Spotlight On: Georgette Heyer

Georgette Heyer (1902 - 1974) was a very British writer who became famous for writing novels set in the Regency period. Although she also wrote historical fiction set in different periods and quite a few mysteries she is better known for her long list of regencies. They are romance novels full of witty dialogue, some a comedy of errors, all set in the high society that gathered at Almack's or White's and whose main pursuits seemed to be attending balls, go to the theatre and generally patenting an appropriate behaviour according to the period and the Almack's patronesses. Like in Jane Austen novels her heroines are hoping to find love and also to marry well (meaning rich men).

Heyer was always very detailed and tried to be as accurate as possible. It is well known that she had many reference books and indeed her novels are an example of historical accuracy. Nowadays there are many historical romances and many regency romances being published every year, not everyone knows that Heyer is considered the creator of the regency romance genre.



Bibliography

Historical fiction
The Great Roxhythe (1923)
Simon the Coldheart (1925)
Beauvallet (1929)
The Conqueror (1931)
Royal Escape (1938)
My Lord John (1975)

Romance novels
The Black Moth (1921)
Instead of the Thorn (1923)
The Transformatrion of Philip Jettan (later republished as Powder and Patch)
Helen (1928)
Pastel (1929)
Barren Corn (1930)
These Old Shades (1926)
The Masqueraders (1928)
Devil's Cub (1932)
The Convenient Marriage (1934)
Regency Buck (1935)
The Talisman Ring (1936)
An Infamous Army (1937)
The Spanish Bride (1940)
The Corinthian (1940)
Faro's Daughter (1941)
Friday's Child (1944)
The Reluctant Widow (1946)
The Foundling (1948)
Arabella (1949)
The Grand Sophy (1950)
The Quiet Gentleman (1951)
Cotillion (1953)
The Toll-Gate (1954)
Bath Tangle (1955)
Sprig Muslin (1956)
April Lady (1957)
Sylvester, or the Wicked Uncle (1957)
Venetia (1958)
The Unknown Ajax (1959)
A Civil Contract (1961)
The Nonesuch (1962)
False Colours (1963)
Frederica (1965)
Black Sheep (1966)
Cousin Kate (1968)
Charity Girl (1970)
Lady of Quality (1972)

Mysteries
Footsteps in the Dark (1932)
Why Shoot a Butler? (1933)
The Unfinished Clue (1934)
Death in the Stocks (1935)
Behold, Here's Poison (1936)
They Found Him Dead (1937)
A Blunt Instrument (1938)
No Wind of Blame (1939)
Envious Casca (1941)
Penhallow (1942)
Duplicate Death (1951)
Detection Unlimited (1953)


To know more about her:

GeorgetteHeyer.com
Heyer Listserv
A Book For All Reasons