Georgette Heyer

All the gallantry, villainy and elegance of the age that Georgette Heyer has so triumphantly made her own are exquisitely revived in these wonderfully romantic stories of the Regency period. 'Wonderful characters, elegant, witty writing, perfect period detail and rapturously romantic.

"Sparkles with wit." --NORA ROBERTS, #1 New York Times bestselling authorDelightful, glittering, timeless romance for your holiday season. The Queen of Regency Romance, Georgette Heyer, shines in this sparkling collection of fourteen short stories brimming with romance, intrigue, villainy, gallant heroes, compelling heroines, and, of course, the dazzling world of the Regency period. Additional content in this re-issue of the Pistols for Two collection includes three of Heyer's earliest short stories, rarely seen since their original publication in the 1930s, as well as a Foreword by Heyer's official biographer, Jennifer Kloester. Revel in a Regency world so intricately researched and charmingly realized, you'll want to escape there again and again in Heyer stories new and old. What People Are Saying About Georgette Heyer: "Georgette Heyer is second to none in her ability to make short stories entertaining." --Sunday Times "Georgette Heyer is the Queen of the Regency Romance. Long may she reign " --New York Times bestselling author LAUREN WILLIG "Nobody does it better." --New York Times bestselling author MEREDITH DURAN She is the grand dame of Historical Romance and no one does it better " --New York Times bestselling author CATHY MAXWELL

When Lord Jack Carstares is falsely accused of cheating at cards, the young nobleman accepts the blame to protect his brother. Alone and friendless in his European exile, Jack is obliged to develop his skills as a swordsman -- an accomplishment he puts to use upon his return to England, where he embarks upon a new career as a highwayman. Chivalrous Jack, like Robin Hood, steals only from the rich and shares his loot with the needy. And when he foils the attempted kidnapping of raven-haired beauty Diana Beauleigh, his rescue sets the stage for a thrilling romance and a chance at redemption. Georgette Heyer's debut novel, written as a diversion for her ailing brother, abounds in the qualities that make her books perennial favorites with lovers of historical romance: colorful characters, sparkling dialogue, and lively plotting punctuated by swashbuckling action. Set in the 1750s, The Black Moth is rich in Georgian-era atmosphere, offering a compulsive page-turner that novelist and critic Margaret Drabble praised as "stylish, romantic, sharp, and witty."

"Georgette Heyer has given me such great pleasure over the years in my reading, and rereading, of her stories. --#1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts'Tis the Season--for murder... A colorful assortment of guests at a festive holiday house party discover there is a killer in their midst when their universally reviled host is found dead--in a room locked from the inside. For Inspector Hemingway of Scotland Yard, the investigation is complicated by the fact that every guest is hiding something--throwing all their testimony into question and casting suspicion far and wide. The clever and daring crime will mystify readers, yet the answer is in plain sight all along... PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED AS ENVIOUS CASCAGeorgette Heyer wrote over fifty books, including Regency romances, mysteries, and historical fiction. Her barrister husband, Ronald Rougier, provided many of the plots for her detective novels, which are classic English country house mysteries reminiscent of Agatha Christie. Heyer was legendary for her research, historical accuracy, inventive plots, and sparkling characterization." Sit back, slip away to a happier time and enjoy." --New York Times bestselling author Kasey Michaels"One never forgets one's first Heyer." --New York Times bestselling author Mary Jo Putney"The wittiest of detective writers." --Daily Mail"Miss Heyer's characters and dialogue are an abiding delight to me." --Dorothy L. Sayers

Intrigue, elegance, and glittering romance from bestselling author Georgette Heyer... In eleven charming short stories, the Queen of Regency romance presents an exquisite romp through affairs of honor and affairs of the heart. Featuring rakes and rascals, orphans and heirs, beauties and their beaus, the legendary Georgette Heyer's signature wit and inimitable style bring the Regency world dazzlingly alive. Praise for Pistols for Two: "Sparkling ... The stories run the gamut from cloak-and-dagger to whimsical-comedy."--Best Sellers"A delightful assortment."--Library JournalGeorgette Heyer wrote over fifty novels, including Regency romances, mysteries, and historical fiction. She was legendary for her research, historical accuracy, and her extraordinary plots and characterizations.

"Graceful and exciting ... the best kind of 'escape' story." --LIBRARY JOURNALWhat seems a marriage of convenience... When young newlywed Lady Nell Cardross begins to fill her days with fashion and frivolity, the earl has to wonder whether she really did marry him for his money, as his family so helpfully suggests. And now Nell doesn't dare tell him the truth ... Is getting trickier all the time... He thought he was marrying for love, but between his concern over his wife's spending sprees, rescuing her impulsive brother from one scrape after another, and attempting to prevent his own half sister from a disastrous elopement, it's no wonder the much-tried earl can't see where he's gone wrong ..." Georgette Heyer has done it again ... It's the sheer fun of reading on a high entertainment level. For such an experience, April Lady is tops. It's downright delicious." --CHICAGO SUNDAY TRIBUNE

A charming "accidental" love triangle enchants readers in this delightful romp by the Queen of Regency Romance, bestselling author Georgette Heyer. A dashing man of honor... En route to propose to his sensible acquaintance Lady Hester, Sir Gareth Ludlow finds young, pretty Amanda wandering unattended and knows it is his duty to bring her back to her family. This turns out to be a challenge as Amanda seems to possess an imagination as intriguing as it is dangerous. A shocking refusal... Lady Hester stuns both him and her family when she refuses him. At her age, no one would expect her to turn down such an eligible suitor. But Lady Hester has met the indomitable Amanda. How can the quiet, intelligent Hester hope to compete with such a lively young lady? Praise for Sprig Muslin: "Chock full of sparkling dialogue..."--Dear Author"One of her most entertaining Regency novels... This novel shows Heyer's skills at the top of her form, with a tight plot, delightful and deftly-drawn characters, plenty of wit and humor..."--Austenprose

Georgette Heyer, the bestselling Queen of Regency Romance, brings her extraordinary plots and characterizations to an unexpected and delightful marriage of convenience love story. Can the wrong bride become the perfect wife? Adam Deveril, the new Viscount Lynton, is madly in love with the beautiful Julia Oversley. But he has returned from the Peninsular War to find his family on the brink of ruin and his ancestral home mortgaged to the hilt. He has little choice when he is introduced to Mr. Jonathan Chawleigh, a City man of apparently unlimited wealth and no social ambitions for himself--but with his eyes firmly fixed on a suitable match for his only daughter, the quiet and decidedly plain Jenny Chawleigh. Praise for Georgette Heyer: Georgette Heyer was one of the great protagonists of the historical novel in the post-war golden age of the form. Her regency romances are delightful light reading, and her historical novels such as The Spanish Bride and An Infamous Army demonstrate how fiction and history can work together to make a valuable literary form.--Philippa Gregory, bestselling author"A five-star job of sheerly delightful romance writing."--Chicago Tribune

The Queen of Regency Romance, bestselling author Georgette Heyer, enchants readers with what the New Yorker called "a witty cheerful extravaganza." His exploits were legendary... Captain John Staple, back from the battlefront, is already bored with his quiet civilian life in the country. When he stumbles upon a mystery involving a disappearing toll-gate keeper, nothing could keep the adventure-loving captain from investigating. But winning her will be his greatest yet... The plot thickens when John encounters the enigmatic Lady Nell Stornaway and soon learns that rescuing her from her unsavory relatives makes even the most ferocious cavalry charge look like a particularly tame hand of loo. Between hiding his true identity from Nell and the arrival in the neighborhood of some distinctly shady characters, Captain Staple finds himself embarked on the adventure--and romance--of a lifetime. Praise for The Toll-Gate: "Spritely and good fun."--New York Herald Tribune"Once again Georgette Heyer has directed her comic genius along the fictional highway of early nineteenth-century England, but this time...cleaves with refreshing persistence to the commoner levels of life."--Chicago Sunday Tribune"Told in elegant prose with exceptionally humorous dialogue by the Queen of Regency romance."--Good Book Guide

The Queen of Regency Romance, bestselling author Georgette Heyer, brings her trademark charm and wit to this pitch-perfect comedic romp. A past dispute . . . When the irascible Lord Darracott's eldest son dies unexpectedly, the noble family must accept their estranged Yorkshire cousin as heir apparent. They are convinced he will prove to be a sadly vulgar person, but nothing could have prepared the beleaguered family for the arrival of Major Hugo Darracott . . . A present deception . . . His clever and beautiful cousin Anthea is sure there's more to the gentle giant than Hugo's innocent blue eyes and broad Yorkshire brogue would lead one to believe. But even she doesn't guess what he's capable of, until a family crisis arises and only Hugo can preserve the family's honor, leading everybody on a merry chase in the process . . . Praise for The Unknown Ajax: "Wonderful entertainment from first page to last."--Chicago Sunday Tribune

"Witty, humorous, a well-constructed plot."-Candace Camp, New York Times bestselling author of SuddenlyA Delightful Tangle of Affairs... The Earl of Spenborough had always been noted for his eccentricity. Leaving a widow younger than his own daughter Serena was one thing, but leaving his fortune to the trusteeship of the Marquis of Rotherham ? the one man the same daughter had jilted ? was quite another. When Serena and her lovely young stepmother Fanny decide to move to Bath, Serena makes an odd new friend and discovers an old love. Before long, they're all entangled in a clutter of marriage and manners the likes of which even Regency Bath has rarely seen. What Readers Say: "Bath Tangle has all the fun and frolic that has delighted Ms. Heyer's fans for years""Brilliant character portrayals, witty dialogue, vivid imagery, and smooth pacing...a novel not to be missed ""Romance, history, nostalgia-who could ask for more? The story is...full of humorous suspense.

One of bestselling author Georgette Heyer's most suspenseful Regency romances, The Quiet Gentleman combines an ingenious mystery plot with her signature witty style and effervescently engaging characters. Less than a hero's welcome... Returning to his family seat from Waterloo, Gervase Frant, seventh Earl of St Erth, could have expected more enthusiasm for his homecoming. His quiet cousin, stepmother, and young half-brother seem openly disappointed that he survived the wars. And when he begins to fall for his half-brother's sweetheart, his chilly reception goes from unfriendly to positively murderous. Praise for Georgette Heyer and The Quiet Gentleman: "Fascinating reading...authentic atmosphere in a delightful English tale"--Chicago Sunday Tribune"Georgette Heyer was one of the great protagonists of the historical novel in the post-war golden age of the form. Her regency romances are delightful light reading, and her historical novels such as The Spanish Bride and An Infamous Army demonstrate how fiction and history can work together to make a valuable literary form."--Philippa Gregory, bestselling author

Reading Georgette Heyer is the next best thing to reading Jane Austen."--Publishers WeeklyBeautiful, capable, and independent minded, Venetia Lanyon's life on her family's estate in the country side is somewhat restricted. But her neighbor, the infamous Lord Damerel, a charming rake shunned by polite society, is about to shake things up. Lord Damerel has built his life on his dangerous reputation, and when he meets Venetia, he has nothing to offer and everything to regret. Though his scandalous past and deepest secrets give Venetia reason to mistrust him, a rogue always gets what he wants. As Venetia's well-meaning family steps in to protect her from potential ruin, Venetia must find the wherewithal to take charge of her own destiny, or lose her chance at happiness. Charming characters and flawless prose make Venetia a fan favorite from the Queen of Regency Romance. Fans of Mary Balogh, Elizabeth Hoyt and Jane Ashford will be delighted by this story about finding love, redemption, and the courage to follow your heart. Other Regency Romances from Georgette Heyer: Frederica Sylvester CotillionWhat reviewers are saying about Venetia"A wonderful story whose characters, settings and, most importantly, dialogue combine to create such a well-crafted story."--Bags, Books, and Bon Jovi"Wonderful characters, elegant, witty writing, perfect period detail, and rapturously romantic"--Katie Fforde"Wonderful and lovely and perfect Venetia is one of the most charming characters EVER."--Once Upon a Bookshelf"An absolutely rollicking Regency romp. I loved it from the first page."--Library QueueWhat everyone has to say about the Queen of Regency Romance Georgette Heyer"Georgette Heyer was one of the great protagonists of the historical novel in the post-war golden age of the form. Her regency romances are delightful light reading..."--Philippa Gregory" Heyer's] characters are witty and beyond charming, her prose is flawless and lighthearted, and her historical detail is immaculate."--Read All Over Reviews"Georgette Heyer is unbeatable." --Sunday Telegraph

"Reading Georgette Heyer is the next best thing to reading Jane Austen."--Publishers WeeklyRank, wealth, and elegance are no match for a young lady who writes novels... Sylvester, Duke of Salford, has exacting requirements for a bride. Then he meets Phoebe Marlow, a young lady with literary aspirations, and suddenly life becomes very complicated. She meets none of his criteria, and even worse, she has written a novel that is sweeping through the ton and causing all kinds of gossip... and he's the main character What Readers Say: "A truly brilliant Heyer with an adorable and very real heroine and a hero who is very human ""One of Heyer's most unsung achievements, a classic Pride and Prejudice story. Hilarity and adventure throughout.""The hero may be my all-time favorite. He is so drily funny it takes your breath away. What a wonderful love story.""Hilariously funny, romantic, even touching in a subtle way." Georgette Heyer wrote over fifty novels, including Regency romances, mysteries, and historical fiction. She was known as the Queen of Regency romance, and was legendary for her research, historical accuracy, and her extraordinary plots and characterizations.