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Original poster

Georgette Heyer - which book to read first?

39 replies

Grockle · 10/05/2013 12:28

I see her raved about on here and fancy having a read... which book would you recommend?

OP posts:
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edam · 11/05/2013 23:25

Yes, chub, you sound just about ready to join the Heyer fan club.

MrsHelsBels74 · 11/05/2013 23:10

I'm not too keen on These Old Shades...but love Devil's Cub

Chubfuddler · 11/05/2013 23:01

If I love agatha Christie, and nancy Mitford and Jane Austen am I likely to enjoy these?

LeonieDeSainteVire · 11/05/2013 22:57

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edam · 11/05/2013 22:03

You won't regret it. Grin

Original poster
Grockle · 11/05/2013 21:28

OH wow, thank you so much. I'm not well so am looking for easy reads that are well written - Heyer sounds right up my street. I'm making a list of your suggestions but I'm tempted to start with Frederica.

OP posts:
HorryIsUpduffed · 11/05/2013 21:25

I'm Shock that anyone could not like These Old Shades!

LeonieDeSainteVire · 11/05/2013 19:06

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TunipTheVegedude · 11/05/2013 17:33

LadyDamerel - yes, it said on the other thread she was 17 Shock

Some people are just so blooming talented, aren't they?!

LadyDamerel · 11/05/2013 17:04

Maybe I should change to MrsJoeHarman Grin.

JeanPaget · 11/05/2013 16:59

Thanks LadyDamerel Blush I sometimes worry that people who haven't read the book think I've completely missed MN etiquette and am just using my own name...

I'm likewise very keen on your namesake (obviously)!

LadyDamerel · 11/05/2013 16:54

Tunip, just bear in mind, it was her first ever novel, written when she was a teenager so isn't representative of her later works. If you hate it, try one of her later novels, before you write her off.

LadyDamerel · 11/05/2013 16:52

(As an irrelevant aside, JeanPaget, I love your namesake. A Town Like Alice is one of my all time favourite books. And Joe Harman is just gorgeous, you lucky thing.)

TunipTheVegedude · 11/05/2013 16:50

Well I've gone and bought The Black Moth for my Kindle because it was cheaper than everything else and it got good reviews but now I've read the book club thread I'm thinking I shouldn't start with that one.

LadyDamerel · 11/05/2013 16:50

Arabella and Black Sheep are good ones to start with - neither are too long but good heroes/heroines.

Same with Lady of Quality, actually.

I love, love, love Frederica though.

Are we helping you make a decision? Grin

edam · 11/05/2013 16:42

Aw, I have a soft spot for April Lady. Not in my top three or even top 10 Heyers but still good, I think. Love Dysart. OK, the plot is silly but it's still a fun read.

TheYamiOfYawn · 11/05/2013 15:10

I love Venetia, but it's so good, it's worth saving for later. Arabella and Cotillion are also fantastic. Basically, she only wrote a few duds.

They are romances, but extremely well-written with brilliant plotting. They tend to be loved along with classic detective novels as light reading by people who read very intellectual books the rest of the time.

HorryIsUpduffed · 11/05/2013 15:00

The Convenient Marriage
Sylvester
Devil's Cub
Civil Contract

It is all enormously well researched and although there is nothing more explicit than a crushing kiss, some of it gets me very hot under the collar.

LadyIsabellaWrotham · 11/05/2013 14:48

The important thing to know is that the MN Georgette Heyer Book Club has reached Sprig Muslin. If you can get hold of a copy and read fast (it's 250 pages in my edition and a really speedy read) then you can come and join in - I personally adore Sprig Muslin and think it's as good a place as any to start.

Next on the list is April Lady - not a good place to start I'd have said, I find it a bit depressing, and nobody upthread recommends it.

After that we'll be reading Sylvester, which is a lot of fun IMO, but not exactly typical Heyer, and then Venetia, which everybody loves, and The Unknown Ajax which is hilarious.

We're doing them at roughly one a fortnight. If you start on one of the older ones we've already done then you can always go back and read what we thought, and indeed add belated comments.

edam · 11/05/2013 11:32

I just went up to my Mother's for the weekend and bagged her copy of The Toll Gate. That was a very happy train journey back again - so engrossed I almost missed my stop. Grin

MrsHelsBels74 · 11/05/2013 10:51

Arabella was the first I read & I really do have a soft spot for it. But there are very few that I struggle to enjoy. Favourites include Frederica, Cotillion, The Tollgate...oh I could go on & on!

JeanPaget · 11/05/2013 10:27

Ooh good call Silver and Leonie, I'd forgotten about Arabella, it's definitely one of my favourites

edam · 10/05/2013 23:26

I'm particularly fond of Venetia but also suggest Frederica - that's a good old romp with a glorious transformation of the hero wrought by the heroine (and her cheeky younger brother). The Reluctant Widow is another favourite. And Friday's Child... ooh, I'm so jealous of anyone who is dipping into Heyer's world for the first time. Grin

LeonieDeSainteVire · 10/05/2013 20:45

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bluebump · 10/05/2013 20:34

I started with Venetia, i'm now on The Talisman Ring. I picked up 5 for £10 in a charity shop recently so I'm giving them a go.