This blogging malarkey is having a desperate effect on the to-be-read books in my house, it grows and grows, mainly because of book recommendations from fellow bloggers – not that I’m complaining really as I’ve found so many great reads that way.
It was Helen @ She Reads Novels who made me decide to request Snowdrift by Georgette Heyer from the library. You can see what she thought of it here.
I hadn’t read any Heyer short stories before although I’ve read quite a few of her novels, historical and crime/mystery fiction.
These short stories are like slipping into a warm bath, pure comfort, not that I’ve been reading them in the bath as I can’t do that for some reason. If you’re looking for escapism (which of us isn’t at the moment?!) then this one might fit the bill.
Snowdrift contains fourteen short stories and the last three haven’t been published before. For me they’re perfect bedtime reading, for when I’m not able to concentrate on anything too heavy. As you would expect quite a few of the stories feature Gretna Green as elopements and rumours of elopement are a fairly frequent theme.
As always I learned new words when reading her Regency romances, to me a domino is a games piece with dots on it, but apparently in Regency times it was a silk hood. There’s always a scattering of Regency slang words which have fairly obvious meanings from the context. I did look up a few of them in my dictionary just to see if they were real and not just made up – and they were real apparently. Unfortunately I can’t remember what any of them were now!
I saw this in the bookstore the other day but didn’t buy it because I have another volume of her short stories that has all but the three previously unpublished ones. But now those three stories I have never read are nagging at me. I will have to see if my library can get hold of a copy for me.
Jennifer,
I suspect that your library will eventually get this book, it has only just been published. It isn’t worth buying it at full price for the three ‘new’ stories.
I have only read some of Heyer’s mysteries, none of the Regency romances. I think I would like to try one of those.
tracybham,
She fairly churned them out, writing books that came under historical, Regency, Georgian as well as her detective fiction. I hadn’t realised she had written contemporary novels, I’ve never seen any of those. She was apparently historically correct and did a lot of research.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_works_by_Georgette_Heyer
I am in the same boat as Jennifer, having the first book with most of the stories. I don’t think short stories were Heyer’s strong suit either. But I’d still like to read them. Maybe this will be a library book.
Lisa,
It’s definitely not worth buying at full price for the three ‘new’ stories. It’ll probably turn up at a library near you sometime.
I’m pleased you enjoyed this, especially as it was my review that made you request it! I love the Regency language Heyer uses. I had never come across the other meaning of domino either until I started reading her books.
Helen,
I find that I always learn something from her books. I intend to start reading the Elizabeth Chadwick books that you’ve been blogging about too – eventually.
Ooh, have to get this! Like all the other commenters, I have the story collection but must seek this edition out for the unpublished stories. I’ve read a couple of her contemporaries–I found them in used book sales and the like. They aren’t my cup of tea–too intense, and missing her trademark humor.
Niranjana,
I hope you enjoy it, you must be a big Heyer fan – no pun intended! I love her witty banter between couples, there wasn’t so much of that in Envious Casca either.