Yes, Summer is here and for many, that means a break and the chance to dig into a good book.

In this special set of episodes, to run through July and August, Charlie Higson delves headfirst into some of the current crop of history books and invites the authors onto the podcast.

In 1603 England was on the edge of crisis. Queen Elizabeth I had died, bringing the Tudor line to an end.

Enter King James, who reached London after an unprecedented procession from Scotland. James established a new dynasty on the English throne and the first 'united' kingdom of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales was born. The Stuarts had arrived.

But first, this new 'Great Britain' had to play catch up. England was behind, but James's global ambitions began to shift the tide. Ships departed London for America, Russia, Persia, India and Japan, and as the fledgling East India Company became ever closer to the crown, the seeds of the future British Empire were sown.

Professor Anna Whitelock's new book The Sun Rising: James I and the Dawn of a Global Britain tells this fascinating story and is the subject of this episode of Willy Willy Harry Stee.

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In this episode, Charlie Higson digs into the dark world of a man sometimes called the first serial killer.

Gilles de Rais was accused of, and eventually confessed to some awful, depraved crimes, and this was a man who was a companion in arms of Joan of Arc!

At his trial, he was hanged for the murder of 140 children, both young men and women, killed for sexual pleasure and to help him in satanic rituals.

So did he do it? There were confessions, many of which you can read even today, full of disturbing detail, but nevertheless, from nearly 600 years ago, still there for us to try and decipher.

A far easier route however is to press 'play' on this podcast as Charlie and Matthew Lewis try and separate fact from hearsay.

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In this episode, Charlie Higson shines a light on the life of Margaret Beaufort, a really extraordinary woman who was a major figure in the Wars Of The Roses of the late 15th century, and mother of Henry VII the first Tudor monarch.

But she was so much more than that, and became instrumental in orchestrating the rise to power of the Tudor dynasty.

To help Charlie tell her incredible story, he welcomes Amy Licence back to the podcast. Amy has written extensively about this period, including the book "Tudor roses – from Margaret Beaufort to Elizabeth I."

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In this brand-new episode of Willy Willy Harry Stee Charlie Higson is looking at Jasper Tudor.

Although he's a name that doesn't spring to many people's lips in everyday conversation, he is a fascinating and important character, describing himself as brother and uncle of kings, his nephew being Henry VII, father of the most infamous Tudor of them all, Henry VIII.

To help Charlie unwrap Jasper's life and influence, Charlie welcomes Nathan Amin back to the podcast, author of Son of Prophecy, the Rise of Henry Tudor.

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In this episode, Charlie Higson is heading into the barrel. No, not to scrape the bottom of it, but to talk about George Duke of Clarence. If you know anything about him, the one fact is probably that he was famously drowned on the orders of his own brother in a barrel of Malmsy wine.

But why?

Well that is the question Charlie is going to be answering in this episode and to help him, he welcomes back Matt Lewis, presenter and writer for the History Hit channel. Matt is fascinated by the medieval period, with a particular interest in the Wars of the Roses and Richard III and has written many books based around that period.

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In this episode, Charlie Higson delves into the life of a fascinating woman, Cecily Neville, daughter of Ralph Neville, wife of Richard, Duke Of York.

As a Neville, she was a member of one of the most powerful families in the Kingdom and she had an extraordinary life. The youngest of her father's 22 children, she went on to have 12 children of her own, two of whom became King of England.

Helping us understand Cecily's place in The Wars Of The Roses, Charlie welcomes back Lacey Bonar Hull. Doctor of Medieval & Tudor History and a

historian & author based in Ohio, USA.

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As Charlie Higson continues his canter through history, he lands on Margaret Of Anjou, the powerful French woman who fought so hard for her husband, Henry VI when his rule was challenged in the Wars of the roses, and was called by Shakespeare "The She Wolf of France", in Henry VI part III.

As ever though, historical research tells a different story of a woman who was a better leader than many of her male contemporaries, as explained in this episode by Amy Licence, author of Henry VI and Margaret of Anjou: A Marriage of Unequals.

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Whan that aprill with his shoures soote

The droghte of march hath perced to the roote,

And bathed every veyne in swich licour

Of which vertu engendred is the flour;

These lines, although difficult to understand, are from a key work in English literature. They have endured today, in part, thanks to a man called William Caxton, who chose a book called 'The Canterbury Tales' as the first book to be printed in England.

In this episode, Charlie Higson looks at the life and work of William Caxton - the founder of printing in England with his introduction of the printing press, the incredible invention that changed history in so many ways.

By homogenising regional dialects he changed the English language forever. His story affects us all.

To help Charlie cross the T's and dot the I's on Caxton's life, he is joined by Dr Kat Marchant, Postdoctoral researcher in early modern literature and culture and content creator for the Reading the Past YouTube channel.

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