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The Black Moth

by Georgette Heyer

3.53 of 5 stars 3.53 · rating details · 2,644 ratings · 266 reviews

This is Georgette Heyer's first novel-a favorite of readers and a stirring tale to be enjoyed again and again.

ebook, 368 pages

Published December 1st 2009 by Sourcebooks Casablanca (first published 1921)

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Jul 19, 2008 Abigail rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Georgette Heyer Fans / Anyone Who Likes Swashbuckling Adventure Stories

Shelves: georgette-heyer, romance

Review Temporarily Removed.

2 likes · like · see review

Sep 02, 2012 Giulia~Bubbles rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I had a hard time making sense of this book. It's the first book I've read by this author, and I understand it was the first novel she wrote, at a rather young age. I couldn't even really decide what sort of a rating to give this read. I think it's more of a two and half star read.

Heyer spins an entertaining tale, I'll say that much for this novel. But at times the entertainment value wans as you have to wonder what the hell this is about. Is it a love story? Yes and no. It's not really about D...more

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Aug 26, 2012 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I gather this was the first novel Heyer published, but I only got to it after having read some of her later novels. What was interesting was the way this book seemed to lay out the prototype for These Old Shades -- the titular "Black Moth" or Tracy "Devil" Belmanoir, is clearly the blueprint for The Duke of Avon, Justin "Satanas" Alistair, including the abduction referred to in Avon's past in These Old Shades, carried out by Belmanoir in The Black Moth.

I liked The Black Moth, but it was not as...more

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Jun 21, 2012 Thom Swennes rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Black Moth is the first novel of the highly prolific romance author Georgette Heyer and rivals the works of her 19th Century colleagues. Written in 1921, The Black Moth is the story of the lives and follies of England’s 18th Century aristocracy. Although the story is well written, I ‘m not very impressed with its contents. I have no doubt that this class is correctly portrayed, their lives don’t make for particularly interesting reading. The way they waste their lives on trifles, pleasures a...more

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Jul 13, 2011 Becky rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I totally agree with this review from Jane:
Oh novel, how do I object to thee? Let me count the ways...

1. The title is a phrase that refers to the villian that is mentioned ONLY ONCE over the course of the novel. And it has something to do with the way he dresses. Really, guys? Can't we come up with something more, you know, related to the story?
2. The villian is a jerk who tries to kidnap and ravish our poor heroine twice... and receives absolutely no punishment at the end, unless you count th...more

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Sep 12, 2010 Donna rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical, romance

I have a lot of complaints about this book, but there's still something to love in the idea of a society where being a highwayman for years is more forgivable than cheating at cards.

John Carstares is an Earl, a highwayman, and a social outcast, thanks to his decision to take the blame for his brother's attempt to cheat at cards. Richard, the guilty brother, wants to set the record straight, but that could put his marriage at risk. Their story also includes a villainous Duke, a fiery young beauty...more

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May 03, 2010 April rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

That's it. I have a new favorite author. I've run out of Jane Austen-authored books to read, so it's a relief to finally discover Georgette Heyer. She writes of the same world in the same time period, and she has the same light and subtle knack with drawing various characters and their interplay. I can see now how the genre really came to be developed after Heyer.

Anyway, The Black Moth was a fun read. It's fairly typical of the genre, so there's really not a whole lot I can say about it. The onl...more

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Feb 28, 2010 Brande Waldron rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

With a special thanks to Danielle @ Sourcebooks I was introduced to Georgette Heyer and the first novel in a four-part series including These Old Shades, Devil’s Cub, and An Infamous Army, The Black Moth. This is also her first novel and in the true spirit of what first opened my eyes to Jane Austin, I have found a new author to follow. An eccentric setting in this Regency Historical, with all the perfect, prim and proper but doesn't fail to be witty and cunning with sharp dialog that kept me en...more With a special thanks to Danielle @ Sourcebooks I was introduced to Georgette Heyer and the first novel in a four-part series including These Old Shades, Devil’s Cub, and An Infamous Army, The Black Moth. This is also her first novel and in the true spirit of what first opened my eyes to Jane Austin, I have found a new author to follow. An eccentric setting in this Regency Historical, with all the perfect, prim and proper but doesn't fail to be witty and cunning with sharp dialog that kept me entertained throughout.This is the story of Jack Carstares the Earl of Wyncham who was forced to leave because he was wrongly accused of cheating at cards. A pretty noble thing if you ask me since he was covering for his brother, but now he is a Highway man, robbing others to survive and actually ends up holding up his brother Richard in the process unbeknownst to his brother. Duke of Andover, Tracy "Devil" Belmanoir, in his attempt to "rescue" the young and very beautiful socialite Diana Beauleigh in order to make her or rather fool her into being his next conquest. But his plan is thwarted as The Black Moth attempts to kidnap her, as gallant Jack actually ends up saving her. Enamored and grateful to Jack, Diana takes him home with her and her aunt for him to recover from his wounds, which only forces the two to spends more time together. As their feelings start to grow for each other Jack realized that this can never be, she is a lady and he is a criminal. It would be scandalous. The Duke or "Devil" is known for all his scandalous affairs with a bevy of women and is able to work his charms on Diana as well or so he believes. Poor Diana is confused as ever with the affections and attentions of both men, and not quite sure of the identity of either. A game they are playing with her turns into something a little more real as Diana and Jack start to develop feelings for each other. Oh what a tangled web we weave. So much high society drama I was impressed to find out that Georgette Hayer wrote this at such a young age and even more impressed with the fact that it was so much better than I had imagined. And just like Jane Austin there is such an interesting side character's that truly makes this a cohesive piece or romance, honor, and vengeance. Throughout the story I felt like I was on a mission to find out who exactly The Black Moth was.... and I can't tell you! (less)

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Nov 19, 2009 Jenny rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult-romance

Oh novel, how do I object to thee? Let me count the ways...

1. The title is a phrase that refers to the villian that is mentioned ONLY ONCE over the course of the novel. And it has something to do with the way he dresses. Really, guys? Can't we come up with something more, you know, related to the story?
2. The villian is a jerk who tries to kidnap and ravish our poor heroine twice... and receives absolutely no punishment at the end, unless you count the fact that the hero gets the girl and not hi...more

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Feb 18, 2011 Lolly's rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance

I've been curious about this, Georgette Heyer's first historical romance, since I first discovered her (which, I admit, wasn't that long ago). I have to say, upon finishing it, while I can see the glimmerings of her much-lauded knowledge of the Georgian/Regency eras, along with her talent for witty repartee and her deft hand at romantic entanglements and disentanglements, The Black Moth on the whole has a rather rough and raw feel to it: You can definitely tell this is her first foray into the g...more I've been curious about this, Georgette Heyer's first historical romance, since I first discovered her (which, I admit, wasn't that long ago). I have to say, upon finishing it, while I can see the glimmerings of her much-lauded knowledge of the Georgian/Regency eras, along with her talent for witty repartee and her deft hand at romantic entanglements and disentanglements, The Black Moth on the whole has a rather rough and raw feel to it: You can definitely tell this is her first foray into the genre.

The story at times can become rather rambling and over-long; I found myself at several points wishing she would speed things up and get to the more pertinent parts of the tale. I also found the overall tone to be, I won't say amateurish, but somehow...immature. What with all the abductions of fair maidens by dashing villains and cross-country chases, it felt less like a light-hearted romance novel and more like the melodramatic Gothic novel so prominent in the late 18th/early 19th centuries, those devilish novels reviled by proper mommas and secreted away by dimpled girls, fresh from the school room, to be read and raptured over away from prying eyes. Don't get me wrong, that kind of novel has it's place and you have to give Heyer credit for creating such an authentic story. I just wish The Black Moth had been identified as such, rather than lumped into the Georgian romance genre. Between Gothic romance and Georgian/Regency romance, there is a difference. Never mind that, to a modern woman like me, the high-handed treatment of women by said dashing villain, as well as the laissez-faire attitude taken towards his actions by his peers, is repugnant in the extreme and certainly no sane woman's idea of a romantic gesture. Give me the gentle flirtations, the clever banter, the mistaken identities and inevitable reconciliation found in Heyer's later books any day.

As always, any flaws are expiated by Heyer's talent at creating fully-fleshed characters and her attention to detail. Her coquettes are perfectly flighty and frothy, her heroes are properly proud and determined; villains are devilish, yet, even as they get their comeuppance in the end, remain enigmatic and dangerous. And while Heyer's witty dialogue may not reach the rapier-sharp heights of Jane Austen's, it certainly comes a close second and often wins out due to its more plain-speaking style.(less)

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Apr 06, 2013 Anne rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance, romance

This was my very first Heyer novel and I must admit that I was immensely impressed. I totally loved this book, even though I agree with some of the reviewers who have said that it is not her best effort. Having read a few other of her novels, I can see that now, but I still had to give this one 5 stars, because I enjoyed it so much when I read it! I thought the ending was ridiculous though; the way she wrapped up the whole affair with Jack, Diana and the villain...really it was poorly done. The...more

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Jul 12, 2011 Shenek rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

After reading a dedication in a book to Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer I was intrigued. Another author like Austen? (A period romance that really isn't just a romance.) Recently my cousin has been reviewing a few Heyer books that have looked fascinating. With these two reasons I picked up a book by Heyer. And it turned out to be her first. I read quite a few reviews about this book and most people say it isn't their favorite Heyer book. Which makes me excited. It was a great book and if the oth...more

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May 29, 2013 Trudy Brasure rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I would never have guessed that this was Heyer's first novel. It was better written than "Powder and Patch." Her character descriptions are always enjoyable and her renown historical detail is already firmly in place. This is a Georgian Era piece, and not her traditional Regency. I think this is the only title character that isn't really the hero of the story. The Black Moth instead refers to the hero's nemesis. Strange title choice.
My strongest complaint is that although she takes her time to...more

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Jun 25, 2012 Stephanie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Black Moth – Georgette Heyer
A disgraced gentleman comes across the black moth who happens to be a duke in process of kidnapping a pretty young girl, he is a highwayman by profession though not very seriously. He rescues the girl and gets injured while healing he meets old friends and there is lots of guilt and determination to clear his name from friends and the man who orchestrated it all, the Black Moth. This was her very first novel, it flows a bit differently than her other books. It has...more

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Feb 28, 2013 Anastasia (Here There Be Books) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: a-ripping-yarn, ebooks, fiction, historical-fiction, rc-classics, romance, public-domain

The Black Moth is Georgette Heyer's first book ever written, when she was 17 and wanted to cheer up her sick brother. It's not as amazing as April Lady was, but it's still pretty darned good for a first book anyway. Yeah, Lavinia ends every sentence with an exclamation mark. Yeah, the villain kidnaps the heroine TWICE and nobody does a frickin' thing about it. But the characters are very human and real and the romances are just as lovely as you'd expect, so if you like Georgette Heyer's Regency...more

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Nov 06, 2012 Jean Gobel rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I started this book as something lighter to read as a break between Dunnett's epic series. It was just that. An easy read, a light hearted melodrama lacking only those tongue-in-cheek asides to the audience that let you know everything is in fun. And indeed it is.

Richard Carstares cannot live with his conscience over what he did on that night seven years ago, causing his beloved big brother John to abandon his Earldom, flee to Europe, returning after a time to live and roam as a highwayman, but...more

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Apr 06, 2010 Aphie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: period-novel

As all the other reviews on this site can't wait to tell you, The Black Moth was Georgette Heyer's first novel, and it really does show. The character descriptions read like a gifted teenager wrote them (oddly enough) with an emphasis on how beautful the hero, heroine and villain all are, and the !drama! and !action! is fairly heavy-handed.

That said, it's not a bad novle. It reminds me most strongly of of the style in The Reluctant Widow, only instead of light-hearted banter and scrapes courtesy...more

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May 16, 2009 Bibliophile rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2009

The Black Moth is Georgette Heyer's first novel (written when she was seventeen), and in some ways it shows: the story is a tad more melodramatic than usual (and part of the plot seems eerily similar to Stevenson's Master of Ballantrae), and there's a lot of focus on the "delicate" features of the hero that makes him sound a bit like the Orlando Bloom of his day and not that appealing to me (he also faints quite often so the heroine has to take care of him - which is something I used to sigh ove...more

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Apr 23, 2010 Alana rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010_04_april, reviewed

Even the Queen of Regency romance had to start somewhere, so when I picked up what I knew to be Georgette Heyer's first published piece, I was expecting a poorer version of her later work where fledgling ideas did not reach their full potential even if one might see a shadow of what was to come. I must tell you, then, that it's terribly depressing to note that this might be the most exciting Heyer novel that I have yet to read and she wrote it when she was only seventeen. Heyer originally wrote...more Even the Queen of Regency romance had to start somewhere, so when I picked up what I knew to be Georgette Heyer's first published piece, I was expecting a poorer version of her later work where fledgling ideas did not reach their full potential even if one might see a shadow of what was to come. I must tell you, then, that it's terribly depressing to note that this might be the most exciting Heyer novel that I have yet to read and she wrote it when she was only seventeen. Heyer originally wrote The Black Moth as a serial story to amuse a sick brother, but her father (who always encouraged his children to read and write) found a publisher for his daughter's manuscript and so it was that The Black Moth was published in 1921 when Miss Heyer was only 19 years old. Having read some of her later works, it's easy to see that The Black Moth is the work of a younger writer. It is not as witty and polished as the best of her later work... but it is full of swashbucking, honor-bound silence, thwarted romance, abductions, cruel villains, spendthrift wives, and tearful confessions. In short, it's a rollicking good time that an older writer might not be capable of printing in good conscience. So thank goodness that Heyer went through with it, as it's certainly the most exciting work by Heyer that I have yet read. Its plot rarely flags and the assembly of characters are certain to amuse as we gaily spin off into a happy ending for just about everyone.

Six years ago, Richard Carstares cheated in a game of cards and his elder brother, Jack, took the blame. Their father, the Earl of Wyncham, disowned his elder son and all of society snubbed him, despite the general incredulity that wonderful and charming Jack Carstares should have cheated. Jack disappeared from England, leaving Richard with an unsullied name and the chance to marry a lady named Lavinia, whom both brothers had been courting. For years, this devil plagued Richard's conscience... such turmoil only heightened when his coach was held up... by none other than his brother, Jack! Desperate now to find and help him, believing his brother reduced to such circumstances as highway robbery as his only means for survival, Richard also wants his brother to return home and so assume all that is rightfully his... aka the entire Earldom and estate. But Jack was disowned, right? Well, Richard convinced their father, on the old man's death bed, to reinstate Jack as the heir, thus giving his conscience a bit of peace by cheating himself out of wealth and property, for Richard does not want anything that belongs to Jack. So Jack has been Earl for a month without knowing it... and yet when Richard's lawyer does finally make contact with Jack, the new Earl insists he wants none of it, either. He does not appear bitter, unhappy, or wanting for money... and indeed, he has no intention of returning home with such a ruined name, but nor does he want his brother to confess. He has resigned himself to his life and appears to be in far better spirits than his conscience-stricken brother, making his living by gambling and merely enjoying life as a highwayman so he might roam the countryside of his beloved Surrey.

Richard seems to have nothing but problems, for if he isn't overcome with guilt over the situation with his brother, he's trying to make his flighty and selfish wife see reason. Lavinia belongs to a family of spendthrifts who have no thought of others and seem to exist on pleasure. Her younger brother Andrew is always hitting Richard up for money and her elder brother, Tracy, well... he's quite a villain, indeed. Tracy, the Duke of Andover, is also known as the Devil Belmanoir for his professed concentration of evil and his rather unscrupulous dealings with everyone. (He's also referred to as "the Black Moth" at some point, but it was so quickly in passing that I admit I'm a bit surprised that such became the title of the novel.) His latest intrigue involves a lady that has inspired such a passion within him (indeed, the word "love" seems incongruous with his nature) that he insists she will be his, willing or no... and it seems that Miss Diana Beauleigh knows a bad egg when she sees one, so it will have to be the latter.

Meanwhile, Jack Carstares gets himself arrested for attempted highway robbery and nearly sentenced by his former best friend, Miles O'Hara, who (upon seeing Jack unmasked) is delighted to find his friend once more, having never believed the idea that Jack could ever be capable of cheating in a card game. (O'Hara is a charming and buyoant Irishman with a very pretty and well-meaning wife who impetuously takes it upon herself to save Jack from her husband's justice before she even knows that they used to be friends, simply because she would hate to see a charming nobleman go to the gallows. They might not be the most intricate characters, but I confess that I have a sweet spot for them simply due to the fact that O'Hara calls his wife "alanna," the Irish endearment for "beautiful one" or "fair one.") After being reunited with Miles, Jack is out riding when he stumbles upon quite a scene: a beautiful young lady being forced from one coach into another, resisting with all her might. This is, of course, the beautiful Miss Beauleigh. Jack fights the ringleader of this abduction (aka the Devil Belmanoir) and bests the man, but still the Devil pulls out a pistol and shoots Jack in the shoulder. Jack loses consciousness after ensuring that the abductors have gone. He awakens a week later in Miss Beauleigh's father's house, being nursed by Miss Beauleigh and her aunt. He insists his name is Mr. John Carr and, of course, falls in love with Miss Beauleigh nearly as quickly as she falls in love with him. However, Jack believes that Diana deserves better than one such as he, and so he removes himself from their home, letting Diana know that he wished it could be otherwise.

The story continues on to show that the Devil Belmanoir has certainly not given up on his pursuit of Miss Beauleigh, and indeed, believes he has no choice but to attempt her abduction once more. Richard struggles with his decision to come clean about his brother's innocence and his own guilt, believing that he must ultimately choose between Jack and Lavinia, for Lavinia vows she would never stay with him if he insisted upon ruining himself. Lavinia continues to be a silly goose but perhaps there's hope for her yet before she completely alienates her husband with her behavior. Ultimately, you will not be surprised to find that things end well for Jack and Diana, and the delightful telling makes this a very quick and amusing read. With all the swordplay, I had a hard time not picturing Errol Flynn as the honorable Jack Carstares, willing to sacrifice himself for the love of a brother and risking all to save the woman he loves but believes he cannot marry. Diana is sweet and has an excellent moment when she and Jack speak in a veiled manner about their prospects, insisting that a woman truly in love would not care one whit about some nonsense that happened six years ago... nor would she care if the man in question was a highwayman, even if her father did. Other than the time surrounding this, though, Diana simply remains a lovely but rather uninteresting girl and instead, one gives one's attention entirely to Jack. As for the Devil Belmanoir, well, one can see that Heyer strives to make him more than a one-note villain. He's certainly selfish in all his dealings with his family, and capable of being quite ruthless, but I find it charming that Heyer wants to show that real love can change even a villain... if not in his outward actions, then at least with his outlook on the world. Don't worry, Tracy doesn't suddenly become a good guy or anything, but early on, he has a friend who rather curses him with the wish that Tracy should be genuinely affected by a worthy woman, which will undoubtedly pan out, even if it's not in the Devil's favor.

The Black Moth is certainly the work of a young and wildly imaginative writer as it dashes along with such drama. The whole bit about silently dealing with another's dishonor is very Scarlet Pimpernel (which I imagine could have been an inspiration to Ms. Heyer at some point)... and since most Heyer heroes are such fops, it's quite easy to picture Sir Percy Blakeney. The modern heir to this style seems to be Lauren Willig with her Pink Carnation books (which grow directly from the Baroness Orzcy and the Pimpernel). In later writing, Heyer tries to attain the level of Austen in her romantic plotlines, though not Austen's excellent social commentary. The Black Moth might be my favorite Heyer yet, for all the disconnect with her more mature writing. The enthusiasm is catching and she wasted no time on subtler details, sticking instead to the frolic, fun, and drama of a real serial. Heyer later proves herself to be quite a wit, but The Black Moth is pure fancy.

Should you find yourself unable to purchase a copy of The Black Moth, I direct you to this link, which contains the full text! http://digital.library.upenn.edu/wome...
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Jun 11, 2012 Kathryn rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-reads, historical-fiction, regency-romance, on-my-nook

The Black Moth is actually Georgian, not Regency, and it's Heyer's first novel. It's a melodrama complete with banishments, family secrets, sword fights, abductions, and highwaymen. I'm not particularly fond of it because it leans too far toward melodrama and not enough toward comedy; The Convenient Marriage, in contrast, also has duels and highwaymen, but they're funny. The Black Moth isn't (intentionally) funny, and it gets a bit wearing.

I found it difficult to connect with most of the main ch...more

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Jan 12, 2013 Aslaug Gørbitz rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anyone who wishes they could travel back in time.

Shelves: favorite

My rating system:
*Hate it.
**Nothing there to like.
***Not a favorite, but readable and others might like it and usually do.
****I really like it, but it is not to be confused with a true genius.
*****True Genius.

Unlike other Georgette Heyer fans, this is one of my favorite novels.
I first read it many years ago when I was 13 years old. I recently re-read it and found that I liked it just as much now. The first chapter is hard to read as it brandies about so many names, I had to read it twice. I rem...more

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Jun 05, 2012 Erin Young rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I don't know. The women in this novel were kinda lame. They had some flaws...which was nice, they weren't all perfect Bambi types like Diana. But I don't know. Had a hard time getting through it.

The nauseatingly condescending relationship between O'Hara and his wife did not help.

Indeed the most rational woman in this novel is Lavinia, who is portrayed in a distinctly unflattering light as a querulous harpy. And yet, you kind of feel bad for her, she is such a prey to her own vices.

By the time...more

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Jul 03, 2010 Josie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Josie by: katie

Shelves: historical-fiction, romance

alkshf oh my god this was so ridiculous I don't even know where to start. It took me a while to get into this because the writing style was just so absurd, and each character had eleventy billion different names so at times I had no idea who was being referred to. But! I stuck at it, for Katie's sake, and just pretended I was reading a parody. Where else would you find such wonderful lines like:

"Tare an' ouns!" ejaculated my lord.

This paragraph in particular also made me laugh:

Carstares swept he...more

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Jul 29, 2012 Anne C. rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Heyer fans

Shelves: historical-fiction

Thankfully, this is not my first Heyer book, so I know she's so much better than this. Many note that this is the author's fist novel and it is helpful to know that context. I would recommend this book only to readers who are fans of the author already, as it's chief value is insight into the author's early talent. I can see the glimmerings of the delightful heroines Heyer draws in her other novels, as well as her knowledge of historical detail (such as gentlemen attending a lady's toilette). He...more

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Jan 25, 2012 Kelli rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

Despite the flaws, I like the background story of this one. It being Heyer's first story + that she told this one to her sick brother back in the 1920's. And she was 15 when she wrote it.
Its very apparent this one was her first story. It has a lot of rough edges, and in the first bit of the book you have to wade through a lot of dialog that doesn't seem to be going anywhere. I had a friend who I was trying to get to read Heyer's stories, but she choose this one for her first Heyer, and hated it....more

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Feb 26, 2010 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What a great introduction into the world of Georgette Heyer! How appropriate is it that my first time reading Heyer starts with her first book ever? I read somewhere that Heyer wrote The Black Moth as a means of entertainment for her brother while he was recuperating from an illness in 1921. She was 19 years old at the time and I think she did a fantastic job her first time out.

This story has a little bit of everything:
*A disgraced Earl
*An evil villain
*A damsel in distress
*Rescuing and sword fig...more

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Jul 22, 2010 Daria rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

How have I not found Heyer's books earlier? I think I love period pieces, and the pace of life and people's relations to each other and life. Although the old English takes about a chapter to get used to, I hardly noticed it going forward. The pace is perfect, true to the period but still a page turner. Diana has wit and smarts about her, unlike most of the damsel-in-distress heroines of the period. The descriptions of the aristocracy and their pursuits are plausible. The love story leaves much...more

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Mar 18, 2011 Tonileg rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-reads, historical

This has to be the most boring romance novel that I have ever read. That said, I have to admit that the writing is good and the descriptions of the era and the vocabulary are remarkably acurate. There is some kidnapping/highway robbery action.
*Spoiler* I just don't understand why cheating at cards would be such a scandel that some one would have to leave the country and live abroad for so many years? Huge overraction maybe? Then 10 years later if it turns out to be some one's brother that actual...more

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Aug 25, 2011 Brenda Britton rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was not one of Georgette Heyers best books but since it was written by her at such a young age and since she was cheering up her brother who was sick, it is understandable. The villain was indeed wicked and he got his just deserts in the end but I'm disappointed that the hero didn't fight for his innocence and instead allowed his brother to pine over past mistakes. The brother should have been up front from the beginning even though he would have lost the girl but learning what kind of a gi...more

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Aug 07, 2010 Tara rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Not quite as good as the other Heyers I read in this batch, still a classic Heyer Regency novel. Interestingly enough, it had quite a bit from the villain's point of view, which is more original than Heyer's other novels. Definitely didn't like him - he was a well-written villain. Although w/ how many kidnappings (and elopings) of virtuous ladies go on in these books, I wonder how often, if ever, that actually happened. Anyway, threats of "ravishing" the female to force her into marriage are a l...more

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About Georgette Heyer

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 historical fiction, fu...more

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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7734055-the-black-moth?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1356027549l/7734055.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7734055-the-black-moth?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Black Moth by Georgette Heyer[/url]

The Black Moth

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