Lonely Planet: The world's leading travel guide publisher*

This is not a guidebook. And it is definitely 'not-for-parents'. It is the real, inside story about one of the world's most famous cities -London. In this book you'll hear fascinating tales about famous and infamous people, creepy underground places, dark history and strange characters galore. Check out cool stories about graffiti artists, murdered princes and people from all over. You'll find royalty, punks and sleuths, and some amazingly weird food.

• Heard about the abseilers who wash a clockface for a living?
• Would you want to eat jellied eels?
• How could anyone be lucky to be beheaded?
• Whatever does 'this is my trouble and strife' mean?

This book shows you a London your parents probably don't even know about.

Authors: Written and researched by Lonely Planet, Klay Lamprell

About Lonely Planet: Started in 1973, Lonely Planet has become the world's leading travel guide publisher with guidebooks to every destination on the planet, as well as an award-winning website, a suite of mobile and digital travel products, children's books, and a dedicated traveller community. Lonely Planet's mission is to enable curious travellers to experience the world and to truly get to the heart of the places where they travel.

TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice Awards 2012 and 2013 winner in Favorite Travel Guide category

'Lonely Planet guides are, quite simply, like no other.' - New York Times

'Lonely Planet. It's on everyone's bookshelves; it's in every traveller's hands. It's on mobile phones. It's on the Internet. It's everywhere, and it's telling entire generations of people how to travel the world.' - Fairfax Media (Australia)

*#1 in the world market share - source: Nielsen Bookscan. Australia, UK and USA. March 2012-January 2013