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Georgette Heyer

Review by Wordcandy Staff

Review:
I firmly hold the following to be true:

Georgette Heyer was an amazing writer.
She is tragically underappreciated (particularly here in the United States).
The fact that no one has made a film version of one of her romances or a TV version of one her mysteries is CRIMINAL.

I'm assuming that any Heyer fans currently reading this are busily nodding their heads in shared indignation, but just in case you are unfamiliar with Ms. Heyer's books, allow me to introduce you.

Georgette Heyer wrote her first book at seventeen. Over the course of the next fifty-odd years she wrote nearly sixty romance and mystery novels. She is best known as the originator of the "Regency romance", although several of her modern mystery stories were excellent. While a handful of her books are admittedly pretty bad (and one is truly unreadable) the majority are highly entertaining, and almost twenty of them are superb. At her best, Heyer's mysteries are clever and amusing, while her romances are sweet and dazzlingly funny.

Note: Heyer's A Civil Contract was one of our Book of the Week picks.

Availability:
While some of Ms. Heyer's books are being re-released here in the United States, many of her more obscure titles and mysteries are only available in libraries or online. I'm very excited about the recent British re-releases of many of her romances (gorgeous covers, available at amazon.co.uk), but if you're more budget-minded you can frequently find her books for pocket change on eBay.

Bitter Aftertaste:
None.

If you like this author, you should try:
Nine Coaches Waiting, by Mary Stewart

Cold Comfort Farm, by Stella Gibbons

Anything by Jane Austen

Anything by Lisa Kleypas

Sorcery and Cecelia, by Caroline Stevermer and Patricia C. Wrede

Websites for or about this author
http://www.georgette-heyer.com/

Reader Reviews

I adored These Old Shades and Devil's Cub, and The Masqueraders had me in fits. Heyer is truly a gem. -- Anonymous Fellow Wordcandy Reader

It's not my favorite Heyer, but "False Colours" does include the character of Ripple, who is not to be missed. I snicker whenever I think about the scene where, after decades of wooing his ladylove, she suddenly decides to marry him and he's desperate to get out of it.... -- Statler

My favorite is "The Unknown Ajax", but I think "A Civil Contract" is one of the most interesting and least rose-tinted romances I've ever read. It's more about how real families try to blend together than it is about the romance between the hero and heroine. -- helena

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