a host of heyers

 Back in October I listened to an episode of Shedunnit which discussed Golden Age mysteries with a spooky slant and mentioned Footsteps in the Dark by Georgette Heyer. Like a lot of prolific romance readers, I primarily knew Heyer as the progenitor of the Regency genre, and hadn't much thought about her other work. But I love a country house and I was very in the mood for a spooky mystery (and, crucially, my library had it ready to borrow), so I read it. And then proceeded to read 8 additional Heyers. Here is my account of them.

I quickly learned that the pattern of Heyer mysteries goes: cast of rich and/or terrible people, mostly related. One of them will die, probably the one you expect. At least two people will fall in love over the course of the book, also the ones you expect. The character content will be rich, the mystery less so. Heyer was not interested in action or in seeing her culprit get their comeuppance (with a couple exceptions). Mostly, the culprit is either nabbed or decides to do The Honorable Thing and commits suicide entirely off-page. Do not read if you don't find comedies of manners entertaining.

( Footsteps in the Dark (1932) )

( Why Shoot a Butler? (1933) )

( The Unfinished Clue (1934) )

( Behold, Here's Poison (1936) )

( They Found Him Dead (1937) )

( A Blunt Instrument (1938) )

( No Wind of Blame (1939) )

( Envious Casca (1941) )

( Penhallow (1942) )