Georgette Heyer

When I was very, very much younger I was a great fan of Georgette Heyer. I read all of her Regency novels. In a much regretted moment of generosity I gave my collection of paperbacks to my next door neighbour, probably prior to our move to Canterbury. Now I am enjoying them again thanks to Calibre Audio Books.

Her novels are like a country dance. Choose a partner, set to partners, then set to corners, back to partners, then a mad gallop round the ring till you get breathless at the finish. All her heroines are high spirited , independent minded young girls, her heroes are at first stern, even morose with broad shoulders, a firm jaw, smouldering eyes and a fine leg. The rest of the cast consists of a steady, honest pale young man and a sweet ninny of a girl plus a Duchess or two and a plethora of dowagers with a malicious propensity for gossip. Despite misunderstandings all usually comes right in the end which is why I find it soothing bedside reading.

Her Regency books have descriptions of Brighton and Bath of that period and she was said to have given the best written account in a novel of the Battle of Waterloo. She is great on describing the fashions and has a lovely sense of humour in the repartee between hero and heroine.

She also wrote some quite clever detective stories. In my opinion she is much under-rated. In these days when period drama is so popular on TV I think she is worth considering.