(For OBM, and any other fans) Georgette Heyer Appreciation Society

[wombling]

Thought it was a good idea to start this lw, so we stopped cluttering up the Austen Thread (thanks onebatmother, for the suggestion). But I have only just managed to get around to it, so is there anyone else out there who is keen?

What are your favourites, I love These Old Shades, Devils Cub, The Grand Sophy and Venetia. I also managed to discover a historical novel I didn't know wbout "The Great Roxhythe", unfortunately out of print. When googling, I also managed to find www.georgetteheyer.com, which is a mine of info I didn't know about, esp about her modern novels.

[procrastinatingparent]

Imagine if one only had sons ... Surely DD (6) must be ready soon - enough Angelina blardy Ballerina.

[procrastinatingparent]

SV Went to Bath and realised that complete Austen lover that I am, I actually thought of GH's books while I was there instead

[wombling]

Oooh , complete joy that everyone is enjoying this thread. I know that These Old Shades is not classic Heyer, in the sense of her Regency novels, but it does have that sexual frisson, and therefore makes it exciting, as do Venetia and Devil's Cub.

Would absolutely love to do GH Phd, might have to fight you for that one PP.

[onebatmother]

wombling you have been very clever and made us all happy.

I am going to library on Friday bcs can no longer wait for next visit to parents.

I will take what I'm given.

(Am assuming they are still in libraries ? )

[onebatmother]

Good lord! She's stunning!

[TheYoungVisiter]

don't worry - they are still in libraries. She's having a bit of a renaissance actually - smart repackaging and new editions.

I think GH ranks alongside Patrick O'Brian as the two best historical writers in existence.

[onebatmother]

Patrick O'Brian? fill me in?
(though must state firmly that GH only historical novelist acceptable in batcave) Still interested to know though.

[onebatmother]

YV were you a mother-to-daughter handy-downy? or just that in your sadness you turned to GH (and Agatha Christie)?

[wombling]

Oh yes OBM, still in libraries, PP is right. GH does look very chic and elegant on that site too, I was tring to find somewhere that had brief synopsis of all historical novels, but haven't managed to track them down as yet.

[TheYoungVisiter]

Oh Patrick O'Brian is amazing - my dad has been a huge fan for years and kept recommending him to me but I always thought they looked too genre and boring (they are about the navy).

Anyway I am slightly ashamed to admit that I watched the film Master and Commander and loved it so borrowed the first in the series and oh my god they are fantastic - so so well written. Brilliant razor-sharp characterisation, funny, pin-point historical accuracy and totally convincing period dialogue (not as many "banbury tales" and "wisty culls" as GH but enough to be going on with!)

At the risk of horrible stereotyping he is slightly like GH for men, although more serious than her. Also all his books are about the same pair of friends throughout.

[KatyMac]

I love GH - I like charity girl & the grandy sophy & TOS & I think I've read all of them

[TheYoungVisiter]

Aw OBM, what a lovely thing to say (about your books smelling of your mum). I know just what you mean, I have lots of my mother's books - some I have never read but I keep them because I know that one day I will be old enough and wise enough to appreciate them and it helps me to grow up alongside her even though she's no longer here. Every now and again I take down one of her books that I haven't yet read and love it and it's like finding out something new about her, it's lovely.

My mum did introduce me to GH but I don't think that was why I read them after she died - it was more to do with them being lovely and escapist and NOTHING to do with the difficulties of what was going on in the real world. They are such a complete world, if you know what I mean?

Funnily enough, though, my MIL is much more of a GH addict than my mum ever was. She reads them during times of stress too, I always know if she's going through a bad patch when I find them out!

[KatyMac]

Alastair Trilogy

1. These Old Shades (1926)
2. Devil's Cub (1934)
3. An Infamous Army (1937)

Novels
The Black Moth (1921)
The Transformation of Philip Jettan (1923) (writing as Stella Martin)
aka Powder and Patch
The Great Roxhythe (1923)
Instead of the Thorn (1923)
Simon the Coldheart (1925)
Helen (1928)
Masqueraders (1928)
Beauvallet (1929)
Pastel (1929)
Barren Corn (1930)
The Conqueror (1931)
Footsteps in the Dark (1932)
Why Shoot a Butler? (1933)
The Convenient Marriage (1934)
The Unfinished Clue (1934)
Regency Buck (1935)
The Talisman Ring (1936)
Royal Escape (1938)
The Spanish Bride (1940)
The Corinthian (1940) aka Beau Wyndham
Faro's Daughter (1941)
Penhallow (1942)
Friday's Child (1944)
The Reluctant Widow (1946)
The Foundling (1948)
Arabella (1949)
The Grand Sophy (1950)
The Quiet Gentleman (1951)
Cotillion (1953)
The Toll-Gate (1954)
Bath Tangle (1955)
Sprig Muslin (1956)
April Lady (1957)
Sylvester (1957) aka The Wicked Uncle
Venetia (1958)
The Unknown Ajax (1959)
A Civil Contract (1961)
The Nonesuch (1962)
False Colours (1963)
Frederica (1965)
Black Sheep (1966)
Cousin Kate (1968)
Powder and Patch (1969)
Charity Girl (1970)
Lady of Quality (1972)
My Lord John (1975)

Apparently I have only read 39 - some I have never heard of

[onebatmother]

oh, that's lovely YV. D'you know, haven't felt emotional about the whole thing for a while ( I wasn't very very young when she died but it was too soon) and this has given me a happy-sad jolt. In a good way.

You, btw, have a fabulous booklist.

[TheYoungVisiter]

some of those are her mysteries - which are set in teh current day (well, current when she was writing). They are a bit weird IMO and quite hard to read. Her husband used to think up the plots and it shows!

[onebatmother]

Blood and Thunder, Katiemac!

Am certain I don't have 'Why Shoot a Butler?', nor do I have answer to same.

Though Powder and Patch is shouting quite loudly at me.. anyone else have clues?

[TheYoungVisiter]

obm.

(Everyone is typing too fast tonight - I keep crossing posts!)

[onebatmother]

Black sheep and The Quiet Gentlemen also - plot clues?

[TheYoungVisiter]

Why Shoot a Butler is one of her mysteries. Don't bother with it, is my mean and cruel advice! They are not a patch on her historical novels.

Powder and Patch is historical but not one of her better ones - it's about 12 pages long and very "slight" in every sense. Not sure if it's currently in print even.

[onebatmother]

Katymac (sorry about prev. spelling) yes, things like False Colours sound not quite right, don't they?

But the Foundling - Oh, I know I've read that. Isn't that one that has already-known characters in?

I can't tell you how frustrating this is, not being able to just pick them up and flick through.

[TheYoungVisiter]

Black Sheep is FAB! I actually have it on my bedside table right now.

it is another of her sensible older heroine, dizzy younger heroine ones.

Abigail is the sensible heroine, her niece - Fanny I think? - is the younger one. They live in Bath with the infuriating hypochondriac Aunt Selina.

Fanny becomes entangled with a Fortune Hunter and Abby sets out to rescue her but it all becomes complicated by the arrival of the Fortune Hunter's Uncle, Miles. He is the Black Sheep of the title (sent off to India as a young man for entanglements which soon become germane to the plot). Needless to say Abby is not immune to his rough charms... (lord I am sounding like a blurb-writer)

[KatyMac]

If you look them up on Amazon - there is a plot for each

[onebatmother]

D'you know, YV,? I can't bear it!
Am calling my mad father and bringing visit forward.
Foundling/the quiet gentleman

[onebatmother]

Foundling/the quiet gentleman Question Mark?

[TheYoungVisiter]

I have also read the quiet gentleman and the foundling...

The Quiet Gentleman is about someone or other Frant. Can't remember his first name. His mother died when he was young and his unsympathetic father remarried and presented him with a designing step mother and odious, much preferred younger step brother. However the title is entailed so when his father dies he inherits anyway. He goes off to war and they are all slightly miffed when he returns safely, all except his cousin Theo (male) who has been keeping the home fires burning for him.

After he returns mysterious accidents start to occur. I won't give away any more of the plot but needless to say, not all is as it seems.

it's not one of her most romantic - rather serious and sad actually (although it all ends happily, of course!)