Whether you are interested in being introduced to British history, or you are familiar with it, Willie, Willie, Harry, Stee, will prove to be a find. Borne out of a successful podcast of the same name, Charlie Higson has written a book which entertains and educates in equal measure.

The book starts with William the Conqueror (or William the Bastard) and ends with Elizabeth II, with a postscript that touches upon Charles III. The facts are there – with some mythbusting too – but the book is also written with a wealth of humour and insight. It should be noted that humour serves as a complement to the story, rather than being the focus.

I particularly enjoyed the chapters on Edward VII and Edward III, partly because I knew so little about them. There is also a short but memorable chapter on Richard Cromwell. No one is left out.

As with the podcast, Higson displays a particular appreciation for the medieval period, when England was shaped, for good and ill, by its monarchs. The likes of Henry II, Edward I, Edward III and Henry V put their stamp on their rule and realm, improving the nation’s standing. Similarly, the author also points out how the reigns of King John, Edward II and Richard II had a detrimental effect on the country. The personal often bleeds into the political – and the people suffer or benefit accordingly.

As one would expect, there is plenty of colour and drama involved in recounting our island’s story and its monarchs. The book contains plenty of nuggets of information on fashion, ailments, sex and deathbed-last-words. Higson, a bestselling novelist, has the storyteller’s instinct for what’s interesting and what will resonate.

The book should also prove rewarding to readers as a prompt to visit or re-visit various periods of British history. There’s a helpful recommended reading list at the back. The book is also accompanied by some fun and memorable illustrations by Jim Moir.

Richard Foreman is the author of Calais: Men-At-Arms, the second instalment in the Men-At-Arms series.