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Cousin Kate
Enjoy one of only two Heyer Gothic Regency romances.
Kate, in dire circumstances, is surprised to receive an invitation to live with a distant aunt. Her aunt, uncle, and cousin welcome her to their estate, buy her new clothes, and provide all the amenities a Young lady of quality should have. Slowly, however, as strange events unfold, Kate begins to realize that her aunt's
...morePaperback, 380 pages
Published
May 1st 2009
by Sourcebooks Casablanca
(first published 1968)
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The one where penniless, orphaned Kate is taken in by an aunt she's never met, and begins to discover strange things happening in the manor.
This was two different books that didn't mesh well together. The romance conflicts with the suspense in a way that takes the power out of both of them. By the time Kate finds out she could be in real danger, she's already got an ally who's more powerful than any of the forces that threaten her. And in a romance context I accept women agreeing to...more
This was two different books that didn't mesh well together. The romance conflicts with the suspense in a way that takes the power out of both of them. By the time Kate finds out she could be in real danger, she's already got an ally who's more powerful than any of the forces that threaten her. And in a romance context I accept women agreeing to...more
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Cousin Kate was quite a surprise to me the first time I read it; I was expecting a light and fluffy Regency romance but instead got a Gothic romance. For those who are unfamiliar with the term, Gothic romances are a subset of romance novels that feature heroines going through all sorts of dreadful adventures, including fire, flood, ghosts, murderers, skeletons, etc., before finally finding the right man. These novels were extremely popular with young English women during the Regency era, but m...more
My main gripe with "Cousin Kate" was its length, but having said that, the description of life and the way people lived and interacted is worth exploring. Perhaps it's more a reflection of the pace I've come to expect in more modern books.
What sets this one apart from her other Regency novels is the character of Torquil who is, to me, the star of the book.
Try reading this, taking into account modern days attitude to madness and psychiatry. This is in the time before...more
What sets this one apart from her other Regency novels is the character of Torquil who is, to me, the star of the book.
Try reading this, taking into account modern days attitude to madness and psychiatry. This is in the time before...more
Really just a touch below a 4. Whether true or not, I think of Heyer as pre-selecting for her books topics of currency during the Regency Period, which also happen to be universal themes, and developing them from that dual light. In Cousin Kate, she explores overbearing vs. capable, strong women; weak men of a kind nature vs. men of keener perception and strength of will; hereditary weaknesses and illness; and of course the lifetime plight of women of "quality" when the usual Regency r...more
This was the most exciting book I have read by Georgette Heyer. I just couldn't´t put it down.
It is a love story but also a suspense story with a rather unexpected ending. When you have read a few of Georgette Hyer´s books you sort of know the story (even if it´s nearly always a good story). But in Cousin Kate I was pleasantly surprised.
Kate Malvern finds her quite with out means to support her self after she had had to quit her last place as a governess. She stays with her ...more
It is a love story but also a suspense story with a rather unexpected ending. When you have read a few of Georgette Hyer´s books you sort of know the story (even if it´s nearly always a good story). But in Cousin Kate I was pleasantly surprised.
Kate Malvern finds her quite with out means to support her self after she had had to quit her last place as a governess. She stays with her ...more
This was a good book. It was different from the other Georgette Heyer book that I read (Bath Tangle), as the second half dealt with murder and a possibly insane person. I don't read horror books, and although this had the slightly scary theme of murder, it was well-written. I enjoyed the characters and the dialogue, as well as the first half of the book. I just liked the whole Regency-Era-country-manor setting. I would suggest, though, the following:
1. Don't read this as an introductio...more
1. Don't read this as an introductio...more
Kate Malvern is in desperate straights. She has no family left in the world to take her in, she believes, and so stays with her old nursery maid while considering a job in the working class as a governess, companion or abigail. At her old nurse’s urging a letter is sent to some distant relations in the neighborhood, to everyone’s surprise the relations respond and soon Cousin Kate finds herself settling in at a place called Staplewood with her aunt and uncle and cousin Torquil. The family is str...more
The only other book I've read by Georgette Heyer was a complete farce, so I was expecting the same type of light comedy when I picked up this book; I was floored when the plot progressed into something much closer to a Gothic mystery. The writing conveys a fantastic blend of pragmatic humor and skin-crawling suspense. I was completely drawn in and could hardly put it down. The characters are complex and realistic, and the romantic side-plot (though rushed considering the serious side of the b...more
Kate Malvern is considered at 25 on the brink of old age by the Regency standards. Her prospects for the future are looking worse and worse by the minute. With no parents, no dowry to speak of and no real prospects for substantial income, Kate has only one person to turn to: her nurse Sarah Nidd. But Sarah has her own family and household to care for and as much as she loves Kate, it’s only a matter of time when Kate will become a nuisance and yet another mouth to feed. With the appearance of Ka...more
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I've only read 3 other Heyer books, so I can't speak with any authority on how different this offering is compared to her numerous other books, but I will note that I heard about Cousin Kate because it stirs up alot of mixed feelings (and ratings) with Heyer fans.
So of course I had to read it...
Cousin Kate starts off lighthearted, but but within 50 pages the plot takes on a darker, more gothic feel. There is a romance involved, but it's actually not the centr...more
So of course I had to read it...
Cousin Kate starts off lighthearted, but but within 50 pages the plot takes on a darker, more gothic feel. There is a romance involved, but it's actually not the centr...more
The darkest Heyer I've read, with a penniless heroine taken in by an aunt with ulterior motives, an unsympathetic hero, and a poor madman. I got bogged down in the middle of this one - it's clear that Torquil is mad, it's clear that Minerva is trying to get Kate to marry him, but Heyer just fills in more and more pointless detail, perhaps in an attempt to make the Philip-Kate relationship more realistic. She couldn't resist reverting to her regular silly tone at the end, despite the series of ...more
Because this book was said to be a Gothic Regency romance, I was prepared for melodrama. This is my third Heyer novel and she hasn't descended to melodrama yet, even in this darker period piece. There is madness and murder, but Heyer always presents the characters' feelings in the bright light of day. Her main characters are so rational and so human in their virtues and flaws that everything feels real and possible. I was waiting for something unbelievable to happen, but thankfully it never did....more
Fate and circumstance have seen fit to place Kate Malvern in such unforseen dire financial straights that she hardly has a place in the world. Having been dismissed from her position as a governess Kate finds herself on the doorstep of Sarah Nidd, the nurse who cared for her during her youth. Fortunate to have the kindness of Mrs. Nidd and her husband, but bound and determined not to impose upon them, she hopes to find a new situation even if it be something as lowly as becoming lady's personal ...more
This one is not a typical Heyer regency. The pacing is completely different that her other works. Its like she slowed down and decided to take her time with how the pace goes. She is much more descriptive in her writing. She focuses in on things like the servants and the details of the house much more than she ever does in her other books. Its a suspense, so I see where this kind of writing goes in the stories favor. It is definitely very different from a normal Heyer novel.
Its kind ...more
Its kind ...more
In you aren't a die hard Georgette Heyer fan, you might be unaware that all of her books are being re-printed--a blessing for those of us who are huge followers. Cousin Kate was a book absent from any library collection of which I have been a patronage. However, due to the re-printing, I am able to indulge in the more obscure Heyer titles.
This was a decent Heyer novel. Not my favorite, but not my least favorite either. It is rather gothic in flavor which is a break from her oth...more
This was a decent Heyer novel. Not my favorite, but not my least favorite either. It is rather gothic in flavor which is a break from her oth...more
I really like Heyer's book for fun light reads, and this was no exception. Unlike her other more comedic romances, this definitely had a more gothic feel. Kate Malvern is orphaned and at 25 is considered past her prime. After ending a governess job, she is considering hiring herself out as an "abigail" and in consternation her old nurse writes to an estranged aunt who descends and unexpectedly invites her to come stay...which is where the mystery start... Some of the plot was predi...more
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I put off reading Cousin Kate for almost three months now because False Colours and parts of A Convenient Marriage left a sour taste in my mouth. I actually started this book twice and barely managed to get past the first ten pages; the narrative just didn’t grabbed me. And then when I finally managed to plow through and start to the enjoy the story, the plot begins to lose it’s way. It deviates and takes roads that lead to no where, which ultimately means the story stutters and stalls at the en...more
Kate is a young girl in her mid-twenties. Young by our standards, but in the Regency period she was bordering on being an old maid. What is worse is that both of her parents have died, and she has just lost her job as a nanny. So she has no home, no job, and nothing for a dowry.
She has traveled to her childhood nurse, Sarah's home until she can find another placement. She doesn't feel like she can stay with Sarah as she has her own husband and family to care for - so when her Aunt Mi...more
She has traveled to her childhood nurse, Sarah's home until she can find another placement. She doesn't feel like she can stay with Sarah as she has her own husband and family to care for - so when her Aunt Mi...more
Heyer, Georgette. 1968. Cousin Kate.
At no time during the twenty-four hours was the Bull and Mouth Inn a place of quiet or repose, and by ten o'clock in the morning, when the stage-coach from Wisbech, turning top-heavily out of Aldersgate, lumbered into its yard, it seemed, to one weary and downcast passenger at least, to be post-chaise to a wagon, with its shafts cocked up and the various packages and bundles it carried strewn over the yard.
Kate Malvern is our heroine in...more
At no time during the twenty-four hours was the Bull and Mouth Inn a place of quiet or repose, and by ten o'clock in the morning, when the stage-coach from Wisbech, turning top-heavily out of Aldersgate, lumbered into its yard, it seemed, to one weary and downcast passenger at least, to be post-chaise to a wagon, with its shafts cocked up and the various packages and bundles it carried strewn over the yard.
Kate Malvern is our heroine in...more
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Recommends it for:
Readers Who Like Gothic Novels / Georgette Heyer Fans
Shelves:
georgette-heyer,
romance
One of Georgette Heyer's most Gothic novels, Cousin Kate follows the story of the eponymous Kate Malvern, who finds herself almost penniless at age twenty-four. The unexpected kindness of her estranged half-aunt, Lady Minerva Broome, seems like a godsend, until Kate discovers that all is not as it should be at Broome Hall...
Although a great admirer of Heyer, I am forced to agree with those readers who opine that Cousin Kate is unsuccessful, both as a romance and as a thriller. The fore...more
Although a great admirer of Heyer, I am forced to agree with those readers who opine that Cousin Kate is unsuccessful, both as a romance and as a thriller. The fore...more
Kate Malvern is 24 and has no relations or money. Just as she is contemplating sinking beneath the boundaries of gentility and becoming a domestic servant, her heretofore unmet aunt descends upon her. She is the Lady Broome, and she overwhelms Kate with kindess and brings her to Staplewood, the ancestral home of the Broomes. There is clearly something sinister going on at Staplewood, focused around Kate's moody cousin Torquil. Thankfully, Kate finds an ally in Philip Broome, with whom she sh...more
One of my least favourite of Georgette Heyer's historical fiction novels. Still very well written, and the main character Kate is a likeable girl; she's a typical courageous and confident Heyer heroine, despite being destitute, and has a delightful and loyal old nurse, Sarah, always willing to come to her rescue.
The problem is that Heyer introduces two extremely unpleasant characters, Kate's Aunt Minerva, and Minerva's son Torquil. They're not just minor caricatures, but well develo...more
The problem is that Heyer introduces two extremely unpleasant characters, Kate's Aunt Minerva, and Minerva's son Torquil. They're not just minor caricatures, but well develo...more
Suprisingly a Georgette Heyer that I didn't love or even liked! The blending of Gothic darkness and light-hearted romance does not work for me, especially at the end when murder, insanity, and suicide are all forgotten over a pleasant game of rubber of piquet. The main characters attempt to be witty and resilient, but they instead come across as oblivious and insensitive. Heyer should have stuck with historical fiction and left the Gothic tales to du Maurier and the Bronte sisters.
First line: "At no time during the twenty-four hours was the Bull and Mouth Inn a place of quiet or repose, and by ten o'clock in the morning, when the stage-coach from Wisbech, turning top-heavily out of Aldersgate, lumbered into its yard, it seemed, to one weary and downcast passenger at least, to be crowded, with vehicles of every description, from a yellow-bodied post-chaise to a wagon, with its shafts cocked up and the various packages and bundles it carried strewn over the yard."...more
Having heard of Georgette Heyer once or twice before, a favorite of some current historical romance writers, I thought I'd give her a try. Apparently, she is considered to be "the" best Regency period writer, extensively having researched her books and writing in a manner and using slang unique to the Regency period in England. She wrote over 50 novels, a few historicals, a few detective novels, most namely though her romances. And we're not talking Johanna Lindsay-type romances. H...more
When I'm in the mood for Georgette Heyer and I've recently read all my favorites, I have to resort to reading those I don't like as much. I'm not saying this book is bad. She has written some that I don't like at all, but Cousin Kate does have some charm. I love the main character. I find her quite funny. She reacts how I think a lot of people would react in the situation she finds herself in. In all though this isn't one of Heyers best books. It will do in a pinch though :-)
I was pleasantly surprised by this; expecting another light-hearted romance, the darker, more mysterious theme of this novel has made me curious about Heyer's detective stories - a first for me.
I have to say, my mind ran away with me - in the first part of the novel, I was suspicious that Lady Broome and Dr Delabole were up to far worse than hiding Torquil's madness (such as poisoning him, locking him away, etc) and I half expected Lady Broome's illness at the end to be a complete r...more
I have to say, my mind ran away with me - in the first part of the novel, I was suspicious that Lady Broome and Dr Delabole were up to far worse than hiding Torquil's madness (such as poisoning him, locking him away, etc) and I half expected Lady Broome's illness at the end to be a complete r...more
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Georgette Heyer was an amazingly prolific writer who created the Regency England genre of romance novels.
Georgette Heyer was an intensely private person. A best-seller 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. Heyer wrote very well-researched historica...more
More about Georgette Heyer...
Georgette Heyer was an intensely private person. A best-seller 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. Heyer wrote very well-researched historica...more
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“Has it occurred to you, Kate, that she is placing you under an obligation?"
"Oh, yes, indeed it has, and it is crushing me!" she said earnestly. "If only there were some way of requiting her - not arranging flowers, or entertaining Sir Timothy, or bearing Torquil company, but a big thing! Something that was vital to her, or - or even something that entailed a sacrifice! But there isn't anything that I can discover."
There was a pause, during which he frowned down at his well-kept finger-nails. At length he said slowly: "If she were to demand it of you, would you be prepared to make a sacrifice of yourself?”
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"Oh, yes, indeed it has, and it is crushing me!" she said earnestly. "If only there were some way of requiting her - not arranging flowers, or entertaining Sir Timothy, or bearing Torquil company, but a big thing! Something that was vital to her, or - or even something that entailed a sacrifice! But there isn't anything that I can discover."
There was a pause, during which he frowned down at his well-kept finger-nails. At length he said slowly: "If she were to demand it of you, would you be prepared to make a sacrifice of yourself?”
