diff --git a/src/error.rs b/src/error.rs
index 870d806..7f4b2d0 100644
--- a/src/error.rs
+++ b/src/error.rs
@@ -23,6 +23,18 @@ pub enum Error {
     #[error("I/O: {0}")]
     Io(#[from] std::io::Error),
 
+    // JSON Bad Character
+    #[error("JSON bad character: {0} at position {1}, {2} was expected")]
+    JsonBadCharacter(char, usize, char),
+
+    // JSON Bad (general)
+    #[error("JSON bad: {0} at position {1}")]
+    JsonBad(&'static str, usize),
+
+    // JSON Bad Event
+    #[error("JSON bad event: {0} at position {1}")]
+    JsonBadEvent(&'static str, usize),
+
     // JSON Bad String Character
     #[error("JSON string bad character: codepoint {0}")]
     JsonBadStringChar(u32),
diff --git a/src/types/parse/json_parse.rs b/src/types/parse/json_parse.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3c91520
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/types/parse/json_parse.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,445 @@
+use super::json_escape::json_unescape;
+use crate::Error;
+
+#[inline]
+pub fn eat_whitespace(input: &[u8], inposp: &mut usize) {
+    while *inposp < input.len() && [0x20, 0x09, 0x0A, 0x0D].contains(&input[*inposp]) {
+        *inposp += 1;
+    }
+}
+
+#[inline]
+pub fn eat_whitespace_and_commas(input: &[u8], inposp: &mut usize) {
+    while *inposp < input.len() && [0x20, 0x09, 0x0A, 0x0D, b','].contains(&input[*inposp]) {
+        *inposp += 1;
+    }
+}
+
+#[inline]
+pub fn verify_char(input: &[u8], ch: u8, inposp: &mut usize) -> Result<(), Error> {
+    if *inposp >= input.len() {
+        Err(Error::JsonBad("Too Short or Missing Fields", *inposp))
+    } else if input[*inposp] == ch {
+        *inposp += 1;
+        Ok(())
+    } else {
+        Err(Error::JsonBadCharacter(
+            input[*inposp] as char,
+            *inposp,
+            ch as char,
+        ))
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn eat_colon_with_whitespace(input: &[u8], inposp: &mut usize) -> Result<(), Error> {
+    eat_whitespace(input, inposp);
+    verify_char(input, b':', inposp)?;
+    eat_whitespace(input, inposp);
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+pub fn next_object_field(input: &[u8], inposp: &mut usize) -> Result<bool, Error> {
+    eat_whitespace(input, inposp);
+    // next comes either comma or end brace
+    if *inposp >= input.len() {
+        return Err(Error::JsonBad("Too short", *inposp));
+    }
+    if input[*inposp] == b'}' {
+        *inposp += 1;
+        Ok(true)
+    } else if input[*inposp] == b',' {
+        *inposp += 1;
+        Ok(false)
+    } else {
+        Err(Error::JsonBad("Unexpected char", *inposp))
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn read_id(input: &[u8], inposp: &mut usize, output: &mut [u8]) -> Result<(), Error> {
+    verify_char(input, b'"', inposp)?;
+    if *inposp + 64 >= input.len() {
+        return Err(Error::JsonBad("Too short reading id", *inposp));
+    }
+    // Read the hex ID and write the binary ID into the output event structure
+    read_hex!(&input[*inposp..*inposp + 64], &mut output[..32], 32)?;
+    *inposp += 64;
+    verify_char(input, b'"', inposp)?;
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+pub fn read_pubkey(input: &[u8], inposp: &mut usize, output: &mut [u8]) -> Result<(), Error> {
+    verify_char(input, b'"', inposp)?;
+    if *inposp + 64 >= input.len() {
+        return Err(Error::JsonBad("Too short reading pubkey", *inposp));
+    }
+    // Read the hex pubkey and write the binary pubkey into the output event structure
+    read_hex!(&input[*inposp..*inposp + 64], &mut output[..32], 32)?;
+    *inposp += 64;
+    verify_char(input, b'"', inposp)?;
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+pub fn read_u64(input: &[u8], inposp: &mut usize) -> Result<u64, Error> {
+    let mut value: u64 = 0;
+    let mut any: bool = false;
+    while *inposp < input.len() && b"0123456789".contains(&input[*inposp]) {
+        any = true;
+        value = (value * 10) + (input[*inposp] - 48) as u64;
+        *inposp += 1;
+    }
+    if !any {
+        return Err(Error::JsonBad(
+            "Created at must be a positive or zero valued number",
+            *inposp,
+        ));
+    }
+    Ok(value)
+}
+
+pub fn read_kind(input: &[u8], inposp: &mut usize) -> Result<u16, Error> {
+    let mut value: u32 = 0;
+    let mut any: bool = false;
+    while *inposp < input.len() && b"0123456789".contains(&input[*inposp]) {
+        any = true;
+        value = (value * 10) + (input[*inposp] - 48) as u32;
+        *inposp += 1;
+    }
+    if !any {
+        return Err(Error::JsonBad(
+            "Kind at must be a positive or zero valued number",
+            *inposp,
+        ));
+    }
+    if value > 65535 {
+        Err(Error::JsonBad("Kind larger than 65535", *inposp))
+    } else {
+        Ok(value as u16)
+    }
+}
+
+// HELP written for event only
+// From the outer bracket through to the character after the close outer bracket
+// returns the size of data written to the output
+pub fn read_tags_array(
+    input: &[u8],
+    inposp: &mut usize,
+    output: &mut [u8],
+) -> Result<usize, Error> {
+    verify_char(input, b'[', inposp)?; // outer array open brace
+    eat_whitespace(input, inposp);
+
+    // NOTE: we cannot write any tag strings until after we have counted the tags.
+    // (our tags structure is optimized for reading, not writing)
+    let num_tags: usize = count_tags(input, *inposp)?;
+    output[2..4].copy_from_slice((num_tags as u16).to_ne_bytes().as_slice());
+
+    // Case where we have no tags
+    if num_tags == 0 {
+        output[0..2].copy_from_slice(4_u16.to_ne_bytes().as_slice());
+        return Ok(4);
+    }
+
+    verify_char(input, b'[', inposp)?; // opening brace of first tag
+    eat_whitespace(input, inposp);
+
+    let mut tag_num = 0;
+    let mut outpos: usize = 4 + num_tags * 2;
+    loop {
+        // Write the offset of this tag
+        let offset_slot = 4 + tag_num * 2;
+        output[offset_slot..offset_slot + 2]
+            .copy_from_slice((outpos as u16).to_ne_bytes().as_slice());
+
+        // Read the tag (bumps inpos and outpos)
+        read_tag(input, inposp, output, &mut outpos)?;
+        eat_whitespace(input, inposp);
+
+        // Check what is next
+        match input[*inposp] {
+            b']' => {
+                *inposp += 1;
+                if tag_num != num_tags - 1 {
+                    panic!("Tag count mismatch");
+                }
+                break;
+            }
+            b',' => {
+                *inposp += 1;
+                eat_whitespace(input, inposp);
+                verify_char(input, b'[', inposp)?;
+                tag_num += 1;
+                if tag_num >= num_tags {
+                    panic!("Tag count mismatch");
+                }
+                eat_whitespace(input, inposp);
+            }
+            _ => return Err(Error::JsonBad("Tag array bad character", *inposp)),
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Write length of tags section
+    output[0..2].copy_from_slice((outpos as u16).to_ne_bytes().as_slice());
+
+    Ok(outpos)
+}
+
+// From the first inner tag bracket, ending after the outer bracket.
+// This just counts the tags, it does not write output or modify the inpos
+// This does a quicker pass over the content than actual tag parsing does.
+pub fn count_tags(input: &[u8], mut inpos: usize) -> Result<usize, Error> {
+    // First non-whitespace character after the opening brace
+    match input[inpos] {
+        b']' => return Ok(0), // no tags
+        b'[' => (),           // expected
+        _ => return Err(Error::JsonBad("Tag array bad initial character", inpos)),
+    }
+
+    let mut count = 1;
+    inpos += 1;
+    burn_tag(input, &mut inpos)?;
+    eat_whitespace(input, &mut inpos);
+
+    loop {
+        match input[inpos] {
+            b']' => return Ok(count),
+            b',' => {
+                inpos += 1;
+                eat_whitespace(input, &mut inpos);
+                verify_char(input, b'[', &mut inpos)?;
+                count += 1;
+                burn_tag(input, &mut inpos)?;
+                eat_whitespace(input, &mut inpos);
+            }
+            _ => return Err(Error::JsonBad("Tag array bad character", inpos)),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn read_tag(
+    input: &[u8],
+    inposp: &mut usize,
+    output: &mut [u8],
+    outposp: &mut usize,
+) -> Result<(), Error> {
+    verify_char(input, b'"', inposp)?;
+
+    let countpos = *outposp;
+    *outposp += 2;
+    let mut num_strings: usize = 1;
+    loop {
+        // read string
+        let (inlen, outlen) = json_unescape(&input[*inposp..], &mut output[*outposp + 2..])?;
+        // write the length before it
+        output[*outposp..*outposp + 2].copy_from_slice((outlen as u16).to_ne_bytes().as_slice());
+        // bump the outposp past it
+        *outposp += 2 + outlen;
+        // bump the inpos past the string (and the ending quote which isn't counted in the len)
+        *inposp += inlen + 1;
+
+        eat_whitespace(input, inposp);
+        match input[*inposp] {
+            b',' => {
+                *inposp += 1;
+                eat_whitespace(input, inposp);
+                verify_char(input, b'"', inposp)?;
+                num_strings += 1;
+                continue;
+            }
+            b']' => {
+                *inposp += 1;
+                break;
+            }
+            _ => return Err(Error::JsonBad("Tag array bad character", *inposp)),
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Write the count of strings at the very start
+    output[countpos..countpos + 2].copy_from_slice((num_strings as u16).to_ne_bytes().as_slice());
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+pub fn read_content(
+    input: &[u8],
+    inposp: &mut usize,
+    output: &mut [u8],
+    after_tags: usize,
+) -> Result<(), Error> {
+    verify_char(input, b'"', inposp)?;
+
+    // Place content 4 bytes beyond tags, to reserve space for content length
+    let (inlen, outlen) = json_unescape(&input[*inposp..], &mut output[after_tags + 4..])?;
+    *inposp += inlen + 1; // +1 to pass the end quote
+
+    // Write content length
+    output[after_tags..after_tags + 4].copy_from_slice((outlen as u32).to_ne_bytes().as_slice());
+
+    // Write event size
+    let event_len = after_tags + 4 + outlen;
+    output[0..4].copy_from_slice((event_len as u32).to_ne_bytes().as_slice());
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+pub fn read_sig(input: &[u8], inposp: &mut usize, output: &mut [u8]) -> Result<(), Error> {
+    verify_char(input, b'"', inposp)?;
+    if *inposp + 128 >= input.len() {
+        return Err(Error::JsonBad("Too short reading sig", *inposp));
+    }
+    // Read the hex sig and write the binary sig into the output event structure
+    read_hex!(&input[*inposp..*inposp + 128], &mut output[80..144], 64)?;
+    *inposp += 128;
+    verify_char(input, b'"', inposp)?;
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+// from the character after the start quote
+// ending on the character following the end quote
+pub fn burn_string(input: &[u8], inposp: &mut usize) -> Result<(), Error> {
+    while *inposp < input.len() && input[*inposp] != b'"' {
+        if input[*inposp] == b'\\' && *inposp + 1 < input.len() {
+            *inposp += 2;
+        } else {
+            *inposp += 1;
+        }
+    }
+    if input[*inposp] == b'"' {
+        *inposp += 1;
+        Ok(())
+    } else {
+        Err(Error::JsonBad("Unterminated string", *inposp))
+    }
+}
+
+// from the character after the open brace
+// ending on the character following the close brace
+pub fn burn_tag(input: &[u8], inposp: &mut usize) -> Result<(), Error> {
+    eat_whitespace(input, inposp);
+    // assuming that every tag must have at least one string
+    verify_char(input, b'"', inposp)?;
+    burn_string(input, inposp)?;
+    eat_whitespace(input, inposp);
+    while input[*inposp] == b',' {
+        *inposp += 1;
+        eat_whitespace(input, inposp);
+        verify_char(input, b'"', inposp)?;
+        burn_string(input, inposp)?;
+        eat_whitespace(input, inposp);
+    }
+    verify_char(input, b']', inposp)?;
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+pub fn burn_key_and_value(input: &[u8], inposp: &mut usize) -> Result<(), Error> {
+    verify_char(input, b'"', inposp)?;
+    burn_string(input, inposp)?;
+    eat_colon_with_whitespace(input, inposp)?;
+    burn_value(input, inposp)?;
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+// from the character after the open brace
+// ending on the character following the close brace
+pub fn burn_object(input: &[u8], inposp: &mut usize) -> Result<(), Error> {
+    loop {
+        eat_whitespace_and_commas(input, inposp);
+
+        // Check for the end
+        if input[*inposp] == b'}' {
+            *inposp += 1;
+            return Ok(());
+        }
+
+        burn_key_and_value(input, inposp)?;
+    }
+}
+
+// from the character after the open bracket
+// ending on the character following the close bracket
+pub fn burn_array(input: &[u8], inposp: &mut usize) -> Result<(), Error> {
+    loop {
+        eat_whitespace_and_commas(input, inposp);
+
+        // Check for the end
+        if input[*inposp] == b']' {
+            *inposp += 1;
+            return Ok(());
+        }
+
+        burn_value(input, inposp)?;
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn burn_value(input: &[u8], inposp: &mut usize) -> Result<(), Error> {
+    if *inposp >= input.len() {
+        return Err(Error::JsonBad(
+            "Too short burning an unused JSON value",
+            *inposp,
+        ));
+    }
+    match input[*inposp] {
+        b'"' => {
+            *inposp += 1;
+            burn_string(input, inposp)?
+        }
+        b'[' => {
+            *inposp += 1;
+            burn_array(input, inposp)?
+        }
+        b'{' => {
+            *inposp += 1;
+            burn_object(input, inposp)?
+        }
+        b't' => burn_true(input, inposp)?,
+        b'f' => burn_false(input, inposp)?,
+        b'n' => burn_null(input, inposp)?,
+        b'-' => burn_number(input, inposp)?,
+        _ => {
+            if b"123456789".contains(&input[*inposp]) {
+                burn_number(input, inposp)?
+            } else {
+                return Err(Error::JsonBad(
+                    "Too short burning an unused JSON value",
+                    *inposp,
+                ));
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+pub fn burn_null(input: &[u8], inposp: &mut usize) -> Result<(), Error> {
+    if *inposp + 4 <= input.len() && &input[*inposp..*inposp + 4] == b"null" {
+        *inposp += 4;
+        Ok(())
+    } else {
+        Err(Error::JsonBad("Expected null", *inposp))
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn burn_true(input: &[u8], inposp: &mut usize) -> Result<(), Error> {
+    if *inposp + 4 <= input.len() && &input[*inposp..*inposp + 4] == b"true" {
+        *inposp += 4;
+        Ok(())
+    } else {
+        Err(Error::JsonBad("Expected true", *inposp))
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn burn_false(input: &[u8], inposp: &mut usize) -> Result<(), Error> {
+    if *inposp + 5 <= input.len() && &input[*inposp..*inposp + 5] == b"false" {
+        *inposp += 5;
+        Ok(())
+    } else {
+        Err(Error::JsonBad("Expected false", *inposp))
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn burn_number(input: &[u8], inposp: &mut usize) -> Result<(), Error> {
+    // For burning, we don't check validity.
+    while *inposp < input.len() && b".+-0123456789abcdefABCDEF_oOxXn".contains(&input[*inposp]) {
+        *inposp += 1;
+    }
+    Ok(())
+}
diff --git a/src/types/parse/mod.rs b/src/types/parse/mod.rs
index 325e934..d159abd 100644
--- a/src/types/parse/mod.rs
+++ b/src/types/parse/mod.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
 pub mod json_escape;
 
+pub mod json_parse;
+
 pub mod utf8;