Georgette Heyer was born on 16 August 1902 in Wimbledon, London, England, UK. She was the eldest child of Sylvia Watkins and George Heyer; her brother George Boris borned four years later, and her brother Frank nine years later. During her childhood, the family lived also in Paris, France, but they returned to England before World War I. During the war, her father served as a requisitions officer for the British Army in France. Encouraged by her father to read, her never forbade any book her. At 17, she began a serial story to amuse her brother Boris, who suffered from a form of haemophilia and was often weak. Her father enjoyed listening to her story and asked her to prepare it for publication. His agent found a publisher for her book, and "The Black Moth", was released in 1921.
In December 1920, she met George Ronald Rougier, a young two years older than her, who studied at the Royal School of Mines to become a mining engineer. They became engaged the spring of 1925, she had five novels published. Only one month later, her father died of a heart attack, and he left no pension for his family. She assumed financial responsibility for her brothers, aged 19 and 14. On 18 August 1925, Georgette married George Ronald, but two moths later, he was sent to Caucasus Mountains, and she remained at home and continued to write. She released "These Old Shades", during the midst of the UK General Strike of 1926; as a result, the novel received no newspaper coverage, reviews, or advertising. The novel sold 190,000 copies, and she refused for the rest of her life to promote her novels. Her husband was sent to the East African territory of Tanganyika, and she joined him in 1927, they moved to Macedonia in 1928, where she almost died after a dentist improperly administered an anaesthetic. She insisted they return to England before starting a family, and the following year they returned to England.
In England, her husband started diferent business, but she was always the primary breadwinner. They had a son, Richard, and she continued to care for her brothers and mother. During the World War II, her husband and brothers served in the army, and to earn more money, she reviewed books for Heinemann. To minimize her tax liability, she formed a limited liability company, that pay salaries for her and her family. The tax inspectors discover diferent financial problems with the company, that she finally sold. She wrote principally historical romance novels and some detective novels. She essentially established the historical subgenre of Regency romance, inspired in the Jane Austen's work. Unlike Austen, who wrote about and for the times in which she lived, she was forced to include copious information about the period so that her readers would understand the setting. To ensure accuracy, she collected reference works and kept detailed notes on all aspects of Regency life, became a expert. His successful regency novels were imitated by many authors like Barbara Cartland, and in some cases were allegedly plagiarized, but she chose not to file lawsuits. She continued writing until her death by lung cancer on 4 July 1974, her novel My Lord John, the first and only book of the Lancaster Trilogy, was published posthumously.
229 works Add another?
Most Editions | First Published | Most Recent
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These old shades: Alastair 1
28 editions - first published in 1926 Borrow -
Devil's Cub: Alistair 2
26 editions - first published in 1932 Borrow -
Powder and patch: The Transformation of Philip Jettan
25 editions - first published in 1923 Borrow -
The Toll-Gate
25 editions - first published in 1954 -
Death in the stocks: Inspector Hannasyde 1
25 editions - first published in 1935 Borrow -
Arabella
24 editions - first published in 1949 Borrow -
A blunt instrument: Inspectors Hannasyde & Hemingway
24 editions - first published in 1938 Borrow -
Corinthian
24 editions - first published in 1940 Borrow -
No wind of blame: Inspector Hemingway
23 editions - first published in 1939 Borrow -
Why shoot a butler?
22 editions - first published in 1933 Borrow -
Bath tangle
22 editions - first published in 1955 DAISY -
Sprig Muslin
21 editions - first published in 1956 -
The Grand Sophy
21 editions - first published in 1950 Borrow -
The black moth
21 editions - first published in 1921 DAISY -
Regency Buck: Audley 1
21 editions - first published in 1935 Borrow -
Behold, here's poison: Inspector Hannasyde 2
21 editions - first published in 1936 Borrow -
The Talisman Ring
21 editions - first published in 1936 Borrow -
The unfinished clue
21 editions - first published in 1934 Borrow -
Duplicate Death: Inspector Hemingway
21 editions - first published in 1951 Borrow -
April lady
21 editions - first published in 1957 Borrow -
Cotillion
20 editions - first published in 1953 Borrow -
Venetia
20 editions - first published in 1958 -
Friday's Child
20 editions - first published in 1944 Borrow -
They Found Him Dead: Inspector Hannasyde 3
20 editions - first published in 1937 Borrow -
Royal Escape
19 editions - first published in 1938 Borrow -
Envious Casca: Inspector Hemingway
19 editions - first published in 1941 Borrow -
Cousin Kate
19 editions - first published in 1968 Borrow -
The Quiet Gentleman
19 editions - first published in 1951 -
Penhallow
19 editions - first published in 1942 Borrow -
Simon the Coldheart
18 editions - first published in 1925 Borrow -
Faro's daughter
18 editions - first published in 1941 Borrow -
The Reluctant Widow
18 editions - first published in 1946 Borrow -
Detection Unlimited: Inspector Hemingway
18 editions - first published in 1953 Borrow -
The convenient marriage
17 editions - first published in 1934 Borrow -
The Spanish Bride
17 editions - first published in 1940 Borrow -
False Colours
17 editions - first published in 1963 Borrow -
The unknown Ajax
17 editions - first published in 1959 Checked out -
Frederica
16 editions - first published in 1965 Borrow -
An Infamous Army: Audley 2
16 editions - first published in 1937 Borrow -
The Conqueror
15 editions - first published in 1931 Borrow -
Black Sheep
15 editions - first published in 1966 Borrow -
The Foundling
15 editions - first published in 1948 Borrow -
Footsteps in the Dark
15 editions - first published in 1932 Borrow -
Beauvallet
14 editions - first published in 1930 Borrow -
The Nonesuch
14 editions - first published in 1962 Borrow -
Charity Girl
14 editions - first published in 1970 Borrow -
The masqueraders
14 editions - first published in 1928 -
A civil contract
14 editions - first published in 1961 Borrow -
My Lord John
11 editions - first published in 1975 Borrow -
Sylvester, or, The wicked uncle
10 editions - first published in 1957 -
Lady of Quality
10 editions - first published in 1972 Borrow -
Pistols for Two
8 editions - first published in 1976 -
The great Roxhythe
7 editions - first published in 1922 -
Sylvester: or, The wicked uncle.
6 editions - first published in 1957 -
Pistols for two, and other stories
6 editions - first published in 1964 -
Instead of the Thorn
4 editions - first published in 1923 -
Pastel
4 editions - first published in 1929 -
Helen
4 editions - first published in 1928 -
The Unknown Ajax/the
3 editions - first published in 1981 -
Infamous Army
3 editions - first published in 2004 Borrow -
Sprig Muslin (Harlequin Single Title)
3 editions - first published in 2004 -
Barren Corn
3 editions - first published in 1930 -
Merely Murder
3 editions - first published in 1935 -
The Georgette Heyer omnibus
3 editions - first published in 1973 -
ARABELLA AND THE CORINTHIAN
2 editions - first published in 2005 -
Masqueradors, The
2 editions - first published in 2005 -
Sylvester/wicked Uncl
2 editions - first published in 1983 -
Pistols for Two/april Lady
2 editions - first published in 1998 -
Cotillion (Harper Monogram Regency)
2 editions - first published in 1994 -
Conqueror, The
2 editions - first published in 2006 -
The Reluctant Widow (Harper Monogram Regency)
2 editions - first published in 1994 -
A Civil Contract (Harper Monogram Regency)
2 editions - first published in 1994 -
Mort sans atout
2 editions - first published in 1992 -
Georgette Heyer Compendium
2 editions - first published in 1979 -
Toll-Gate, The
2 editions - first published in 2005 -
Meurtre d'anniversaire
2 editions - first published in 1989 -
April Lady (A Harper Monogram Regency)
2 editions - first published in 1995 -
The Alastair Trilogy Boxed Set: Includes: These Old Shades, Devil's Cub, Infamous Army
2 editions - first published in 2006 -
Fridays Child
2 editions - first published in 1982 -
These old shades ; Sprig muslin ; Sylvester ; The Corinthian ; The convenient marriage
2 editions - first published in 1977 -
Frühlingsluft
2 editions - first published in 1986 -
Faros Daughter
2 editions - first published in 1942 -
Eskapaden
2 editions - first published in 1972 -
Behold Heres Poison
2 editions - first published in 1981 -
Verführung zur Ehe
2 editions - first published in 1969 -
Masqueraders/Cassettes
1 edition - first published in 1989 -
Simon the Coldhearted
1 edition - first published in 1985 -
Devil's Cub (Vet)
1 edition - first published in 2002 -
Findelkind
1 edition - first published in 1972 -
Devils Cub Regency Buck
1 edition -
Pékinois, policiers et polars
1 edition - first published in 2002 -
Un rayon de lune sur le pilori
1 edition - first published in 2002 -
The Nonesuch (The Uniform Edition, Volume 31)
1 edition - first published in 1971 -
Devil's Cub (The Uniform Edition, Volume 6)
1 edition - first published in 1970 -
Die bezaubernde Arabella. Großdruck
1 edition - first published in 2001 -
La Mort donne le la
1 edition - first published in 1999 -
Qui a tue le pere ?
1 edition - first published in 2001 -
Heiratsmarkt Roman
1 edition - first published in 2001 -
The Convenient Marriage (Vet)
1 edition - first published in 1999 -
Ein Mord mit stumpfer Waffe
1 edition - first published in 1998
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Alternative names
- Georgette Heyer Rougier
- Georgette Heyer
- Stella Martin
History Created April 1, 2008 · 10 revisions
| August 22, 2011 | Edited by E-Romance | Edited without comment. |
| August 22, 2011 | Edited by E-Romance | Added new photo |
| August 22, 2011 | Edited by E-Romance | Added new photo |
| August 22, 2011 | Edited by E-Romance | Added new photo |
| April 1, 2008 | Created by an anonymous user | initial import |