so that William wouldn't have recognized it.

NetGalley, Joyce Fox

A interesting read about the history behind the tower and all that lt has seen.

NetGalley, Samantha Redworth