Read GEORGETTE HEYER in June

(According to Wikipedia):

Georgette Heyer (August 16, 1902 - July 4, 1974) was a British historical romance and detective fiction novelist. Her writing career began in 1921, when she turned a story for her younger brother into the novel The Black Moth

Heyer essentially established the historical romance genre and it’s subgenre of Regency Romance. Her Regencies were inspired by Jane Austen.

To ensure accuracy about the period of which she wrote, Heyer collected reference works and kept detailed notes on all aspects of Regency life. While some critics thought the novels were too detailed, others considered the level of detail to be her greatest asset.



The novels of Georgette Heyer are literary treasures and truly stand the test of time. We are celebrating this author in June and everyone is invited to pick one (or more) of her books and enjoy. Don't forget to come here and let us know which Heyer you are going to read in June.

I am planning on reading The Nonesuch and Beauvalet during June.

No promises, but I do have a copy of The Foundling that I really should get around to reading so I can return the book to my friend!

Well I have 2 in my TBR that I could consider - Envious Casca which is one from her Inspector Hemingway series and I also have The Grand Sophy which I'm guessing is one of her romance novels. I'll have to see how the month progresses before I decide which to read.

I'll be reading They Found Him Dead, which will also fit the June MysteryCAT. And the GeoCAT, for that matter. If I have time, I'll also read The Foundling.

I have The Reluctant Widow on my TBR shelf - maybe I'll get to it in June. I've only read one other Heyer book, Faro's Daughter which I enjoyed though wasn't blown away by.

I've got The Grand Sophy all ready to go.

I'm currently reading Frederica, my first Heyer, and enjoying it quite a bit. Since I'm going to finish this before June, I'll have to read another one.

I'll definitely read something — whatever my library has available when I'm ready to start. I've enjoyed all three of the Heyers I've ever read so I feel confident I'll find something good.

The Grand Sophy and Frederica are two of Heyer's best. While all of Heyer's romances are heads and shoulders above the competition, Faro's Daughter is one of my less favorites, but I think The Reluctant Widow is delightful, japaul. Her mysteries are more pedestrian, I think, than the romances.

>10 ronincats: Thanks! Glad to hear that The Reluctant Widow is better than Faro's Daughter.

I just found two older hardbacks that I borrowed from my mother over a year ago that I should read and return.
Charity Girl
Lady of Quality
and I still have Cotillion sitting at the top of my tbr pile.

Kerry, Cotillion is the best of those, by far!

ETA but then, Cotillion is one of my very favorites of all.

I have many Heyer novels in my collection, not sure which one I will pick but I will gladly join you for the June read.

I'm in! Masqueraders is queued up on my Kindle, ready and waiting for June 1. I've actually been in a bit of a reading slump the past week or so and have contemplated giving up on the books I've been trying and failing to get into and reading the Heyer instead, because she can always pull me into her romances and out of whatever slump I'm in.

BTW, I'm a huge fan of Frederica and The Grand Sophy, as well as Cotillion and the Black Moth/These Old Shades/Devil's Cub novels, though I haven't read the last of that series (An Infamous Army, itself the sequel to Regency Buck) yet.

I'll be in, too. Don't know what or when yet. (How to prioretize? Next two weeks it will be by the books that have to go back to the library.)

I'm so excited for this! I've read all of Heyer's Regency romances, and now I'm working through her mysteries in publication order. So I'll be reading A Blunt Instrument, but I really look forward to seeing everyone's thoughts on her other books! (For the record, my favorites are The Grand Sophy, Cotillion, and Sylvester -- but they're all pretty fantastic!)

I'm planning to read The Black Moth. I'd like to read her in publication order, although I've been reading her mysteries already.

I'll be trying The Black Moth.

Just borrowed April Lady from the library, so that makes two. Happy me.

>20 Storeetllr: Mary, I'll be looking forward to your thoughts on April Lady it was one of the first Heyers that I read, and her use of language totally blew me away, I kept finding myself reading passages aloud. I don't often see it listed among people's favorites, but it was probably the book that made me a fan.

I will definitely let you know, Judy, but I already am pretty sure I'm going to love it. Only one Heyer that so far I didn't like or finish was Friday's Child, and I'm thinking it might be because I tried listening to it as an audio and couldn't stand the reader's voice.

>22 Storeetllr: The narrator is so important in audios! I had to abandon my audio read of The Unknown Ajax as I couldn't stand the voice of the narrator. I just couldn't get past the fact that when he talked in a woman's voice all I could hear was the Monty Python Gang when they did drag.

>23 DeltaQueen50: Haha! That's so funny! In my listening experience, it seems that more women can do men's voices well, while few men seem to be able to carry off women's voices.

I've read a couple of her mysteries but never any of the romances. I just borrowed April Lady from the library for my Kindle so I'll give that one a try.

The Heyer mysteries I read and enjoyed were Why Shoot a Butler? and Death in the Stocks.

I think that I will reread An Infamous Army. I read it years ago and didn't enjoy it very much, but perhaps I will like it more now that I am older...

I'll be reading Duplicate Death.

I would like to read one of her mysteries because I don't think I ever have, but since I have a copy of The Foundling on my TBR I'll start with that. Hopefully I'll have time to read a mystery too.

I'm halfway through The Grand Sophy and I can see why it is many people's favorite.

Black Sheep is on e-sale today with Kindle, Kobo and probably Nook, for the low low price of $2.99. Just in case anyone is still looking for one to read. :-)

I'll be reading Friday's Child with its wonderful cast of side characters, Gil, Ferdy and George. This is probably my favorite of hers with the very young heroine.

I haven't been taking part in this GR, but thought I'd post the following:

Just noticed this evening that a selection of Georgette Heyer titles are currently on sale on Amazon.ca at around $3. Julia checked Amazon.com and confirmed they are available on promo there too. The titles on offer are:

These Old Shades
The Corinthian
Cotillion
Venetia
The Quiet Gentleman
The Black Moth
Black Sheep
The Foundling
Royal Escape

All are available in the US at $2.99, except for The Foundling, which is only on special in Canada.

Maybe Amazon got wind of this group read?? :-)

Ilana, it would not surprise me if they have spies around here! Last November and December, it seemed that every time Mark posted a rave review on his thread and I or others commented that we wanted to read it, it would turn up on sale at Amazon within a few days!

>33 rosalita: I wouldn't be surprised if Mark gets a kickback from them! lol! Just kidding of course. But you're right about them possibly monitoring LT as well as other reading sites. Would make sense I guess.

Do we really need these Amazon ads?

>35 MarthaJeanne: I know! I'm boycotting them until they wrap up this war on publishers, hang the customer nonsense. Which means I have to actually go to the bookstore!

I'm reading my way through the detective novels - Footsteps In The Dark at the moment - and I'm about half way through Arabella but I also have several other Regency ones waiting for me. I think the Regency novels make very good audio books - as long as the reader is right. There are several that I will not be listening to as I don't like the reader's voice. My favourite reader for Georgette Heyer is Phyllida Nash.

I've just started my first Heyer of the month, Beauvalet which is actually set in the Elizabethan time period and so far is a really fun read.

I've started mine too - Envious Casca.

Can't wait to get to my first: April Lady.

>38 DeltaQueen50: I hadn't heard of Beauvalet before but it sounds good. I think I'll check and see if I can get it from the library.

Fun, yes, but far from the quality of most of the regnancy romances. Everything is very predictable.

I'll probably join in after all, now that I have so many GH options to choose from. I would have liked to read Friday's Child with Liz and Heather and... whoever is joining them, but don't have that one on the tbr currently. On the other hand, I have five titles to choose from, including Frederica, The Corinthian, Cotillion, Venetia and The Quiet Gentleman... possibly others too if the library goes ahead and obtains a few OverDrive titles I suggested this month? Most likely will go with Frederica, simply because I can fit in an audiobook with ease in my as usually overbooked reading list, unless several of you strongly suggest another option...

Frederica is one of my favourite Heyer characters.

But then, I am also very fond of Venetia, and love the others, too.

Frederica is right up there with Sophy in terms of character, but I can see myself acting like F, and S is just too far from my personality. Both are very strong minded, but F is much more practical.

I loved Frederica, Ilana. I think you will enjoy it.

Frederica is an excellent one to start with, Ilana.

Frederica is one of my favorites too, Ilana! I don't think you will go wrong starting with that one.

#29 I'm finding Grand Sophy slow getting started. I thought it'd be a quick easy fun read and figured I'd be finished by now. I finally put it aside because the slow-going Umberto Eco book I still haven't finished from last month's group read seemed to be going smoother. Hopefully by the half way point, things will be better.

I liked Frederica a lot, except for the idea, often expressed, that has Frederica expressed or demonstrated the slightest attraction for the guy she ends up with, it would have been unseemly and killed her chances.

The Grand Sophy was much more fun. There is some egregious anti-semitism, however.

My first GH novel was actually These Old Shades on audio, back in April, when I was badly needing a comfort listen, and it amply delivered on that score.

Thanks for all the positive feedback on Frederica, I won't hesitate to pick it up soon!

I think These Old Shades is my favorite. I do like stories about reformed rakes.

>48 RidgewayGirl: I think that is part of the period. Sense and Sensibility has the same contrast between the older sister who acts correctly and the younger sister who doesn't follow the rules. But it is the sensible, correct sister whose love is stronger.

I do love the rakes. Reformed or not!

Not for me. I prefer the men who are stylish, capable, and moral.

I don't know what kind of men I like anymore, I've been out of the market too long. Reliable is good, which probably cancels out rakes, which used to be a great specialty of mine. :-|

But I must say the idea of this devilish Satanas is what attracted me to The Old Shades in the first place, so maybe old habits die hard. That being said, he does turn out to be a really good guy in the end... so goes to show once again first impressions are often misleading.

Yet another excuse for a great reread! I love all the Georgette Heyer Regencys but for this I am going to do These Old Shades followed by Devil's Cub. Those two have always been my favorites.

As for me, I like the idea of redemption. Plus, rakes are usually quite a lot of fun to read about. I didn't like Alastair in Black Moth, though I can't say I cared for the main characters in it much more. He certainly redeemed himself in These Old Shades, though, and I enjoyed reading about the small dose of karma he got in Devil's Cub.

I just finished The Reluctant Widow which was great fun. An implausible plot but good characters and dialogue and a quasi Darcy/Elizabeth type relationship.

I'm glad I gave Heyer another try after not really enjoying Faro's Daughter.

I just finished Cotillion and enjoyed it very much!

>58 rosalita: Cotillion! I love Freddy so much.

>59 christina_reads: He really grew on me and by the end everything worked out just the way I wanted it to.

For my first Heyer for this challenge I read They Found Him Dead. It was hard to keep all the characters straight at first because there was a houseful of main characters and servants. Once the book got going and I could tell who was who it was hard to put down.

Finished Arabella. It was a lovely story and the plot was less tortuous than many of the Regency stories. I'm still reading Footsteps in the dark in print and shall be going on to The Grand Sophy in audio when my current audio book is finished - I've only got two chapters left.

#56 Alastair wasn't in Black Moth. Granted there was a devil but it wasn't Alastair. I just finished it and found it fun and enjoyable.

I finished Cotillion last night and found it highly enjoyable. I probably won't get round to another Heyer this month as I still have books to finish reading that I've been putting aside for too long.

Just finished The Grand Sophy. Absolutely delightful.

I have completed Beauvallet and MarthaJean in message #41 nailed it. This was a fun read, but not up to her usual standard that I have learned to expect from reading mostly her regency romances. I soldiered on by imagining Errol Flynn in the title role and that helped me to overlook the rather mundane plot.

MarthaJeanne and MarthaJean are different people. Really!

I've just started an audio version of The Grand Sophy, which is new to me, although I may have read it during my long distant teens.

Since it has no screen my ipod Shuffle has a voiceover facility so that you know what you're listening to. It's a synthetic voice not a real person but it's usually accurate in its pronunciation; unfortunately this title has it confused and it comes out as The Grand Soffee.

I'm rereading The Foundling.

>67 MarthaJeanne: Sorry about leaving the "e" off, I think it was a case of my head working faster than my fingers!

Just finished Duplicate Death ***. I was fooled right up to the end!

I started reading Friday's Child. While romance isn't really my genre, I'm pleasantly surprised at how engaging the story and characters are.

>72 mathgirl40: Paulina, the side characters are wonderful in that book!!

I've read several Heyers, but none recently so this is great timing. I have Cotillion ready to go!

I have completed The Foundling and while it isn't my favorite of the Heyer's I've read I enjoyed it. Although I see this listed as a romance in Heyer's titles there is little romance to it. The story revolves around the young Duke of Sale who has been coddled by his guardian uncle throughout his life and now is ready to claim his independence. Hilarious and frightening experiences befall him as he proves his maturity. My only complaint with the book is that at almost 450 pages it is too long.

I'm reading The Foundling right now, too. you should have read my copy. Only 410 pages. I think part of why this one doesn't quite match up with her best is that it is missing a strong female character. Most regnancy romance readers are women, and this just doesn't give us anyone to root for. Yes, we've met Harriet, but we don't know her while Gilly is off on his adventures.

Finished now. There are just so many good little details in the book that delight me.

I've started listening to Frederica. Charming of course, but I really do need to keep my natural cynicism as far a love and romance go in check to appreciate the light tone of the thing. I'm convinced if I learn to appreciate GH's approach it'll make me a better person!

>68 CDVicarage: I do remember that I read The Grand Sophy "during my long distant teens" but that is only because it was the first Heyer that I read. Before my re-read all I remembered was that there was a monkey in it. I enjoyed it all over again this time. Now I remember why I sought out the rest of Heyer's Regencies back in the day.

I needed something light and non-taxing on this busy weekend, and I'm happy to report that Black Sheep filled the bill marvelously. I <3 Miles and Abby!

That's exactly what I needed as well, and so I read Friday's Child, one of my favorites!

I haven't read that one yet, Roni. Will look for it at the library.

Reread The unknown Ajax.

And The Nonesuch, which is another favourite of mine.

>85 MarthaJeanne: I've just started The Nonesuch as well.

There are so many of Heyer's novels on my shelf that I haven't read in a long time that it was hard to pick the next one to read for the challenge. I couldn't remember the plot of The Talisman Ring so I picked it up and was whisked away into a world of adventure and romance. This is a regency with murder and an inheritance in play.

The Nonesuch was an excellent Georgette Heyer read. Everything I look forward to, the humor, the period detail, the fantastic language and a darned good story are in this book.

>87 Familyhistorian: I think The Talisman Ring is one of my favorites!

I just finished rereading An Infamous Army. Although this is an excellent historical fiction of the Battle of Waterloo (and the months leading up to it in Brussels), it isn't one of Heyer's books that I like very much. Upon this reread, I have finally figured out why -- the character of Judith Worth. I liked Judith Taverner very much in Regency Buck but in this one, she has become conventional and slightly stupid. There is also much less humor in this, which is reasonable considering its topic but still missed.

I have just finished an audio version of The Grand Sophy, read by Sarah Woodward and I loved it. Sophy is a wonderful heroine and Miss Wraxton is so humourless she is funny. The reading was excellent; I think women tend to do men's voices better than men can do women's.

I have just finished Envious Casca one of her mysteries. Second in the Inspector Hemingway series, this is a "locked room" type of mystery and very well done.

I also went with one of Heyer's mysteries since most of them fit this month's MysteryCAT. I finished They Found Him Dead last night. It's a country house mystery with a mini locked room puzzle thrown in for good measure. The mystery plot is pretty good, and the characters are interesting and fun.

I've read what I suppose will be my last Heyer of Heyer month: These Old Shades. Another winner although a more unusual storyline. This has been a great month — thanks to whoever had the idea!

I've started April Lady.

I just finished A Blunt Instrument, which is one of my favorite Heyer mysteries so far! As usual, I loved the characters more than the plot -- especially Neville and Sally! I'm glad Heyer month gave me the excuse to read this book. :)

I'm just going to squeak in with a reread of The Nonesuch. A wonderful book!

I squeaked in one last Heyer romance for the month. I think I am almost all Heyered out because I didn't enjoy this one as much as the others I read this month. I read Bath Tangle which was okay but I didn't stay up late in to the night to read just one more chapter. It had the Heyer touch but not quite the irresistible charm.

I was wrong: I finished one more tonight, The Corinthian.

I finished Friday's Child for this challenge and really enjoyed it. I'd always associated Heyer with romance, and I'd only ever read one of her mysteries, so it was a pleasant surprise to see how well she did comedy.

Loved that one!