The Queen of Regency Georgette Heyer is set to reign in 2009.
Sourcebooks is releasing Georgette's regency novels and mysteries in the following order:
January: Frederica - Frederica is full of surprises! (
Read Vic's review here)
When Frederica brings her younger siblings to London determined to secure a brilliant marriage for her beautiful sister, she seeks out their distant cousin the Marquis of Alverstoke. Frederica makes such a strong impression that to his own amazement, the Marquis agrees to help launch them all into society.With his enterprising - and altogether entertaining - country cousins getting into one scrape after another right on his doorstep, before he knows it the Marquis finds himself dangerously embroiled...
February: A Convenient Marriage - before she knew it, the bride found herself in deep trouble.
When the Earl of Rule proposes marriage to her sister Lizzie, Horatia offers herself instead. Her sister is already in love with someone else, and Horatia is willing to sacrifice herself for her family's happiness. Everyone knows she's no beauty, but she'll do her best to keep out of the Earl's way and make him a good wife. And then the Earl's archenemy, Sir Robert, sets out to ruin her reputation...Unbeknownst to Horatia, the Earl is enchanted by her. There's simply no way he's going to let her get into trouble…
Behold, Here’s Poison (mystery): Meet the Matthews - before the next one dies...
It's no ordinary morning at the Poplars - the master is found dead in his bed, and it seems his high blood pressure was not the cause. When an autopsy reveals a sinister poison, it's up to the quietly resourceful Inspector Hannasyde to catch the murderer in time to spare the next victim. But every single member of the quarrelsome Matthews family has a motive and none, of course, has an alibi.
March: The Talisman RingWhen spirited Eustacie stumbles into a band of smugglers, she is delighted to be having an adventure at last. Their leader, young heir Ludovic Lavenham, is in hiding, falsely accused of murder. Pursued by the law, Eustacie and Ludovic find refuge at an unassuming country inn.
The resourceful Miss Sarah Thane and the clear-thinking Sir Tristram Shield gamely endeavor to prevent Ludovic's arrest and Eustacie's ruin as the four conspire to recover the missing talisman ring that will clear Ludovic's name.
Unfinished Clue (mystery): A houseful of people he loathes is not Sir Arthur's worst problem…
It should have been a lovely English country-house weekend. But the unfortunate guest-list is enough to exasperate a saint, and the host, Sir Arthur Billington-Smith, is an abusive wretch hated by everyone from his disinherited son to his wife's stoic would-be lover. When Sir Arthur is found stabbed to death, no one is particularly grieved—and no one has an alibi. The unhappy guests fi nd themselves under the scrutiny of Scotland Yard's cool-headed Inspector Harding, who has solved tough cases before—but this time, the talented young inspector discovers much more than he's bargained for.
April: The Nonesuch"On the shelf" at 28, Ancilla Trent considers her opportunity for romance and adventure to be behind her. She strives to be a calming influence on her tempestuous charge, but Tiffany Wield's bad behavior culminates in an impetuous flight to London without a chaperone. It falls to Ancilla and Sir Waldo Hawkridge, one of the wealthiest bachelors in London , to join forces and stop Tiffany's flight before she does irreparable damage to her reputation. Together, they of course discover that neither is too old for love.
Why Shoot a Butler ? (mystery): When local barrister Frank Amberley takes a wrong turn on his way to visit his aunt and uncle and accidentally discovers a murder, he impulsively protects the young woman he meets at the crime scene. In the course of ferreting out the killer, his disdain for the bumbling police adds comic relief, and he displays true brilliance at solving the crime. Heyer's first big success in the mystery category, originally published in 1933 and not available in the US market in at least five years.
May: My Lord John (Historical) - Georgette Heyer's final novel, set in her own favorite time period.
With her signature wit, drama and impeccable historical accuracy, Georgette Heyer tells the story of a medieval royal family on the rise. Set in the last days of the reign of Richard II, just before Henry V succeeded him to the throne, the eponymous hero is Henry's brother, John, Duke of Bedford. Heyer brings the medieval world to life, creating a panoramic view of a royal family's intricacies, intrigues and sibling rivalries, along with the everyday lives of the servants, clerics, and vassals in their charge.
Cousin Kate: Enjoy one of only two Heyer Gothic Regency romances.
Kate, in dire circumstances, is surprised to receive an invitation to live with a distant aunt. Her aunt, uncle, and cousin welcome her to their estate, buy her new clothes, and provide all the amenities a Young lady of quality should have. Slowly, however, as strange events unfold, Kate begins to realize that her aunt's apparent benevolence hides an ulterior motive. To assure succession of the title, her aunt intends Kate to marry her cousin Torquil, until his increasingly bizarre behavior culminates in violence and tragedy. A compelling tale exploring mental illness in the Regency period.
June: The Corinthian - Sparkling wit with a Shakespearean twist.
Walking home at dawn, quite drunk, Sir Richard Wyndham encounters heiress Penelope Creed climbing out her window. She is running away from a dreaded marriage to her fish-lipped cousin, while Sir Richard himself is contemplating a loveless marriage with a woman his friends have compared to a cold poultice. Sir Richard can't allow her to careen about the countryside unchaperoned, even in the guise of a boy, so he pretends to be her tutor and takes her on a fine adventure. When their stagecoach overturns, they find themselves embroiled with thieves, at the center of a murder investigation, and finally, in love.
JULY: THE GRAND SOPHY!! (More on this most splendid of Georgette's novels later.)
Georgette Heyer was born in Wimbledon 107 years ago today! In her long life she graced us with over 50 novels. To celebrate, we'd like to direct you to several sites:
