'An orgy of wanton, murderous violence' Tony Parsons


'Britain's worst unrest for two decades' New York Times


In August 2011 the shooting of Mark Duggan by the police sparked an explosion of rioting and lawlessness across the UK. Mobs went on the rampage and terrifying scenes of destruction and violence unfolded. Homes and businesses were burnt to the ground, thousands were arrested, many hundreds were injured and five people were killed.


The Riots is the untold story of what police officers on the front line experienced over those feverish days and nights as they battled to regain control of Britain's streets. Drawn from interviews with dozens of officers who have never spoken publicly before, this is a terrifying account of how the disorder spread through the country and how the police fought back while under attack from rioters armed with bricks, petrol bombs, knives and guns.


The Riots is full of the kind of heroism we are used to seeing in war and features stories of astonishing bravery from the lethal frontline of British policing. It is as thrilling, controversial and important as real-life stories can get.

Michael Matthews spent more than 20 years as a police officer in London. He is a keen travel¬ler, writer and photographer and has had articles and photographs published in numerous books, newspapers and magazines. He has appeared on radio and television in the UK, USA and Canada commenting on crime and issues around policing. The Riots is his second book. His first, We Are The Cops, was a collection of real-life stories from US police officers and was a Kindle Non-Fiction number 1 bestseller. He has vast knowledge of American policing and continues to spend time working with US police departments. Michael likes eating lobster and watching ballet (yes, ballet). He now lives in Canada.