What do you think?
Rate this book
The Quiet Gentleman
When Gervase Frant, Seventh Earl of St Erth, returns at last from Waterloo to his family seat at Stanyon, he enjoys a less than welcoming homecoming.
Only Theo, a cousin even quieter than himself, is there to greet him - and when he meets his stepmother and young half-brother he detects open disappointment that he survived the wars & the dangers of the Lincolnshire countryside are quite different to those of the battlefield.
Only Theo, a cousin even quieter than himself, is there to greet him - and when he meets his stepmother and young half-brother he detects open disappointment that he survived the wars & the dangers of the Lincolnshire countryside are quite different to those of the battlefield.
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1951
About the author
Georgette Heyer
254 books5,037 followersGeorgette Heyer was a prolific historical romance and detective fiction novelist. Her writing career began in 1921, when she turned a story for her younger brother into the novel The Black Moth.
In 1925 she married George Ronald Rougier, a mining engineer. Rougier later became a barrister and he often provided basic plot outlines for her thrillers. Beginning in 1932, Heyer released one romance novel and one thriller each year.
Heyer was an intensely private person who remained a best selling author all her life without the aid of publicity. She made no appearances, never gave an interview and only answered fan letters herself if they made an interesting historical point. She wrote one novel using the pseudonym Stella Martin.
Her Georgian and Regencies romances were inspired by Jane Austen. While some critics thought her novels were too detailed, others considered the level of detail to be Heyer's greatest asset.
Heyer remains a popular and much-loved author, known for essentially establishing the historical romance genre and its subgenre Regency romance.
In 1925 she married George Ronald Rougier, a mining engineer. Rougier later became a barrister and he often provided basic plot outlines for her thrillers. Beginning in 1932, Heyer released one romance novel and one thriller each year.
Heyer was an intensely private person who remained a best selling author all her life without the aid of publicity. She made no appearances, never gave an interview and only answered fan letters herself if they made an interesting historical point. She wrote one novel using the pseudonym Stella Martin.
Her Georgian and Regencies romances were inspired by Jane Austen. While some critics thought her novels were too detailed, others considered the level of detail to be Heyer's greatest asset.
Heyer remains a popular and much-loved author, known for essentially establishing the historical romance genre and its subgenre Regency romance.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 772 reviews
February 6, 2020
Upping my rating to a full 4 stars on reread. The characters are interesting - both the hero, Gervase, and his love interest are unusual types; there’s lots of witty banter; and the mystery is ... well, not earth-shaking, but a little more subtle than I gave it credit for on my first read.
Gervase Frant returns home in 1816 from the Napoleanic wars to assume his role as the Earl of St Erth. Trouble and resentment await him in the form of his imperious stepmother and his spoiled and truculent younger half-brother Martin, who were rather hoping Gervase would die in the war so that Martin could inherit. But do they resent him enough to actually kill him? Because some very odd (not)accidents are starting to happen to Gervase.
This is one of Heyer's Regency mysteries with just a little bit of romance mixed in. The romance is definitely understated and the villain wasn't too hard to suss out, although there was a good stretch in the middle of the book when I was completely confused. There were also some slow parts to the story where I was tempted to start skimming. But there was enough witty dialogue and humor to carry me through.
Gervase's stepmother, the Dowager, is almost the spitting image of Lady Catherine de Bourgh from Pride and Prejudice, steamrollering everyone around her and humorous in her vanity, and I liked all of the other characters, even--in his own way--the immature and embittered Martin. There's a heroine who isn't your typical gorgeous lady, Gervase's quiet sarcasm and strength of character grew on me, and there's a cute secondary romance that causes more heartache for the beleaguered Martin ... and perhaps for others as well.
The Quiet Gentleman is, I’d say, one of Georgette Heyer’s lesser lights, but worth the time to read if you’re a fan. I wouldn’t start with this one, though. (Try Venetia, Frederica or maybe The Grand Sophy.)
Gervase Frant returns home in 1816 from the Napoleanic wars to assume his role as the Earl of St Erth. Trouble and resentment await him in the form of his imperious stepmother and his spoiled and truculent younger half-brother Martin, who were rather hoping Gervase would die in the war so that Martin could inherit. But do they resent him enough to actually kill him? Because some very odd (not)accidents are starting to happen to Gervase.
This is one of Heyer's Regency mysteries with just a little bit of romance mixed in. The romance is definitely understated and the villain wasn't too hard to suss out, although there was a good stretch in the middle of the book when I was completely confused. There were also some slow parts to the story where I was tempted to start skimming. But there was enough witty dialogue and humor to carry me through.
Gervase's stepmother, the Dowager, is almost the spitting image of Lady Catherine de Bourgh from Pride and Prejudice, steamrollering everyone around her and humorous in her vanity, and I liked all of the other characters, even--in his own way--the immature and embittered Martin. There's a heroine who isn't your typical gorgeous lady, Gervase's quiet sarcasm and strength of character grew on me, and there's a cute secondary romance that causes more heartache for the beleaguered Martin ... and perhaps for others as well.
The Quiet Gentleman is, I’d say, one of Georgette Heyer’s lesser lights, but worth the time to read if you’re a fan. I wouldn’t start with this one, though. (Try Venetia, Frederica or maybe The Grand Sophy.)
April 5, 2024
I was all set to read my Arrow copy - until I took a good look at the picture.
Apparently St Erth returned from the Napoleonic Wars in 1816 & decided to dress in his late father's clothes. As Lady Caroline Bingley would say, I was all astonishment!
So I pulled out my old Pan instead.
Pretty decent shot of Gervase & Marianne, I thought.
This book is a little too Austenesque & not Heyerish enough for me. Don't get me wrong I love Austen - when Jane herself writes it! For example, (& as a few members at the Georgette Heyer Fans group have commented) the Dowager's characterisation is very close to Austen's Lady Catherine de Bourgh, so much so that I kept picturing the actress from the Colin Firth version when reading about her!
& the pace at the start was rather slow, so I didn't do my usual bolt through my read.
Still much to like though, especially some wonderfully witty lines.
& both romantic couples were very appealing & I liked that both Gervase & Marianne, extremely attractive themselves
Lots of wonderful secondary characters, especially the above quoted Barny Warboys & Marianne & Drusilla's parents.
But the book has (for me) two major flaws.
Enjoyable enough for 4 weak stars though.
Review written Dec 2015, edited May 2016
Review from my reread, September 2018.
I was way too hard on this delightful novel when I last read it in 2015.
Although my second objection (behind spoiler tags) still stands, I do freely withdraw my first one. This is a delightful romance which really picks up in the last fifth of the book. Gervase is one of GH's most lovable heroes - I really fell for him this time around.
Just shows you can (& I have!) read a book over 30 times & still not pick up all the subtle nuances. Great secondary characters too - I just love Drusilla's parents! The final chapter is one of the most enjoyable endings GH ever created.
So from 4 weak stars, this book is now 4.5★. I can't raise it to 5 because
Review from my reread July 2021
I nominated this title for a group read in the Georgette Heyer Fans Group because I felt like a bit of romantic escapism where both the hero & heroine are genuinely nice people - &, as always with this title this is what I got!
Review from my reread April 2024
Much as I love this book, I still can't give it the full 5★
I've now accepted that
But still for me a lot to love about this book! Every character is well drawn. For me, the book really picks up from the entrance of Drusilla's parents. I know GH is making fun of the Morvilles' Socialist views & how quickly they both drop them. It's just that I don't care! For me the book really picks up from their entrance. But every single character is well drawn in this tale.
A great way to while away an afternoon!
Apparently St Erth returned from the Napoleonic Wars in 1816 & decided to dress in his late father's clothes. As Lady Caroline Bingley would say, I was all astonishment!
So I pulled out my old Pan instead.
Pretty decent shot of Gervase & Marianne, I thought.This book is a little too Austenesque & not Heyerish enough for me. Don't get me wrong I love Austen - when Jane herself writes it! For example, (& as a few members at the Georgette Heyer Fans group have commented) the Dowager's characterisation is very close to Austen's Lady Catherine de Bourgh, so much so that I kept picturing the actress from the Colin Firth version when reading about her!
& the pace at the start was rather slow, so I didn't do my usual bolt through my read.
Still much to like though, especially some wonderfully witty lines.
Mr Warboys, without putting himself to the trouble of deciding which of the more ferocious animals his friend resembled, stated the matter in simple, and courageously frank terms. "You know, old fellow," he once told Martin,"if you had a tail, damme if you wouldn't lash it!
& both romantic couples were very appealing & I liked that both Gervase & Marianne, extremely attractive themselves
Lots of wonderful secondary characters, especially the above quoted Barny Warboys & Marianne & Drusilla's parents.
But the book has (for me) two major flaws.
Enjoyable enough for 4 weak stars though.
Review written Dec 2015, edited May 2016
Review from my reread, September 2018.
I was way too hard on this delightful novel when I last read it in 2015.
Although my second objection (behind spoiler tags) still stands, I do freely withdraw my first one. This is a delightful romance which really picks up in the last fifth of the book. Gervase is one of GH's most lovable heroes - I really fell for him this time around.
Just shows you can (& I have!) read a book over 30 times & still not pick up all the subtle nuances. Great secondary characters too - I just love Drusilla's parents! The final chapter is one of the most enjoyable endings GH ever created.
So from 4 weak stars, this book is now 4.5★. I can't raise it to 5 because
Review from my reread July 2021
I nominated this title for a group read in the Georgette Heyer Fans Group because I felt like a bit of romantic escapism where both the hero & heroine are genuinely nice people - &, as always with this title this is what I got!
Review from my reread April 2024
Much as I love this book, I still can't give it the full 5★
I've now accepted that
But still for me a lot to love about this book! Every character is well drawn. For me, the book really picks up from the entrance of Drusilla's parents. I know GH is making fun of the Morvilles' Socialist views & how quickly they both drop them. It's just that I don't care! For me the book really picks up from their entrance. But every single character is well drawn in this tale.
A great way to while away an afternoon!
November 10, 2022
The Quiet Gentleman is a hybrid story for Heyer, being a romance and a mystery; this duality I enjoyed very much. Gervase Frant has returned from war to enjoy his reward; his father has died, making him an Earl and the inheritor of all his estates. The former Earl's second wife and son, Martin, are not best pleased at this development, wishing that Gervase had been killed in battle, so that Martin could inherit.
Gervase, not being a shrinking violet, puts up with some abuse from his stepmother and stepbrother, but is not overly concerned with their hostility. He has come to take charge and he does. He also engenders Martin's anger by being much taken with the young, beautiful debutant that lives next door, who Martin has laid claim to, if only in his mind. Soon, Gervase starts to have "accidents". Someone is trying to kill him and he needs to figure it out before it's too late.
I liked the twists and turns the story took; although the attempted murderer of Gervase was pretty easy to figure out, the romance of Gervase was not.
Gervase, not being a shrinking violet, puts up with some abuse from his stepmother and stepbrother, but is not overly concerned with their hostility. He has come to take charge and he does. He also engenders Martin's anger by being much taken with the young, beautiful debutant that lives next door, who Martin has laid claim to, if only in his mind. Soon, Gervase starts to have "accidents". Someone is trying to kill him and he needs to figure it out before it's too late.
I liked the twists and turns the story took; although the attempted murderer of Gervase was pretty easy to figure out, the romance of Gervase was not.
September 8, 2022
Re-listen September 2022: With Melissa, this time. She had problems with the narrator, too. I'm glad I didn't re-read my review until after we listened or I'd have had Ace Flashheart in my head the whole time, again...
Oct 2021: Listening this time made me intensely dislike the narrator, Cornelius Garrett. Gervase is a quiet gentleman. It's in the title. Garrett has him declaiming as if he's delivering sermons. But the really disturbing thing happened when I realized that he was voicing his friend, Lucy, like a mix between Lord Flashheart from Black Adder and Ace Rimmer from Red Dwarf. After that, no scene he was in had the right impact...
Another listen with my youngest on our commute. We actually made a date to finish this on Sunday morning so that we wouldn't have a huge gap (she's out of school this entire week so no commute). Which says something for how into the story we were. I just love Gervase and his appreciation for Drusilla makes my heart go all aflutter. Okay, that's an overstatement but still, these two are just so outstanding.
That said, I had a harder time with the side family than I remember. Martin is just so brash and uncontrolled. And his mother is so completely supercilious that it strains my good will. And I think it's worse that the plot hinges on both being just that extreme to work so I think I'm going to lower this to four stars and move it out of my top ten by Heyer. Still outstanding but not on par with the other adventure-laced romances (The Unknown Ajax, The Talisman Ring, The Toll-Gate, etc.).
Oct 2021: Listening this time made me intensely dislike the narrator, Cornelius Garrett. Gervase is a quiet gentleman. It's in the title. Garrett has him declaiming as if he's delivering sermons. But the really disturbing thing happened when I realized that he was voicing his friend, Lucy, like a mix between Lord Flashheart from Black Adder and Ace Rimmer from Red Dwarf. After that, no scene he was in had the right impact...
Another listen with my youngest on our commute. We actually made a date to finish this on Sunday morning so that we wouldn't have a huge gap (she's out of school this entire week so no commute). Which says something for how into the story we were. I just love Gervase and his appreciation for Drusilla makes my heart go all aflutter. Okay, that's an overstatement but still, these two are just so outstanding.
That said, I had a harder time with the side family than I remember. Martin is just so brash and uncontrolled. And his mother is so completely supercilious that it strains my good will. And I think it's worse that the plot hinges on both being just that extreme to work so I think I'm going to lower this to four stars and move it out of my top ten by Heyer. Still outstanding but not on par with the other adventure-laced romances (The Unknown Ajax, The Talisman Ring, The Toll-Gate, etc.).
February 6, 2009
Georgette Heyer novels should be printed with a warning. I have to be careful when reading her novels in public. This is because they inevitably cause a goofy smile to be pasted on my face, and I'll start giggling loudly at random times for no apparent reason to the poor, unsuspecting public around me. The Quiet Gentleman is no exception to this rule. Absolutely nothing beats a Heyer Regency romance for the sheer enjoyment factor and witty, intelligent humor. She truly is the closest thing to reading Jane Austen - and is generally more hilarious. The Quiet Gentleman is the perfect combination of mystery and romance. The whodunit aspect of the novel is so carefully plotted that the revelation of the guilty party is an eyebrow-raising surprise. And with the romance, Heyer once again succeeds in bringing together two seemingly irreconcilable individuals who turn out to be, of course, perfect for each other. To all you fellow Austen lovers out there - if you've never read a Heyer, and my enthusiasm still hasn't convinced you to pick one up, read The Quiet Gentleman for the pure novelty factor that the hero can be named Gervase Frant and still be incredibly hot. Unbelievable, but trust me, it's true.
July 17, 2022
3.5 ☆
Georgette Heyer completely switched gears after publishing The Grand Sophy, a farcical delight, in 1950. The next year, Heyer released The Quiet Gentleman which is historical fiction with a dysfunctional family, romantic triangles, and a mystery set in a drafty Tudor castle.
The sixth Earl of St. Erth died and is survived by his estranged heir Gervase, his second wife the Dowager Countess, his daughter Louisa (married with two children), and a second son Martin. Bitter to the end, the late Earl didn't mention on his deathbed his first wife or his heir who closely resembled the mother who had abandoned her young family for a rake. Due to his military service during the Napoleonic Wars, the seventh Earl of St. Erth delayed his return home to Stanyon Castle in Lincolnshire until 1816.
Of the three family members who await his return, the warmest welcome comes from his cousin Theodore. The late Earl had taken in his nephew Theo at a young age and it was Theo who managed the estate during Gervase's military career. In contrast, Martin's attitude toward his half-brother veers on the hostile side.
Soon after his homecoming, Gervase suspects that he's not alone in his bedroom and incidents threaten his physical well-being. Could his half-brother really be roused to violence against Gervase, especially after he makes the acquaintance of the local beauty, who is not only Martin's childhood playmate but the heiress to a fortune of £100,000?
If you're a dedicated crime fiction fan, then I would categorize The Quiet Gentleman as mystery lite because it wasn't hard to guess the identity of the villain. If you read Heyer looking for romance, then you might be disappointed because it seemed like an afterthought to the main plot. In that regard, this novel has the feel of some Agatha Christie novels, which isn't surprising as the two women authors were contemporaries. But if you're seeking a well-written story with Heyer's wry wit for uncomplicated diversion, this should suit the bill.
Georgette Heyer completely switched gears after publishing The Grand Sophy, a farcical delight, in 1950. The next year, Heyer released The Quiet Gentleman which is historical fiction with a dysfunctional family, romantic triangles, and a mystery set in a drafty Tudor castle.
The sixth Earl of St. Erth died and is survived by his estranged heir Gervase, his second wife the Dowager Countess, his daughter Louisa (married with two children), and a second son Martin. Bitter to the end, the late Earl didn't mention on his deathbed his first wife or his heir who closely resembled the mother who had abandoned her young family for a rake. Due to his military service during the Napoleonic Wars, the seventh Earl of St. Erth delayed his return home to Stanyon Castle in Lincolnshire until 1816.
"I am shocked— excessively shocked! Your father would have been very glad to have left his [signet] ring to Martin, let me tell you, only he thought it not right to leave it away from the heir!"
"Was it indeed a personal bequest?" inquired Gervase, interested. "That certainly must be held to enhance its value. It becomes, in fact, a curio, for it must be quite the only piece of unentailed property which my father did bequeath to me. I shall put it in a glass cabinet."
Martin, reddening, said: "I see what you are at! I'm not to be blamed if my father preferred me to you!"
"No, you are to be felicitated," said Gervase.
Of the three family members who await his return, the warmest welcome comes from his cousin Theodore. The late Earl had taken in his nephew Theo at a young age and it was Theo who managed the estate during Gervase's military career. In contrast, Martin's attitude toward his half-brother veers on the hostile side.
"St. Erth has inherited what Martin has always regarded as his own... [Martin's] will never was thwarted while his father lived; nor was he taught to control his passion. Everything he wanted he was given; and worse than all, he was treated as though he had been the heir, and Gervase did not exist."
Soon after his homecoming, Gervase suspects that he's not alone in his bedroom and incidents threaten his physical well-being. Could his half-brother really be roused to violence against Gervase, especially after he makes the acquaintance of the local beauty, who is not only Martin's childhood playmate but the heiress to a fortune of £100,000?
If you're a dedicated crime fiction fan, then I would categorize The Quiet Gentleman as mystery lite because it wasn't hard to guess the identity of the villain. If you read Heyer looking for romance, then you might be disappointed because it seemed like an afterthought to the main plot. In that regard, this novel has the feel of some Agatha Christie novels, which isn't surprising as the two women authors were contemporaries. But if you're seeking a well-written story with Heyer's wry wit for uncomplicated diversion, this should suit the bill.
September 13, 2021
Georgette Heyer wrote romances, mysteries and romantic mysteries. This book belongs to the last category and it makes for an intriguing read.
I enjoyed the mystery in The Quiet Gentleman although I guessed quite quickly what was going to happen. Gervais Frant is a very appealing main character. Heyer often made her heroes and heroines less than perfect in some way but she always made them charming and usually firmly bound by common sense.
I believe I own all of Heyer's books, purchased over many years and some of them falling apart with age. I pull one out for a reread every now and then and always enjoy them as much as I did the first time I read them.
I enjoyed the mystery in The Quiet Gentleman although I guessed quite quickly what was going to happen. Gervais Frant is a very appealing main character. Heyer often made her heroes and heroines less than perfect in some way but she always made them charming and usually firmly bound by common sense.
I believe I own all of Heyer's books, purchased over many years and some of them falling apart with age. I pull one out for a reread every now and then and always enjoy them as much as I did the first time I read them.
September 6, 2020
2019 Review
I am surprised I took to this one as strongly as I did on my first reading. It is not exactly absorbing from the get-go. Maybe because I knew how it would all turn out this time, I found myself impatient with the dawdling way things unfold.
But I do love Miss Morville (even if her name is Drusilla, which is a horrible thing to do to a character.) Her prosaic attitude towards everything makes her utterly charming and a breath of fresh air for the Regency genre. And for once her type of heroine gets (sort of) enough screen time with the hero to make their romance feel somewhat natural.
At any rate, it was a fun re-read for the ending.
2017 Review
Love, love, love! Ahhh, Heyer does it again.
This book was wonderful! First, see Sherwood Smith's great review.
Second, I acknowledge this book probably deserves 4 stars, because the mystery is clunky and obvious, but I loved the proposal scene so I pushed it up to five stars.
Miss Morville was wonderful. I love Heyer's charming, prosaic heroines. We need more of them these days!
If you like Heyer's The Talisman Ring, you will like this one.
I definitely need to buy this book and read it again!
I am surprised I took to this one as strongly as I did on my first reading. It is not exactly absorbing from the get-go. Maybe because I knew how it would all turn out this time, I found myself impatient with the dawdling way things unfold.
But I do love Miss Morville (even if her name is Drusilla, which is a horrible thing to do to a character.) Her prosaic attitude towards everything makes her utterly charming and a breath of fresh air for the Regency genre. And for once her type of heroine gets (sort of) enough screen time with the hero to make their romance feel somewhat natural.
At any rate, it was a fun re-read for the ending.
2017 Review
Love, love, love! Ahhh, Heyer does it again.
This book was wonderful! First, see Sherwood Smith's great review.
Second, I acknowledge this book probably deserves 4 stars, because the mystery is clunky and obvious, but I loved the proposal scene so I pushed it up to five stars.
Miss Morville was wonderful. I love Heyer's charming, prosaic heroines. We need more of them these days!
If you like Heyer's The Talisman Ring, you will like this one.
I definitely need to buy this book and read it again!
January 11, 2024
After a history of being apart from his family, Gervaise Frant, the new Earl of St. Erth, returns to Stanyon Castle to claim his place as head of the family. If he expected a warm welcome, he is sadly mistaken because his widowed step mother, the Dowager, and younger half brother are put out of sorts that he survived the war and returned home to take his place.
Gervaise is a winning, handsome man with quiet genteel ways and this earns him respect in the neighborhood, among the servants, and, unfortunately, the bubbly young woman his brother set his heart on.
If that were not trouble enough, freak accidents of a deadly nature begin occurring to Gervaise and he is troubled, among others including sensible house guest Miss Morvelle and his hardworking cousin Theo, with the suspicion landing solidly on his hot-head brother who has already hurled hatred and threats at his head. Gervaise is luckier than most for surviving the war campaigns he was in and he needs all that luck now.
We think first of Heyer's sparkling Regency Romcoms and then maybe her later period detective stories. But, it is fun to note that she had a couple Regencies where she combined her romance with a spot of suspense and The Quiet Gentleman is one of them. There is a plot against Gervaise to unhorse him from the newly acquired earldom and there are good family and belowstairs dynamics with a subtle romance occurring in the background for the most part. I loved the combo of elements and this, one of her more understated stories is thoroughly engaging and one I will gladly revisit.
Gervaise is open in some ways, but kept enigmatic in others. His friends and family are easier to read than this quietly capable hero who doesn't put himself forward, but still has a commanding presence when he wishes to exert it. He is something of a dandy, but also a Corinthian, humble about his war record and place in a family that pushed him out because he happens to look like his late mother and came first in the line of secession. He doesn't resent his brother for being his father's favorite or that his father willed away plenty of property and wealth to his younger brother even though Martin was something of a spoiled brat much of the story.
As to Drusilla Morville, she is Gervaise's match though she is plain featured, plain speaking, and loaded with common sense and no romantic notions. Her parents are plenty eccentric which maybe explains her choosing not to be. Like Gervaise, she is capable and doesn't feel the need to put herself forward or resent a pretty spoilt girl from the neighborhood or the crotchety autocratic Dowager who bosses her around. She stands loyal though she thinks she doesn't stand a chance with Gervaise.
As to the narration work, Cornelius Garret was already familiar from voicing other Heyer books. I do enjoy the way he engages in voice acting and the emotions of the moment while presenting an easily distinguished cast of both genders, all ages, and the class structure both above and below stairs.
All in all, this was splendid and I was glad to revisit a story I hadn't picked up in years. It stood the test of time and re-reading.
Gervaise is a winning, handsome man with quiet genteel ways and this earns him respect in the neighborhood, among the servants, and, unfortunately, the bubbly young woman his brother set his heart on.
If that were not trouble enough, freak accidents of a deadly nature begin occurring to Gervaise and he is troubled, among others including sensible house guest Miss Morvelle and his hardworking cousin Theo, with the suspicion landing solidly on his hot-head brother who has already hurled hatred and threats at his head. Gervaise is luckier than most for surviving the war campaigns he was in and he needs all that luck now.
We think first of Heyer's sparkling Regency Romcoms and then maybe her later period detective stories. But, it is fun to note that she had a couple Regencies where she combined her romance with a spot of suspense and The Quiet Gentleman is one of them. There is a plot against Gervaise to unhorse him from the newly acquired earldom and there are good family and belowstairs dynamics with a subtle romance occurring in the background for the most part. I loved the combo of elements and this, one of her more understated stories is thoroughly engaging and one I will gladly revisit.
Gervaise is open in some ways, but kept enigmatic in others. His friends and family are easier to read than this quietly capable hero who doesn't put himself forward, but still has a commanding presence when he wishes to exert it. He is something of a dandy, but also a Corinthian, humble about his war record and place in a family that pushed him out because he happens to look like his late mother and came first in the line of secession. He doesn't resent his brother for being his father's favorite or that his father willed away plenty of property and wealth to his younger brother even though Martin was something of a spoiled brat much of the story.
As to Drusilla Morville, she is Gervaise's match though she is plain featured, plain speaking, and loaded with common sense and no romantic notions. Her parents are plenty eccentric which maybe explains her choosing not to be. Like Gervaise, she is capable and doesn't feel the need to put herself forward or resent a pretty spoilt girl from the neighborhood or the crotchety autocratic Dowager who bosses her around. She stands loyal though she thinks she doesn't stand a chance with Gervaise.
As to the narration work, Cornelius Garret was already familiar from voicing other Heyer books. I do enjoy the way he engages in voice acting and the emotions of the moment while presenting an easily distinguished cast of both genders, all ages, and the class structure both above and below stairs.
All in all, this was splendid and I was glad to revisit a story I hadn't picked up in years. It stood the test of time and re-reading.
November 8, 2022
The new Earl of St. Erth returns home from the Napoleonic wars to some interesting family dynamics, and the dawning realization that someone keeps trying to kill him.
A solid and enjoyable Georgette Heyer regency novel with some humor, some mystery, a likeable heroine, and much folding of neckcloths. Her books are often not terribly romantic, and this one is no exception, although couples do get together.
I take one star off because the ending was unsatisfactory: SPOILERS
A solid and enjoyable Georgette Heyer regency novel with some humor, some mystery, a likeable heroine, and much folding of neckcloths. Her books are often not terribly romantic, and this one is no exception, although couples do get together.
I take one star off because the ending was unsatisfactory: SPOILERS
August 21, 2018
This is a very different kind of Heyer. The hero and heroine are so atypical that I loved them all the more for it. Let’s face it, they are actually more typical of real life than the normal heroes and heroines. Being a ‘sensible’ sort myself, I’ve always had a soft spot for Drusilla – now if only I could find my ‘Gervase’!
December 22, 2013
Am I the only one who didn't see through the mystery?!?!?!? I did not think it was predictable at all!!! But, oh!!!! So frustrating!! I loved this book, but it did not end the way I wanted it too...it didn't feel concluded. How I wish we could have been given more insight into the romance! It only unfolds in the last pages, which makes it come out as really unexpected and random. I wanted to read about the change of opinion Gervase had of Drusilla, Because at the beginning he finds her boring and unattractive; I would have liked to know when he changed his mind, what happened ect...Aaahh it's too bad, because it was a pretty good read anyways. Maybe not the best place to start reading Heyer, as this one is more of a mystery than an actual romance (but without being classified as a mystery) and is just in general not perfectly representative of what a TRUE Heyer novel is (read "The Masqueraders" for that!). Loved Gervase though, even if he had a weird name (like somebody pointed out: only Heyer could have a character named Gervase and still make him sound hot!).
April 5, 2024
An enjoyable read the third time too.
--------- Review after my second reading: ---------
So, who was the titled quiet gentleman? Ger or Theo?
Reading it the second time I knew the plot of course. Yet, I had great joy from Heyer's style of using words, building sentences, and creating characters. And, although the practicality of Drusilla made me sometimes rolling my eyes, she was a wonderful atypical heroine of the genre, where, even if the female is sensible, she almost always has, at least a little one, a romantic/unreasonable part too.
I have no complaints whatsoever, nonetheless, I can't put this one next to my beloved ones written by GH. It was "just" a well-done job by the author, I missed the spark I have found in her many other stories.
--------- Review after my first reading: ---------
Like all GH books also this one was greater/grander than most of the genre. But comparing to other GH Georgian/Regency novels I give it four stars.
I was gripped by the plot practically through the whole book. I had had my suspicions but to the end, I wasn't sure who was trying to kill Gervase.
Like in all GH books there were wonderful characters (the Dowager, Martin, Teo, Marianne, Leek, Chard, Turvey, Mr Morville, Mr Warboys). Their presence was enough to make a charming, witty, enjoyable book.
The best part was the two main characters, rather plain Drusilla and pretty, dandyish Gervase. And although Drusilla seemed to have more common sense, the truth was that St Erth was quite alike behind his quiet behaviour (and behind a stylish cravat ;-) ). I think they matched perfectly. Because of who they were, their love was born and evolved calmly.
It wasn't one of the best of Heyer's love stories (in the meaning of romantic interactions, sighs, banter, misunderstandings etc.). But it was the novel perfectly written with the plot that keeps the attention of the reader.
--------- Review after my second reading: ---------
So, who was the titled quiet gentleman? Ger or Theo?
Reading it the second time I knew the plot of course. Yet, I had great joy from Heyer's style of using words, building sentences, and creating characters. And, although the practicality of Drusilla made me sometimes rolling my eyes, she was a wonderful atypical heroine of the genre, where, even if the female is sensible, she almost always has, at least a little one, a romantic/unreasonable part too.
I have no complaints whatsoever, nonetheless, I can't put this one next to my beloved ones written by GH. It was "just" a well-done job by the author, I missed the spark I have found in her many other stories.
--------- Review after my first reading: ---------
Like all GH books also this one was greater/grander than most of the genre. But comparing to other GH Georgian/Regency novels I give it four stars.
I was gripped by the plot practically through the whole book. I had had my suspicions but to the end, I wasn't sure who was trying to kill Gervase.
Like in all GH books there were wonderful characters (the Dowager, Martin, Teo, Marianne, Leek, Chard, Turvey, Mr Morville, Mr Warboys). Their presence was enough to make a charming, witty, enjoyable book.
The best part was the two main characters, rather plain Drusilla and pretty, dandyish Gervase. And although Drusilla seemed to have more common sense, the truth was that St Erth was quite alike behind his quiet behaviour (and behind a stylish cravat ;-) ). I think they matched perfectly. Because of who they were, their love was born and evolved calmly.
It wasn't one of the best of Heyer's love stories (in the meaning of romantic interactions, sighs, banter, misunderstandings etc.). But it was the novel perfectly written with the plot that keeps the attention of the reader.
July 23, 2023
Slightly elevated to 4,33 stars from mere 4-stars on rereading.
While it is very enjoyable in itself and contains all the elements fo which I love and appreciate Georgette Heyer's writing, compared to my favourite novels by her (A Civil Contract, The Grand Sophy and The Nonesuch), it doesn't manage to reach quite those heights. But considering that it was on the 3rd re-read, I realised that The Grand Sophy belongs with my favourite books, this may still have a chance at some points to become even more appreciated.
It is still included as #4 in my top 5 Heyers, which is a good place to be. 😊
While it is very enjoyable in itself and contains all the elements fo which I love and appreciate Georgette Heyer's writing, compared to my favourite novels by her (A Civil Contract, The Grand Sophy and The Nonesuch), it doesn't manage to reach quite those heights. But considering that it was on the 3rd re-read, I realised that The Grand Sophy belongs with my favourite books, this may still have a chance at some points to become even more appreciated.
It is still included as #4 in my top 5 Heyers, which is a good place to be. 😊
June 6, 2018
Another countryside romp in this story of succession as the disenfranchised Gervase returns from the battlefields, resigning his commission, and taking his rightful place as Earl of Stanyon. Much to the disappointment of some.
Similar to The Unknown Ajax in the general plot line and characters, but there's an added attempted murder to jazz this one up a bit. Definitely more dare-doing and mishaps for the characters. I figured out the mystery portion less than halfway through so it seemed to limp along even while the blood ran hot. If the last Heyer book I read had not been The Unknown Ajax then I probably would have enjoyed this a bit more. A couple months is not long enough between story reboots, nonetheless it was entertaining enough. Solid read.
In this one instead of being the country oaf, the long-lost heir is masquerading as a:
"Martin, his affronted stare taking in the number of the capes of that drab coat, the high polish on the Hessian boots, the extravagant points of a shirt-collar, and the ordered waves of guinea-gold hair above a white brow, muttered audibly: 'Good God! the fellow's nothing but a curst dandy!"
Similar to The Unknown Ajax in the general plot line and characters, but there's an added attempted murder to jazz this one up a bit. Definitely more dare-doing and mishaps for the characters. I figured out the mystery portion less than halfway through so it seemed to limp along even while the blood ran hot. If the last Heyer book I read had not been The Unknown Ajax then I probably would have enjoyed this a bit more. A couple months is not long enough between story reboots, nonetheless it was entertaining enough. Solid read.
In this one instead of being the country oaf, the long-lost heir is masquerading as a:
"Martin, his affronted stare taking in the number of the capes of that drab coat, the high polish on the Hessian boots, the extravagant points of a shirt-collar, and the ordered waves of guinea-gold hair above a white brow, muttered audibly: 'Good God! the fellow's nothing but a curst dandy!"
May 25, 2018
3* for The Quiet Gentleman.
I have read a great many Georgette Heyer books and am a die hard fan of her works, but sadly The Quiet Gentleman did not live upto my expectations.
Though the writing itself is unquestionably signature GH, the overall story failed to keep me intrigued. And the more is the pity because more than romance this is a kind of suspense or mystery novel and a grounding mystery was sadly absent.
The story is about Lord Gervase St Erth of Stanyon who has been alienated by his father from himself since his childhood just because he resembles his mother and he is resented and begrudged by his step mother and step siblings being the heir to the title and Stanyon. When he comes back to take his position as the Earl of Stanyon he is met with rudeness and there is an apparent threat to his existence as attempts are made to assassinate him with the chief suspect being his step brother Martin.
Lord Gervase St Erth was indeed a quiet gentleman, but not engaging enough to make the book exceptionable. He has a quiet way about him and his personality is not very typical GH, it is more like that of the hero who is too beautiful and may be termed possessing womanly beauty. He has his attributes and is very gentle and has a sweet disposition of mind. Also he is very intelligent and forbearing towards his step mother's harangues and his step brother's apparent loud ways that make no qualms in voicing his displeasure.
Miss Drusilla Morville is again one very different heroine. She is always calm and composed and filled in with a great deal of common sense. She is also very obliging and industrious. Nothing can be read from her manners of her feelings, and for that matter even the Earl's behaviour is similar.
I did not find anything much remarkable in the characters, the highlight and energies in the story being amassed only in Martin.
The secondary characters are not bad, the dowager and Martin being a touch brighter than the rest.
The build up given in the beginning is nice but after a while there was no strong grip in the story for me. Had there been a resistance and combat from the villain the story would have definitely gained brownie points from me, but the climax is rather too quiet. One reason maybe because it is about the quiet gentleman! (For the record, I did have a strong feeling about the villain being the villain since the beginning of the book;);p and I was right!)
Romance in the story is negligible and focus pertaining that quarter is more on Lord Ulverston and Marianne than on Lord St Erth and Drusilla.
Overall, the book was just fine with me and any GH regular may want to read it for sure. They may find something worth more appreciation in it than I did.
I have read a great many Georgette Heyer books and am a die hard fan of her works, but sadly The Quiet Gentleman did not live upto my expectations.
Though the writing itself is unquestionably signature GH, the overall story failed to keep me intrigued. And the more is the pity because more than romance this is a kind of suspense or mystery novel and a grounding mystery was sadly absent.
The story is about Lord Gervase St Erth of Stanyon who has been alienated by his father from himself since his childhood just because he resembles his mother and he is resented and begrudged by his step mother and step siblings being the heir to the title and Stanyon. When he comes back to take his position as the Earl of Stanyon he is met with rudeness and there is an apparent threat to his existence as attempts are made to assassinate him with the chief suspect being his step brother Martin.
Lord Gervase St Erth was indeed a quiet gentleman, but not engaging enough to make the book exceptionable. He has a quiet way about him and his personality is not very typical GH, it is more like that of the hero who is too beautiful and may be termed possessing womanly beauty. He has his attributes and is very gentle and has a sweet disposition of mind. Also he is very intelligent and forbearing towards his step mother's harangues and his step brother's apparent loud ways that make no qualms in voicing his displeasure.
Miss Drusilla Morville is again one very different heroine. She is always calm and composed and filled in with a great deal of common sense. She is also very obliging and industrious. Nothing can be read from her manners of her feelings, and for that matter even the Earl's behaviour is similar.
I did not find anything much remarkable in the characters, the highlight and energies in the story being amassed only in Martin.
The secondary characters are not bad, the dowager and Martin being a touch brighter than the rest.
The build up given in the beginning is nice but after a while there was no strong grip in the story for me. Had there been a resistance and combat from the villain the story would have definitely gained brownie points from me, but the climax is rather too quiet. One reason maybe because it is about the quiet gentleman! (For the record, I did have a strong feeling about the villain being the villain since the beginning of the book;);p and I was right!)
Romance in the story is negligible and focus pertaining that quarter is more on Lord Ulverston and Marianne than on Lord St Erth and Drusilla.
Overall, the book was just fine with me and any GH regular may want to read it for sure. They may find something worth more appreciation in it than I did.
August 7, 2021
This was a very slow book to start but once it got going I enjoyed it very much. It was populated with characters who are not easily forgotten. Other than the odd diversion the whole story took place at Stanyon Castle.
I liked Drusilla a lot. She was quite and steady and very sensible but eminently likable. Marianne was a good character too. She was very young and naive and this was her only fault if fault you could call it.
Martin was a royal pain but this was more or less down to his mother. He had no one to keep him in check.
Not in the top ten Heyers for me but a good read all the same.
I'm keeping it at four stars for this reread. I think, reading back this review, that I enjoyed it more this time. I kept the dropped star for the ending. Would have liked it a bit more wrapped up.
I liked Drusilla a lot. She was quite and steady and very sensible but eminently likable. Marianne was a good character too. She was very young and naive and this was her only fault if fault you could call it.
Martin was a royal pain but this was more or less down to his mother. He had no one to keep him in check.
Not in the top ten Heyers for me but a good read all the same.
I'm keeping it at four stars for this reread. I think, reading back this review, that I enjoyed it more this time. I kept the dropped star for the ending. Would have liked it a bit more wrapped up.
October 7, 2019
One of Heyer's books that moves more into the mystery genre than the romance, which I only started to suspect well past the halfway point! But the point of the book is who is trying to do in our titular quiet gentleman, aka the Earl St. Erth, aka Gervase? Because, you see, despite years fighting Napoleon on the Continent, somehow Gervase (the product of his father's ill-fated first marriage) has survived and come home to accept his titles, his properties, and upturn the quiet life of his indulgent stepmother and her much indulged son.
Gervase is a great character, and so are a lot of the bit players, including his BFF the Viscount (known as Lucy!), Marianne the local beauty, and I adored the fruity, Dame Edna-esque voice the reader used for the Dowager Countess!
Gervase is a great character, and so are a lot of the bit players, including his BFF the Viscount (known as Lucy!), Marianne the local beauty, and I adored the fruity, Dame Edna-esque voice the reader used for the Dowager Countess!
January 10, 2016
Georgette Heyer group BOTM December 2015.
This was my second read of this title and I have more of an appreciation of the H/h this time around.
A couple of years ago, I had just descovered GH and I want on a bender with her romances and this book and the H/h did not compare favorably when read back to back with favorites such as Devil's Cub and The Grand Sophy and others MCs with s
more forceful personalities.
A common complaint among the casual reader of a GH romance is well... How little romance there is until an abrupt declaration near the the end.
This book was different because I could see the Hs growing regard for the h--and sometimes this is not always noticeable in other titles. The shift in St Erth's feeling for Drucilla was subtle, not something to be hit over the head with, but noticeable to me just the same.
I really enjoyed watching these two fall in love as a process and the low-key growing regard between Gervase (St Erth) and Drucilla so that the love connection didn't seem to come out of nowhere.
St Erth and Drucilla were very mature lovers without any emotional and immature displays.
While this book didn't stand up to GH romances where the MCs had stronger personalities or the books had stronger storyline The Quiet Gentleman has its own unique and understated charm.
Also I like that both Gervase and the very young minor character "Marianne Boldwood," both very good-looking, showed a depth of character in falling in love and committing themselves for marriage to a partner who has other things to offer besides physical beauty.
I like The Quiet Gentleman and I'm glad I gave it another chance.
This was my second read of this title and I have more of an appreciation of the H/h this time around.
A couple of years ago, I had just descovered GH and I want on a bender with her romances and this book and the H/h did not compare favorably when read back to back with favorites such as Devil's Cub and The Grand Sophy and others MCs with s
more forceful personalities.
A common complaint among the casual reader of a GH romance is well... How little romance there is until an abrupt declaration near the the end.
This book was different because I could see the Hs growing regard for the h--and sometimes this is not always noticeable in other titles. The shift in St Erth's feeling for Drucilla was subtle, not something to be hit over the head with, but noticeable to me just the same.
I really enjoyed watching these two fall in love as a process and the low-key growing regard between Gervase (St Erth) and Drucilla so that the love connection didn't seem to come out of nowhere.
St Erth and Drucilla were very mature lovers without any emotional and immature displays.
While this book didn't stand up to GH romances where the MCs had stronger personalities or the books had stronger storyline The Quiet Gentleman has its own unique and understated charm.
Also I like that both Gervase and the very young minor character "Marianne Boldwood," both very good-looking, showed a depth of character in falling in love and committing themselves for marriage to a partner who has other things to offer besides physical beauty.
I like The Quiet Gentleman and I'm glad I gave it another chance.
Read
December 3, 2015Despite the clumsy murder thread running through this story, it's one of my favorites. It succeeds where I think A Civil Contract failed--it gives us the best of Heyer's "plain but kind" heroines, one with a decided sense of humor, who achieves romance on her own power, and without melodramatic suffering, like the supposedly "realistic" A Civil Contract. The heroine's parents are a total delight--part of the Lake Poets, having raised their daughter to be practical and republican. The characters are such fun in this story, I just kind of skim past the murder bits.
March 20, 2015
I wish I knew what to rate this, but for the life of me I can't! Never mind, 3 1/2
Gervase Frant, comes home after years in the army. He never expected his family to greet him with open arms, but he didn't expect hostility either! The whole castle seems to be brooding over some dark secret...
(Bodiam Castle)
Martin his half brother plainly declares war on Gervase who he views as a usurper. Worse, Martin feels that if it hadn't been for Gervase, his lady love wouldn't have spurned him. It's just too much for a fellow to take! With that the story begins, with a perspective bang.
I liked Gervase, he was at first a bit of a dandy. As the story continued however, he became easier to understand. Martin was a spoiled brat for the most part, yet I do feel sorry for him. (it's the parents fault after all) <
Theo was a kindly, sweet character from the start; he seemed to be truly concerned about the danger Gervase's life was in. He was an odd fish though!
Miss Morville was an unlikely heroine, she was plump, short,of a so-so figure and mousy hair, without being particularly pretty. But she had a heart of gold, I liked her a great deal but, (the inevitable but), she wasn't in it enough. I don't feel like I really got to know her.
What's different in this Heyer is that it focuses mainly of the Hero, the heroine is very much in the background. I'd almost say she was a secondary character. And the mystery was for me at least solved early on, it was hardly a mystery, that's probably why most don't see it and I guess I've read too many mysteries lately, please don't think I'm a snob!
When alls said and done, I liked it, I enjoyed it and I'd skim through it again. But it wasn't my Favorite Heyer. I think The Reluctant Widow, The Unknown Ajax and Cousin Kate were better. Reluctant Widow certainly was. Do I recommend this? Yes, I do believe it or not, but only to people who want a light regency with Gothic undertones. It does have sliding panels, pelting rain, mysterious intruders and unknown enemies.
G, unlike most Heyer's there was no talk of mistresses, gambling, or drinking. Hardly any violence, a few knocks on the head, a pistol wound and a broken arm, that's it!
Gervase Frant, comes home after years in the army. He never expected his family to greet him with open arms, but he didn't expect hostility either! The whole castle seems to be brooding over some dark secret...
(Bodiam Castle)
Martin his half brother plainly declares war on Gervase who he views as a usurper. Worse, Martin feels that if it hadn't been for Gervase, his lady love wouldn't have spurned him. It's just too much for a fellow to take! With that the story begins, with a perspective bang.
I liked Gervase, he was at first a bit of a dandy. As the story continued however, he became easier to understand. Martin was a spoiled brat for the most part, yet I do feel sorry for him. (it's the parents fault after all) <
Theo was a kindly, sweet character from the start; he seemed to be truly concerned about the danger Gervase's life was in. He was an odd fish though!
Miss Morville was an unlikely heroine, she was plump, short,of a so-so figure and mousy hair, without being particularly pretty. But she had a heart of gold, I liked her a great deal but, (the inevitable but), she wasn't in it enough. I don't feel like I really got to know her.
What's different in this Heyer is that it focuses mainly of the Hero, the heroine is very much in the background. I'd almost say she was a secondary character. And the mystery was for me at least solved early on, it was hardly a mystery, that's probably why most don't see it and I guess I've read too many mysteries lately, please don't think I'm a snob!
When alls said and done, I liked it, I enjoyed it and I'd skim through it again. But it wasn't my Favorite Heyer. I think The Reluctant Widow, The Unknown Ajax and Cousin Kate were better. Reluctant Widow certainly was. Do I recommend this? Yes, I do believe it or not, but only to people who want a light regency with Gothic undertones. It does have sliding panels, pelting rain, mysterious intruders and unknown enemies.
G, unlike most Heyer's there was no talk of mistresses, gambling, or drinking. Hardly any violence, a few knocks on the head, a pistol wound and a broken arm, that's it!
December 9, 2015
On her worst day, Georgette Heyer is better than any other writer of Regency romance I have read. She invented the genre, and it’s possible that nobody should have tried to follow in her footsteps. Within the canon of Georgette Heyer novels, however, there are some that succeed better than others. For me, The Quiet Gentleman is not one of the more successful.
Perhaps the problem is that she is trying to combine forms that sit uneasily with one another. This book doesn’t know whether it wants to be a mystery or a romance, and it winds up not really achieving either goal. Another of her stories that combines mystery (or at least adventure) with romance is my favorite of all her books, The Unknown Ajax, so it’s not as if it can’t be done. The Reluctant Widow is also high on my list.
The story begins with a variation on the “lost heir” theme. The new Earl of St. Erth returns to his rambling ancestral seat after what has amounted to a lifelong exile: he was raised by his maternal grandmother after being cast out by his father, who was angry at his mother’s betrayal. The father married again and raised two more children at home. Now deceased, his rejected son has inherited his honors and come home to meet varying degrees of covert to overt hostility from his stepmother and half-brother. A chaplain; his cousin Theo, who is acting as his estate agent; and a visiting young lady, Miss Morville, complete the household.
A few classic Georgette Heyer types are added to the mix—the ridiculously beautiful blonde, the man-about-town, the inarticulate young heir to a country squire—along with some potentially interesting and original characters: a radical couple and a clever businessman on the edge of gentility. Perhaps there are too many elements to manage, but I felt we saw too much of the less interesting characters and not enough of the more interesting ones. The personalities of the protagonists also are problematic: the hero is so devoted to concealment that we get very little sense of his true self, and the heroine is so pragmatic that we don’t notice her having any romantic feelings until we are told to do so. There is a big void at the center of the story. Some of the characters, notably the chaplain, feel like stubs: they were never fully integrated into the plot.
There is some witty conversation, and some mildly comic scenes, but with so many treasures on my Georgette Heyer shelf, I can’t see reading this one very often.
Perhaps the problem is that she is trying to combine forms that sit uneasily with one another. This book doesn’t know whether it wants to be a mystery or a romance, and it winds up not really achieving either goal. Another of her stories that combines mystery (or at least adventure) with romance is my favorite of all her books, The Unknown Ajax, so it’s not as if it can’t be done. The Reluctant Widow is also high on my list.
The story begins with a variation on the “lost heir” theme. The new Earl of St. Erth returns to his rambling ancestral seat after what has amounted to a lifelong exile: he was raised by his maternal grandmother after being cast out by his father, who was angry at his mother’s betrayal. The father married again and raised two more children at home. Now deceased, his rejected son has inherited his honors and come home to meet varying degrees of covert to overt hostility from his stepmother and half-brother. A chaplain; his cousin Theo, who is acting as his estate agent; and a visiting young lady, Miss Morville, complete the household.
A few classic Georgette Heyer types are added to the mix—the ridiculously beautiful blonde, the man-about-town, the inarticulate young heir to a country squire—along with some potentially interesting and original characters: a radical couple and a clever businessman on the edge of gentility. Perhaps there are too many elements to manage, but I felt we saw too much of the less interesting characters and not enough of the more interesting ones. The personalities of the protagonists also are problematic: the hero is so devoted to concealment that we get very little sense of his true self, and the heroine is so pragmatic that we don’t notice her having any romantic feelings until we are told to do so. There is a big void at the center of the story. Some of the characters, notably the chaplain, feel like stubs: they were never fully integrated into the plot.
There is some witty conversation, and some mildly comic scenes, but with so many treasures on my Georgette Heyer shelf, I can’t see reading this one very often.
November 9, 2014
Excellent Heyer romance, with a bit of mystery thrown in. Who is trying to kill Gervase Frant, Earl of St Erth? Napoleon's army couldn't do it, but are his spiteful half-brother and stepmother planning to finish the job? And will Gervase steal his brother's sweetheart, the beautiful Marianne, or fall for the less lovely but smart Drusilla?
I've enjoyed almost all of Heyer's books, and this one is no exception. The excellent review at audiogirls.com inspired me to add it to my to-listen list.
I've enjoyed almost all of Heyer's books, and this one is no exception. The excellent review at audiogirls.com inspired me to add it to my to-listen list.
June 12, 2015
I haven't read this one for a few years and I'm deliberately reading it slowly. It has been a rewarding experience as there are plenty of wonderful Heyer moments and a couple of superb characters in Drusilla and the Dowager. Drusilla is one of Heyer's unexpected heroines and I have a particular fondness for her. She is so practical and intelligent and she confesses to being totally unromantic and yet she falls for the hero in a big way. He is one of Heyer's quiet men, elegant, perceptive and gentle, though he can be authoritative and masterful when necessary. There's lots to laugh at in this book and a mystery as well. Thoroughly enjoyable.
June 5, 2018
Gervase returns home one year after his father's death having inherited the title. Estranged from his father because of his mother's behavior, he has spent his adult life in the cavalry and has survived Waterloo. It's not a happy homecoming. He encounters his stepmother's (mother-in-law throughout the book) suspicion and his younger half-brother's resentment. Martin has grown up with his father's affection and indulgence and with shadowy expectations of inheriting.
With the shadow
I wonder if this counts as one of Heyer's mysteries?
With the shadow
I wonder if this counts as one of Heyer's mysteries?
November 19, 2022
4.5 rounded up to 5 stars
Gotta love Georgette Heyer! This one is more of a mystery/thriller than a romance. I did sense the way the romantic winds blew, but they're kept way in the background.
The primary story centers on Gervase Frant, the seventh Earl of St Erth, returning from the war with Napoleon to his ancestral home, Stanyon. He receives a less-than-enthusiastic welcome from his stepmother (the Dowager Countess) and half-brother (Martin Frant), who expected him to perish on the battlefield and thus make Martin the Earl.
It's not that hard to guess the true culprit when there are various unsuccessful attempts on St Erth's life, but the literary journey is fun to follow. I haven't yet dipped my toe into Heyer's other mysteries, so this was a delightful taste.
The book is filled with well-defined characters (and many of them are truly characters!) typical of a Heyer novel. Even the servants and tertiary characters have their quirks, but these are the main characters: St Erth is a handsome, mild-tempered gentleman that his family grossly underestimates. Martin is a spoiled man-child with a hair-trigger temper. The Dowager is obsessed with marriages and the lineage of every family she's ever heard of. Theo Frant is the family cousin closest to St Erth; he has been overseeing the earl's holdings for years and is the reason the earldom is so robust financially. Drusilla Morville is a plain, level-headed young woman staying at Stanyon while her parents are away. Lord Ulverston is a military friend of St Erth's, a charmer who doesn't make his appearance until well into the book. Marianne Bolderwood is a stunning beauty from a neighboring estate who has not even come out in society and already has several men dancing attendance upon her - including Martin, St Erth, Ulverston, and Theo.
Heyer provides plenty of mis-direction for both the mystery and the romance. The opening pages drag as she establishes the premise, but I've found that to be true in many of her stories. Once the stage is set, the plot moves purposefully onward to the climax and resolution.
I do appreciate that Heyer ends this, as always, once all problems are resolved and the evil-doer is dealt with. There's no need for an extended HEA; the author wisely closes the curtain, allowing the reader to imagine the protagonists' bright future instead of expounding on the obvious. I wish more modern writers would follow her example!
Content is squeaky clean.
Gotta love Georgette Heyer! This one is more of a mystery/thriller than a romance. I did sense the way the romantic winds blew, but they're kept way in the background.
The primary story centers on Gervase Frant, the seventh Earl of St Erth, returning from the war with Napoleon to his ancestral home, Stanyon. He receives a less-than-enthusiastic welcome from his stepmother (the Dowager Countess) and half-brother (Martin Frant), who expected him to perish on the battlefield and thus make Martin the Earl.
It's not that hard to guess the true culprit when there are various unsuccessful attempts on St Erth's life, but the literary journey is fun to follow. I haven't yet dipped my toe into Heyer's other mysteries, so this was a delightful taste.
The book is filled with well-defined characters (and many of them are truly characters!) typical of a Heyer novel. Even the servants and tertiary characters have their quirks, but these are the main characters: St Erth is a handsome, mild-tempered gentleman that his family grossly underestimates. Martin is a spoiled man-child with a hair-trigger temper. The Dowager is obsessed with marriages and the lineage of every family she's ever heard of. Theo Frant is the family cousin closest to St Erth; he has been overseeing the earl's holdings for years and is the reason the earldom is so robust financially. Drusilla Morville is a plain, level-headed young woman staying at Stanyon while her parents are away. Lord Ulverston is a military friend of St Erth's, a charmer who doesn't make his appearance until well into the book. Marianne Bolderwood is a stunning beauty from a neighboring estate who has not even come out in society and already has several men dancing attendance upon her - including Martin, St Erth, Ulverston, and Theo.
Heyer provides plenty of mis-direction for both the mystery and the romance. The opening pages drag as she establishes the premise, but I've found that to be true in many of her stories. Once the stage is set, the plot moves purposefully onward to the climax and resolution.
I do appreciate that Heyer ends this, as always, once all problems are resolved and the evil-doer is dealt with. There's no need for an extended HEA; the author wisely closes the curtain, allowing the reader to imagine the protagonists' bright future instead of expounding on the obvious. I wish more modern writers would follow her example!
Content is squeaky clean.
August 31, 2021
I almost DNF-ed this at 40%. It just wasn't holding my attention like the majority of Heyer's other books have for me. But I kept reading, and I'm mostly glad I did.
August 8, 2021
8/2021 reread: Still at least a four star read for me, I really enjoyed this book this time around with the Heyer group. Read more closely to catch hints about the culprit behind a series of accidents befalling the new Earl of St. Erth - I knew whodunnit after several rereads, but it’s fun to look for the author’s clues. I also enjoyed the interactions between the new earl and the lady who eventually wins his heart, in another of Heyer’s subtle romance storylines. Capped off with some humorous dialogue, much of it unwittingly supplied by the ramblings of the self-involved Dowager, this book was very agreeable company during the last few dog days of summer!
9/2018 re-read: bumped back up to 4 stars, as I’ve enjoyed this re-read so much, and as always with the Heyer group, learned more through our group discussions! Still not my very favorite Heyer, but I really like Gervase and Drusilla (ok, definitely NOT my favorite hero and heroine names...), and there are several great characters and a good mystery, along with a subtle romance.
2015: Second time reading this book, first time was about four years ago and I gave it four stars.
Since I've become such a fan of Heyer and have had a chance to read more of her work, I'm downgrading to three stars since several of her books were more enjoyable than this outing.
The mystery was well-done but the romance angle was rather an afterthought; I very much enjoyed watching Gervase Frant fall for but it is not center stage.
The Dowager Countess was a hilarious, self-absorbed fright, a true homage to the great Lady Catherine de Bourgh, and Gervase's younger half-brother Martin was a moody, temperamental brat who certainly added to the ratcheting up of tension surrounding several attempts on Gervase's life. A good Heyer, if not a great one - but that still makes it better than a lot of historical fiction out there, in my opinion.
9/2018 re-read: bumped back up to 4 stars, as I’ve enjoyed this re-read so much, and as always with the Heyer group, learned more through our group discussions! Still not my very favorite Heyer, but I really like Gervase and Drusilla (ok, definitely NOT my favorite hero and heroine names...), and there are several great characters and a good mystery, along with a subtle romance.
2015: Second time reading this book, first time was about four years ago and I gave it four stars.
Since I've become such a fan of Heyer and have had a chance to read more of her work, I'm downgrading to three stars since several of her books were more enjoyable than this outing.
The mystery was well-done but the romance angle was rather an afterthought; I very much enjoyed watching Gervase Frant fall for but it is not center stage.
The Dowager Countess was a hilarious, self-absorbed fright, a true homage to the great Lady Catherine de Bourgh, and Gervase's younger half-brother Martin was a moody, temperamental brat who certainly added to the ratcheting up of tension surrounding several attempts on Gervase's life. A good Heyer, if not a great one - but that still makes it better than a lot of historical fiction out there, in my opinion.
November 12, 2015
Gervase, the Seventh Earl of St. Erth returns to his ancestral home after successfully surviving the wars much to the dismay of his ambitious step-mother and spoiled half-brother Martin. His cousin and agent, Theo, is pleased to see Ger as is Druscilla Morville, a neighbor and sometimes companion to Ger's step-mother. Ger is quiet and doesn't fight back, therefore his step-mother thinks she can continue to rule the household with an iron fist and send the Earl running for one of his other properties. She hasn't counted on the fact that Gervase didn't survive the war by being weak. He fights back with quiet dignity and a witty manner that wins Druscilla's heart as she attempts to rescue him from someone who may wish to kill him. Gervase, however, doesn't see any cause for alarm and he's quite taken with his beautiful neighbor, Marianne Bolderwood. Both Martin and Ger's friend, Lord Ulverston are both charmed by the pretty coquette and handle their infatuations quite differently. As Gervase and Martin clash over property, authority and ladies, Ger begins to think Martin may be trying to kill him after all and there may be more to the plain Miss Morville than her lack of good looks. This novel has everything to please Heyer's fans: excitement, mystery and romance. Though Gervase is quiet, he's no less dashing and charming than the Corinthians or Bucks. He's very bright and his witty sense of humor is sophisticated, funny and charming. My favorite character is Druscilla. I adore her parents and wish I could know them and I like her for being practical and sensible. The rest of the characters are fairly stereotypical and the plot is classic Heyer. It's too bad everyone else copied her because the plot does feel a bit cliched but Heyer was such a great writer that she could plan red herrings and make things seem different from what they are. This is a great traditional Regency novel from the master of the genre!
May 7, 2017
A mystery rather than a romance. In fact, the romance was pretty understated and was only developed at the end, along with the solution. The Earl of St Erth returns from the wars to succeed his father's title and discovers that his family resents him. But who would go as far as to murder him?
The story takes a long time to get interesting and the beginning is very slow. I almost gave up after a few chapters, but glad I stuck with it as halfway through the book, it really picks up and suddenly everyone becomes very much more interesting. At first, I thought I disliked many of the characters, but I began to like the Earl when he showed some emotion and was sad at his brother's outburst. I am thoroughly sick of heroes who are always in control of themselves and their emotions, so it was a welcome protrayal. His half-brother, Martin, too is rash and hot-tempered, while his cousin Theo has his own quirks. His friend who soon joins him has his own peculiarities, while the women in the book are well-developed too. I thought Drusilla dull at first, but she gets a little more interesting in the latter half of the book. I just wish that Heyer would not always equate common-sense with quiet and unassuming. You can be gregarious and sensible at the same time!
The mystery was easily solved because once you realise the red herring thrown your way, you automatically realise who the culprit is. The delight is in actually reading about the day to day interactions among the characters.
The only thing I did not like about the book (other than the slow first half) is the victim blaming of a young girl for being molested. If you will be so pretty, Marianne, and flirt so dreadfully, what can you expect? I would expect to be treated with respect and be flirted back in a decent manner, not being physically manhandled!!!! One more reason why I never really liked Drusilla.
Worth a read if you can get past the first half.
The story takes a long time to get interesting and the beginning is very slow. I almost gave up after a few chapters, but glad I stuck with it as halfway through the book, it really picks up and suddenly everyone becomes very much more interesting. At first, I thought I disliked many of the characters, but I began to like the Earl when he showed some emotion and was sad at his brother's outburst. I am thoroughly sick of heroes who are always in control of themselves and their emotions, so it was a welcome protrayal. His half-brother, Martin, too is rash and hot-tempered, while his cousin Theo has his own quirks. His friend who soon joins him has his own peculiarities, while the women in the book are well-developed too. I thought Drusilla dull at first, but she gets a little more interesting in the latter half of the book. I just wish that Heyer would not always equate common-sense with quiet and unassuming. You can be gregarious and sensible at the same time!
The mystery was easily solved because once you realise the red herring thrown your way, you automatically realise who the culprit is. The delight is in actually reading about the day to day interactions among the characters.
The only thing I did not like about the book (other than the slow first half) is the victim blaming of a young girl for being molested. If you will be so pretty, Marianne, and flirt so dreadfully, what can you expect? I would expect to be treated with respect and be flirted back in a decent manner, not being physically manhandled!!!! One more reason why I never really liked Drusilla.
Worth a read if you can get past the first half.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 772 reviews