Page 7 | Georgette Heyer - give me your top five

throwaway25 · 2025-06-24T17:34:32+00:00

Heyer is my go-to when I’m down in the dumps and is like lying in a massive warm bath of comfort. Just finished re-reading Sylvester, Venetia and Frederica. What are your absolute top fives for my next read? Strong, dashing hero is compulsory of course.

BlairAtholl · 24/06/2025 21:28

What a lovely thread. I also find myself reaching for a Georgette Heyer when I am feeling stressed or ill.
I started reading them in my early teens and still enjoy them now despite the multiple readings and being much older, probably older than any of the matronly characters (sobs!)
My favourites are:
The Black Moth
An Infamous Army
Frederica
The Grand Sophy
Devil's Cub
But to be fair I don't think i have ever read a Georgette Heyer I didn't like, so reserve the right to chose differently another time!

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 24/06/2025 21:27

crumpet · 24/06/2025 21:23

So many that I love have already been named. I am trying to remember the one where the hero has slanted eyebrows, a very nice invalid mother and the heroine is an author…

Sylvester!

crumpet · 24/06/2025 21:27

throwaway25 · 24/06/2025 21:26

Sylvester! It’s one of my favourites

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Thank you! I love how his nephew humanises him.

MollyRedSkirtsChandler · 24/06/2025 21:27

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 24/06/2025 21:22

This isa good way of developing the thread - what are people’s favourite moments? The Restorative Pork Jelly comes to mind 😂

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Ooh, yes!

There is a great l, slightly drunken conversation after a brooch goes missing - I think from A Convenient Marriage?

Original poster

throwaway25 · 24/06/2025 21:26

crumpet · 24/06/2025 21:23

So many that I love have already been named. I am trying to remember the one where the hero has slanted eyebrows, a very nice invalid mother and the heroine is an author…

Sylvester! It’s one of my favourites

OP posts:

Susgor · 24/06/2025 21:26

FREDERICA
SYLVESTER
THE QUIET GENTLEMAN
LADY OF QUALITY
THE GRAND SOPHY

I am Spanish and I have been reading the Heyer books for years! My favourites are the Regency books. Such pleasure and fun, we don't have anything like them here.

CMOTDibbler · 24/06/2025 21:25

The Grand Sophy, Venetia, and Frederica are my never fail go to books in time of sadness or trouble. I can’t tell you how many times I have read them.

TheTrickyWitch · 24/06/2025 21:24

bookbook · 24/06/2025 21:18

, my all time favourite author for comfort reading .
I think ( it can vary ) my five are
The Reluctant Widow
The Toll Gate
Frederica
The Grand Sophy
False Colours
I first one I actually read many years ago was when I loved Elizabethan history , so started off with Beauvallet , and soon moved onto the Regency novels .
But I love them all , more or less , depending on my mood . Sometimes I just read a favourite bit out of one that makes me laugh ( which book has the heroine pretend kidnapped by a staid admirer and the hero and his friend talk about Nemesis , and the friend says - he sounds rum ? my memory is bad these days ! )

That's Friday's child I think. Is it Ferdy talking about nemesis?

MoistVonL · 24/06/2025 21:24

Frederica (because she's relentlessly practical)
Venetia (because she she rescues herself)
Cotillion (because it's funny and Freddy's dad is a god)
The Grand Sophy (because she is awesome)
The Black Sheep (I'm in love with Miles and think Abby is ace)
Unknown Ajax (because it's absolutely hilarious)

So many of the others are good. A couple are less than amazing but still OK.

Cousin Kate is the only truly horrible one.

crumpet · 24/06/2025 21:23

So many that I love have already been named. I am trying to remember the one where the hero has slanted eyebrows, a very nice invalid mother and the heroine is an author…

roshi42 · 24/06/2025 21:23

Cotillion, The Nonesuch, Frederica, The Grand Sophy, and… maybe the Unknown Ajax? Not sure for my fifth! I’m about to re-read Venetia which was my very first Heyer and I haven’t read it again since.

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 24/06/2025 21:22

bookbook · 24/06/2025 21:18

, my all time favourite author for comfort reading .
I think ( it can vary ) my five are
The Reluctant Widow
The Toll Gate
Frederica
The Grand Sophy
False Colours
I first one I actually read many years ago was when I loved Elizabethan history , so started off with Beauvallet , and soon moved onto the Regency novels .
But I love them all , more or less , depending on my mood . Sometimes I just read a favourite bit out of one that makes me laugh ( which book has the heroine pretend kidnapped by a staid admirer and the hero and his friend talk about Nemesis , and the friend says - he sounds rum ? my memory is bad these days ! )

This isa good way of developing the thread - what are people’s favourite moments? The Restorative Pork Jelly comes to mind 😂

MollyRedSkirtsChandler · 24/06/2025 21:22

bookbook · 24/06/2025 21:18

, my all time favourite author for comfort reading .
I think ( it can vary ) my five are
The Reluctant Widow
The Toll Gate
Frederica
The Grand Sophy
False Colours
I first one I actually read many years ago was when I loved Elizabethan history , so started off with Beauvallet , and soon moved onto the Regency novels .
But I love them all , more or less , depending on my mood . Sometimes I just read a favourite bit out of one that makes me laugh ( which book has the heroine pretend kidnapped by a staid admirer and the hero and his friend talk about Nemesis , and the friend says - he sounds rum ? my memory is bad these days ! )

The Black Moth?

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 24/06/2025 21:20

I think my top five have all been mentioned. She is my ultimate comfort read.

The Grand Sophy is far and away my favourite - I’ve read it so many times.

Then, I don’t really have an order, but I love The Talisman Ring (DH has promised to ride ‘ventre a terre’ to my bedside if needed), These Old Shades, Frederica, Venetia, The Nonesuch, Regency Buck, The Unknown Ajax…sigh. Might be time to start a re-read.

Oh - has anyone mentioned Faro’s Daughter? I do enjoy that one.

bookbook · 24/06/2025 21:18

, my all time favourite author for comfort reading .
I think ( it can vary ) my five are
The Reluctant Widow
The Toll Gate
Frederica
The Grand Sophy
False Colours
I first one I actually read many years ago was when I loved Elizabethan history , so started off with Beauvallet , and soon moved onto the Regency novels .
But I love them all , more or less , depending on my mood . Sometimes I just read a favourite bit out of one that makes me laugh ( which book has the heroine pretend kidnapped by a staid admirer and the hero and his friend talk about Nemesis , and the friend says - he sounds rum ? my memory is bad these days ! )

EmpressaurusKitty · 24/06/2025 21:14

MollyRedSkirtsChandler · 24/06/2025 21:09

Cotillion
A Civil Contract
The Unknown Ajax
Friday's Child
Frederica

I think...

I may change my mind in half an hour.

In the twinkling of a bedpost?

It seems incredible that they haven’t been televised or made into films.

MadameCholetsDirtySecret · 24/06/2025 21:13

I’ve only read Friday’s Child, and that was at school. It sounds like I should read a few more.
I did like Hero Wantage. She was a great character.

MollyRedSkirtsChandler · 24/06/2025 21:09

Cotillion
A Civil Contract
The Unknown Ajax
Friday's Child
Frederica

I think...

I may change my mind in half an hour.

TeddyOatmeal · 24/06/2025 21:01

My grandma was a big fan and had all the books in a row on a shelf above her bed which fascinated me as a child. I read them all and inherited them when she died. Reread them every so often when I need comforting. These Old Shades is my very favourite, it seemed so romantic when I first read it 😊 and so by association I loved Devil’s Cub and An Infamous Army. Hard to choose five really but as others have said A Civil Contract is a favourite and probably Venetia. What a lovely thread 😊

Mydadsbirthday · 24/06/2025 20:59

Ooh I've only read Arabella and one of the detective novels. I will get one on audible.

OneNewLeader · 24/06/2025 20:56

I have found my people on MN.

MrsLeonFarrell · 24/06/2025 20:54

The Grand Sophie
A Civil Contract
Frederica
The Spanish Bride
The Reluctant Widow

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 24/06/2025 20:53

tsmainsqueeze · 24/06/2025 20:25

I haven't got a favourite but just came on to say how much i love her, i haven't read one for a while but this thread has made me want to re-read my large pile of her novels.
Controversial maybe but i think she's a better writer than Jane Austin for this genre.

I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t exist as this kind of writer without Jane Austen to inspire her.

TheTrickyWitch · 24/06/2025 20:52

These Old Shades (first I ever read as a teen and had a soft spot for it it ever since
Devils cub
Fridays child
Sylvester
The Nonesuch

You've inspired me to have an early night with one of my collection now. They are the ultimate comfort reads and I can't wait to introduce them to my daughter when she's a bit older!

Original poster

throwaway25 · 24/06/2025 20:44

EmpressaurusKitty · 24/06/2025 20:40

You make a cake of yourself and sound like a bobbing block?

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