The Talisman Ring by Georgette Heyer, A Review

Gentle Readers,

My fellow Janeite on the James colleague, Hillary, read The Talisman Ring and reviewed it for you in this post. This 1936 novel was one of Georgette Heyer's earlier efforts. The light-hearted romp - full of comedic twists and double entendres - was set in Sussex, where the author lived at the time.

The Talisman Ring is one of Georgette Heyer's earliest novels, and as a genre bender, it holds a unique place in her work. Not merely a romance, the book is also a mystery and a detective novel, with a soupçon of action and adventure thrown in (including a wild ride through the English woods, an encounter with a band of smugglers, and a little old-fashioned breaking and entering). Moreover, instead of one pair of lovers, Heyer provides us with two. In the first chapter, the practical Sir Tristram Shield dutifully promises his dying uncle that he will marry and provide for his cousin Eustacie, a young noblewoman raised in France and not at all grateful for a rescue from the guillotine if it means being condemned to the quiet country environs of Lavenham Court. Soon Sir Tristram is acting as executor of the estate, since the rightful heir, hot-headed Ludovic Lavensham, has fled the country under suspicion of murder. When Eustacie runs away from home and encounters Ludovic, Sir Tristram's vow to his uncle is placed in imminent danger. Conveniently, the intrepid Miss Sarah Thane – a lady traveler lodging at the local inn along with her comically obtuse brother (a jolly good fellow who happens to be a justice of the peace) – sets her cap for Sir Tristram. Add to the mix the absurdly foppish Beau Lavenham, a rival for the inheritance of Lavenham Court and the attention of the ladies, and thus begins the search for the talisman ring, a token that might prove Ludovic's innocence . . . and another's guilt.

This reader's overall impression of the book is one of frivolity: quite a bit of fun with very little substance. While Eustacie's girlish romanticism is to be expected, the supposedly older and wiser Sarah Thane turns out to be just as silly, perfectly willing to masquerade as a dull-witted antiques enthusiast in order to help search for secret hideaways in the wainscoting of a suspect's home library. Even the most intriguing historical details, such as the introduction of the Bow Street Runners, forerunners of modern detectives, are handled with a comic touch, as the two Runners find their investigations foiled by Eustacie and Sarah's enthusiastic amateur efforts. One can imagine that Heyer took great delight in researching the excesses of men's period attire, which manifest themselves in combinations as bizarre as primrose pantaloons and a lilac-striped coat, topped off by a fur-lined cloak and sugarloaf hat. Ultimately, one can well sympathize with the beleaguered Sir Tristram and the bewildered Sir Hugh Thane, who remarks peevishly that "This is the queerist inn I've ever stayed at in my life."

Amidst all of these humorous flourishes, the reader may be willing to forego more plausible storylines or fully rounded characters. The Talisman Ring is not a great novel, but rather a light-hearted romp that promises smiles to the pleasure reader.

• Read the first few pages of the novel in this link: keep clicking to look inside
  

• Read the review of Georgette Heyer's Cousin Kate on Jane Austen's World

Posted by Vic, Jane Austen's World

New Georgette Heyer Novels in the Queue

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 Ring

When 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.)