Georgette Heyer Fans discussion

Since the subject came up! I think there is one member who might have but let's see!

I'm meaning all her books including the suppressed ones & a collection of short stories Pistols For Two

I have read all her historical & historical romances (including The Great Roxhythe) & I own all of them.

I have read two of her contemporaries but not Pastel or Instead of the Thorn

Mysteries- I'm really not sure. I'm sure I haven't read The Unfinished Clue if I have read Duplicate Death I remember nothing at all about it.

I definitely haven't read close to all of her books, in fact I've only read the romances.

I did try a mystery but from what people have said it was the worst one to start with (Penhallow) so I really need to try another one!

I've read them all. Los Angeles public library had the suppressed ones, but they couldn't be taken out of the room. I read them at the library. I was in high school, and a lot of the content went over my head, but I do remember I thought they were awful.

Instead of the Thorn and The Great Roxhythe were melodramatic as all get-out. What I recollect about Pastel was (view spoiler)[ how whiny the main character was, how misogynistic it was, how much it sucked up to the upper classes, so the only character I liked was the dog (hide spoiler)]. It might not be nearly as bad as what I read, but I was about seventeen, and sadly L.A. Public burned down a few years later, and all those books were lost.

Heh. When Heyer was recommended to me by my friends, I distinctly remember a few of her works being specifically disrecommended, and Penhallow was certainly one of them. Though I did read that one eventually, I've avoided all the contemporaries and most of the historicals. I think I've read all the romances and mysteries, though (if only once, for some of them).

Well we may have two members who have read all the books!

That is a tragedy about the LA Library though. :(

Although it was a long, long time ago that I read Heyer's books, I remember nothing of the plots, yet I seem to remember the titles. I thought I had read all of them, however, having seen the full list of books she wrote, there are several titles there I don't recall. So, it would seem I've not read all her books after all.

Having said all that, I do remember the title, The Great Roxhythe, which would suggest all those years ago my Nan owned a copy. Sadly her daughter gave all of Nan's books to the resthome Nan went into.

I have read and own all of the Georgians and Regencies and a couple of historicals -- the Conqueror and My Lord john (which I never finished ...). I started one of the mysteries but I'm not sure whether I finished it or not. I had been reading Sayers, Christie and Marsh and GH definitely suffered in comparison!

When I finish A Civil Contract, I will have read ALL the Regencies at least once. I have also read the Georgians -I think all of them - but not the historical books and only some of the mysteries. The suppressed books don't count since they aren't widely available.

Jacquie wrote: "I had been reading Sayers, Christie and Marsh and GH definitely suffered in comparison!"

OH! Is Marsh as good as Christie and Sayers? Or at least in their league? I've read all of the other two and have been pining for more.

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QNPoohBear wrote: "When I finish A Civil Contract, I will have read ALL the Regencies at least once. I have also read the Georgians -I think all of them - but not the historical books and only some of the mysteries. ..."

Ah but some of the suppressed have been republished! GH's son felt she had been too harsh on Simon the Coldheart & agreed for it to be republished & I would have to consult my Koestler about Footsteps in the Dark. It was suppressed for a time, but there have been at least two different paperbacks released. There is also a shoddy printing of The Great Roxhythe available. Someone has obviously photocopied a legitimate copy & then published. Anne & I were both caught out. It was published by World Books.

I've read all the mysteries and the Regencies (except for The Great Roxhythe, which I only recently obtained), plus a few of the other historicals (The Masqueraders was long a favorite) but none of the contemporaries. I’m a GH amateur!

I haven't read the four contemporary novels which were suppressed but I have read all the mysteries and all the historical novels except The Great Roxhythe and Simon the Coldheart.

I did read some many years ago borrowed from the local library. I have some paperbacks that I have had a while and re-read many times (some more than others as they are falling apart). I have kept my eyes open for paperback copies and have slowly over the last few years added a few more. Over the last couple of years I have filled in the gaps whenever any have been on sale as kindle editions.
I know for sure that I had never read A Civil Contract before, but of the others it is so many years since I had borrowed from the library that they have not been familiar at all. The only one that I definitely remember reading previously was The Toll Gate which for some reason had stuck in my memory, and I knew that it was one I had read before reading my kindle edition.
As for the mysteries I am sure I have read some of them but cannot say which or how many of them.

MaryC wrote: "Jacquie wrote: "I had been reading Sayers, Christie and Marsh and GH definitely suffered in comparison!"

OH! Is Marsh as good as Christie and Sayers? Or at least in their league? I've read all of..."

Her books are less quirky as his hero is a policeman but there are plenty of good characters including his love interest (a portrait painter) and his sergeant. Marsh had a background in the theater and several of the books have a theater setting including my favorite, Night at the Vulcan, which actually has Inspector Alleyn in a lesser role. I love that a young boy from her first mystery turns up again as a grown up policeman in one of the books.

I haven't read any of the suppressed ones.
I have read all her mysteries.
I only have 2 of her historical romances to read and then I have read them all.
I have read 3 of the six historical fiction still in print not counting the GR which I haven't read.

I don't know which are "the suppressed ones" -- could someone link to a list or put the titles here?

I have not read The Conqueror, My Lord John or Instead of the Thorn.

I think I have read all the rest, including Barren Corn, Pastel, Simon The Coldheart and The Great Roxhythe.

I think I've read everything but Roxhythe and the suppressed ones, and I have (or used to have) all those that I've read . (We had a house fire several years ago, and although most of the books survived, most of those that did are still in boxes in the garage.)

Leslie wrote: "I don't know which are "the suppressed ones" -- could someone link to a list or put the titles here?

I have not read The Conqueror, My Lord John or [book:Instead of the..."

It sounds like you have read them all then Leslie! The suppressed ones you haven't mentioned are Helen & Footsteps in the Dark. Have you read those two.

Jacquie wrote: "MaryC wrote: "
OH! Is Marsh as good as Christie and Sayers? Or at least in their league? I'..."

Marsh is considered one of the Big Four from the Golden Age genre along with the above 2 & Allingham. As a fellow Kiwi I often find her class consciousness grating. But as I have mentioned on GR before a b-i-l had a small part in a play she directed & said in real life she was an absolutely lovely person.

There is a quote from GH in the Koestler where GH herself despised Marsh's detective creation. :)

Well, GH aside, l read all the Ngaio Marsh books after I read Christie and Sayers, and I adored them. On the other hand, for me GH's mysteries are not her best work and I have to work at reading them. She never seemed to realize, or at least be content with, her strengths as a writer. She wanted to be "serious" and respected, and if she but knew how her novels have helped me through tough times and how beloved she is. Maybe it was her husband' influence that made her discontent, or something else, but it makes me sad.

Kim wrote: "Well, GH aside, l read all the Ngaio Marsh books after I read Christie and Sayers, and I adored them. On the other hand, for me GH's mysteries are not her best work and I have to work at reading th..."

As a Librarian on GR I wonder what GH would have made of GR! I have this picture of her going on the Librarians Group & demanding the books she suppressed be taken off GR immediately! :D

But I hope on some level GH did know how much her books helped people. The only fan letter she kept was one from someone who had been a POW in Rumania & remembered Friday's Child well enough to recite it to the other prisoners.

Since the names Christie and Sayers have come up, I'd like to say that I really enjoyed Jill Paton Walsh's continuations of the Lord Peter series. However, a recent new Hercule Poirot novel, published with the consent of the Christie estate, was a real disappointment. Poirot's eccentricities were portrayed quite well, but in other ways he just wasn't himself.

I have not read any of the 'contemporaries,' all of the romances, most of the mysteries and one historical novel.

I do not think I want to read her contemporaries; they appear to have been universally panned.

Oh, my library has Footsteps in the Dark on e-audio. I have not listened to that because I am not a big fan of audiobooks.

Carol ♔ Typo Queen! ♔ wrote: "Leslie wrote: "I don't know which are "the suppressed ones" -- could someone link to a list or put the titles here?

I have not read The Conqueror, My Lord John or .."

I have read both of those Carol. I quite like Footsteps…

I read all of those when they were first published in paperback, when I was a teen they published most of her work at some point except her non-genre novels.

Leslie wrote: " Carol ♔ Typo Queen! ♔ wrote: "Leslie wrote: "I don't know which are "the suppressed ones" -- could someone link to a list or put the titles here?

I have not read The Conqueror, [boo..."

Another winner! Congratulations!

I liked Footsteps too. Gave it 3*

I have them all, with the exception of the suppressed ones, and The Great Roxythe and Simon the Cold-Heart (which I think I read decades ago but I wouldn't swear to it), and so of course I've read them all. I'm in the minority because I actually get a kick out of her mysteries, and although Footsteps keeps trying to be Gothic and silly, I enjoyed it and even got a goosebump or two out of it!

Other than that one, I think most of her unfamiliar works deserve to be unknown...

I agree with you Karlyne about her mysteries! And it is the silliness of Footsteps that I like so much :)

Leslie wrote: "Other than that one, I think most of her unfamiliar works deserve to be unknown...

I agree with you Karlyne about her mysteries! And it is the silliness of Footsteps that I like so much :)"

And I just enjoy the supporting cast of characters, especially the aunt!

I think Footsteps is the best of the suppressed books although I find Roxhythe unintentionally very funny.

If I was GH & I was going to suppress one of her mysteries it would have been Why Shoot a Butler? My suspicion is because her husband put so much work into this one, where as with Footsteps GH could make the excuse that there were too many people involved (her brothers helped as well)

Jen Koestler is a member here (although she has never posted) & I believe she has read all the books.

Carol ♔ Typo Queen! ♔ wrote: "I think Footsteps is the best of the suppressed books although I find Roxhythe unintentionally very funny.

If I was GH & I was going to suppress one of her mysteries it would have been [book:Why S..."

Footsteps is available in ebook and i believe paperback now, certainly in the UK.

Damaskcat wrote: " Footsteps is available in ebook and i believe paperback now, certainly in the UK. ."


I bought it last year when it was reduced in price - but haven't read it yet.

i've read most of them, haven't read beauvallet, Charity Girl, the conquerer, Cousin Kate, the great Roxterhythe, My lord john, Simon the Coldheart. have half read Royal escape, but it's pretty heavy going, not sure if i'll finish it. haven't read any of the contemporary novels.

Do any of you lovely ladies have ideas on this new GH collection in GR Snowdrift and Other Stories ? Would this be worth the $$$?

"Snowdrift" was the lead story in an old collection of her short Regency stories. My copy fell apart about twenty years ago, but as I recall the plots (view spoiler)[ were pretty much all very short versions of all her favorite plots (hide spoiler)].

It says three new stories found. Might be worth checking out from the library (they are sure to order it, as Heyer is so popular) before coughing up major bucks for a hardcover.

RaiRaiKen wrote: "Do any of you lovely ladies have ideas on this new GH collection in GR Snowdrift and Other Stories ? Would this be worth the $$$?"

it looks like an extended edition of her story collection 'Pistols for Two', the story 'Snowdrift' is in that.

I've read all of her Regencies and Georgians (including Pistols for Two which I enjoyed) and all of her mysteries but only some of the historicals and I haven't read any of the four suppressed contemporaries (and given how negatively they're viewed I'm not interested).

I'm joining those who enjoyed the mysteries. (With the exception of Penhallow - there has to be one!) For me, I found her focus on humourous characters and romance made them equally or more enjoyable than Agatha Christie's. Which might just show that I'm not a true mystery fan more than anything :)

I have read ALL of GH's books, collections, and even Roxhythe (which I agree with Damaskcat, it was so bizarre as to be humorous). For those interested, Roxhythe is available via EBay, but it's an odd looking copy format, and probably unauthorised. I own a copy of ALL GH's books, and read at least one per month, usually the group's recommendation, but sometimes, in addition to our monthly selection I'll reread an old favourite. Her books just don't get old, for me, whereas some of my favorite authors from earlier in my life can.

Mary wrote: "I have read ALL of GH's books, collections, and even Roxhythe (which I agree with Damaskcat, it was so bizarre as to be humorous). For those interested, Roxhythe is available via EBay, but it's an ..."

I've read them all, though over sixty years ago. Before Los Angeles Public Library burned down, I used to take the bus downtown to visit it (a four hour trip one way) and at that time they had all Heyer's works. The older ones couldn't be checked out, so I read Roxhythe and the rest of the rare ones there. I could see even as a teen that it lacked the witty banter and tight pace and plotting of her best works.

I have read the regency/Georgians many many times they are my comfort reads) and listened to the audio versions, too which i really enjoy while i am doing needlepoint or jigsaw puzzles or at night when i can't sleep! And i have them all in paperback a d hardcover(i keep replacing tbe papberbacks as they keep falling apart!)
I have read her other novels and mysteries only once which was more than enough for me. They don't give me the same pleasure as the others do.

I've read all the Regency and Georgians many times, the mysteries once each but not the histories or contemporaries.

I love all of her regency romances, but mysteries shouldn't be so predictable. So I haven't read all of her mysteries.

I’ve read them all including the ones that were withdrawn (and I totally understand why!)

I have a list of about 20 of GH’s books that I re-read regularly and with constant enjoyment. I have no desire to read the detective or the historical fiction again. Once was enough. Some of them I quite liked but not enough to read again unless it’s a Book Club choice.

What I love about Heyer is encapsulated in the best of her Regency and Georgian fiction - so that’s what I read - again and again and again. Never get bored or tired of the likes of Venetia, These Old Shades, The Grand Sophy, The Convenient Marriage, An Infamous Army, Devil’s Cub, Sylvester or The Reluctant Widow amongst others.

Such a pleasure to have these at my fingertips - or rather on my iPad!

I have read all "romances". I think, half of her detective stories. I haven't yet read two of her historical fiction, and none of her "contemporary" novels.