Heyer Sequels Wishlist

[Leslie]

Lori wrote: "Something that gets Tristram riding ventre a terre."

:)

[Karlyne]

Lori wrote: "Something that gets Tristram riding ventre a terre."

:), :) (double laugh)

[MaryC]

" . . . mysteries with Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy as the main characters . . . ." Then there's P. D. James's Death Comes to Pemberley, in which, as a Darcy house party is getting underway, Lydia arrives in hysterics, wailing that Wickham's friend Denny has killed him. I'll say no more.

[Lori]

MaryC, I've enjoyed Carrie Bebris's works. She takes the Darcys to the worlds of each of Austen's novels. And I ADORE the Jane Austen mysteries by Stephanie Barron. She does an amazing job capturing the flavor of Austen, who is the detective in her series (with all Austen's insight into human nature and observational skills, it's logical she could solve a murder or two). At a national convention of the Jane Austen Society of North America, I once equated her careful research to Georgette Heyer's. The audience gave Barron a standing ovation.

[Louise]

Lori wrote: "MaryC, I've enjoyed Carrie Bebris's works. She takes the Darcys to the worlds of each of Austen's novels. And I ADORE the Jane Austen mysteries by Stephanie Barron. She does an amazing job capturin..."

i don't like the Jane austen mysteries because she made austen's mother into an idiot in the books, which she was not in real life. And she made Henry into a pompous ass, which he wasn't either, if he had been, Jane would not have liked him so much. I think Jane Austen might have made a good detective in the unobtrusive, Miss Marple style, but not the way she is portrayed by Barron.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

I've been told the Stephanie Barron ones don't get good till the third one. I read the first on my now dead kobo & really didn't like it. I'll try the rest when I learn how toconvertmy Kobo books to the Kindle format.

[Barbara]

MaryC wrote: "" . . . mysteries with Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy as the main characters . . . ." Then there's P. D. James's Death Comes to Pemberley, in which, as a Darcy house party is getting underway, Ly..."

Yes, a very disappointing book is Death Comes to Pemberley. The movie too, with Elizabeth played as dishevelled and rather ineffective .......

[Critterbee❇]

Death Comes to Pemberley is too much in the style of P.D. James, which makes it seem very disconnected to the original characters.

I did enjoy Longbourn though.

[MaryC]

I didn't realize Death Comes to Pemberley had already been filmed, but I doubt that I'll make much effort to see it ;). Now that others have posted their opinions, I can say that I thought the best thing about it was the initial premise, which led me to expect something more like GH's lighter mysteries, e. g. A Blunt Instrument. Instead, it was too grim and serious for a Jane Austen sequel, and as it unfolded, the solution became pretty obvious. (Why else were--? Still, I don't want to spoil it for anyone who might be reading it or thinking of doing so.)

Believe it or not, DCtP is the only P. D. James book I've read! Am I right in thinking she's much better when she's writing about her own characters in her own time?

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

I didn't like The Lighthouse much, but I've enjoyed the other PDJ titles I've read. I'm thinking that like Christie & GH her later books may not be that good. With Christie there has been a study that thought she may have been in the earlier stages of Alzheimers, with GH I think she was sick of Regencies! The Lighthouse was very slow moving with lots of irrelevent filler.

So all different reasons!

[MaryC]

☆ Ｃａｒｏｌ ☆ wrote: " With Christie there has been a study that thought she may have been in the earlier stages of Alzheimers . . . ."

I don't know about that! She never seemed very dotty to me! She was a fiendishly good mystery writer--possibly the best of all. I managed to guess only one of her solutions. Another good one from her generation was Dorothy L. Sayers, whose hero seems rather GH-ish to me. Both she and GH may owe a bit to Baroness Orczy. :)

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

MaryC wrote:I don't know about that! She never seemed very dotty to me!

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2009...

I didn't like the last three books she wrote. The last one I thought excellent was Endless Night.

One of my uncles had Alzheimer's & in the early stages he was just a bit forgetful.

[MaryC]

Mmm! Now that you mention it, Carol, the last two she published were written decades earlier. And she did seem to devote quite a bit of her late work to wrapping things up--and to dealing with the foibles of old age.

Yes, Endless Night is a real chiller. I wonder whether anyone here besides Barbara and me is also in the Norah Lofts group and has anything to observe on that subject!

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

MaryC wrote: "Mmm! Now that you mention it Carol, the last two she published were written decades earlier. And she did seem to devote quite a bit of her late work to wrapping things up--and to dealing with the..."

Yes I wasn't including Final Curtain in that. Or Sleeping Murder.

[Lori]

MaryC wrote: "MaryC wrote: "I didn't realize Death Comes to Pemberley had already been filmed, but I doubt that I'll make much effort to see it ;). Now that others have posted their opinions, I can say that I..."

I didn't at all like the mini-series of "Death Comes to Pemberley." The worst part for me was that most of the men were so much alike I couldn't keep straight who was talking. And Elizabeth wasn't attractive or vivacious enough to be Lizzie.

[Howard]

MaryC wrote: "☆ Ｃａｒｏｌ ☆ wrote: " With Christie there has been a study that thought she may have been in the earlier stages of Alzheimers . . . ."

I don't know about that! She never seemed very dotty to me! Sh..."

I've read that analysis of her works showed a reduced vocabulary. But that happens with older age without Alzheimers.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Howard wrote: "I've read that analysis of her works showed a reduced vocabulary. But that happens with older age without Alzheimers."

Do you have a website that says that Howard?(about reduction in vocabulary being normal in old age) Just had a quick look & couldn't one. My father & his mother were both doing cryptic crosswords in their eighties.

& its been a while since I've read Elephants Can Remember but I know at the time it was nearly impossible to follow.

PD James The Lighthouse on the other hand came across as being written by an older person, because of it's slower pace. There was certainly no sign of it being written by a confused mind.

We are probably wandering too far off the topic though. I may move these comments to the Royal Escape from the Topic thread when I get back from work. :)

[Howard]

I don't remember where I read that - maybe in a science magazine.

[Howard]

Although this seems to be the study:

ftp://ftp.cs.toronto.edu/pub/gh/Lanca...

[Lori]

Howard wrote: "Although this seems to be the study:

ftp://ftp.cs.toronto.edu/pub/gh/Lanca..."

Thank you, thank you for hunting this up, Howard. This is fascinating.

[Elliot]

Aubrey Lanyon from "Venetia". Totally want a story that stars him as a romantic hero.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Howard wrote: "Although this seems to be the study:

ftp://ftp.cs.toronto.edu/pub/gh/Lanca..."

Thank you for finding this Howard. I'm surprised Endless Night scored so poorly. I have a copy of that & hopefully I'll get to that reread within the next 6 months.

Also that Postern was still terrible after her husband, secretary & at least one editor fixed up.

I'd also comment that in most cases the decline with dementia is gradual. We didn't realise my mum had dementia until after Dad died as he covered for her.

[Leslie]

Elliot wrote: "Aubrey Lanyon from "Venetia". Totally want a story that stars him as a romantic hero."

I liked Aubrey but have a hard time imagining him as a romantic hero...

[Critterbee❇]

That would be challenging, as he is still a man-child in Venetia. But a sequel could start with the great base that GH drew, and develop his personality from there. He does have some growing up to do, but with his strong willed nature he could turn into an appealing main character.

What type of heroine do you think would match him well?

[Elliot]

Critterbee wrote: "That would be challenging, as he is still a man-child in Venetia. But a sequel could start with the great base that GH drew, and develop his personality from there. He does have some growing up to ..."

Funnily enough, I've been doing some thinking about this, as a writing exercise - maybe I'll be spurred to write it!:

THE PLOT:

Aubrey has been happily ensconced as an academic for a number of years until he suddenly finds himself the heir to Undershaw after Sir Conway's spectacular demise in a hunting accident. (I remember Lady Conway being in an interesting situation before book's end - do I have to kill off their first-born son, too? Ah, what hard-hearted creatures novelists must be!)

So this means that not only does he have to come back to Undershaw, and deal with Lady Conway and Mrs. Scorrier, but he is facing intense pressure to (gasp) court some suitable female and get married, which is a fate almost WORSE than death, for him.

It's also a fate serious enough to bring Damerel and Venetia hotfooting it back to Yorkshire, from Greece or Italy or wherever they have been gadding about. Because obviously Aubrey can't be trusted to handle such a delicate matter on his own. So we get the whole cast of characters back - the Dennys, Edward Yardley, maybe even Mamma and Sir Lambert (altho' that might have to be in London - I can't imagine them coming back to Yorkshire!).

As for the love interest...well, I'm torn. I was thinking either a spiky, smart, socially maladroit young girl - someone not too unlike young Aubrey when we meet him in 'Venetia' - OR a personable, not-too-youngish widow, because ONE of the parties involved ought to have some experience. ; )
(And I was thinking in the latter case that there ought to be some breath of scandal attached to her, her marriage, or the manner of her husband's demise, because she wouldn't be rusticating in Yorkshire otherwise - and she is considered hors de combat, on the marriage market, because of it. But of course, that would mean less than nothing to our hero).

Someone, obviously, who has to appeal to AL intellectually, and have some spirit to stand up to him, to boot - and enough heart to teach him to care for someone beyond himself.

How's that sound? ; ) Appealing to no one but myself, I imagine...

[Elliot]

Elliot wrote: "Critterbee wrote: "That would be challenging, as he is still a man-child in Venetia. But a sequel could start with the great base that GH drew, and develop his personality from there. He does have ..."

Of course, by "Lady Conway", what I mean is "Lady Lanyon". Moar coffee, plz...

[Margaret]

No need to kill off any Lanyon children -- just make that initial baby a girl! :)

[Critterbee❇]

Oh thank you Margaret! That was really bothering me.

[Elliot]

Margaret wrote: "No need to kill off any Lanyon children -- just make that initial baby a girl! :)"

Critterbee wrote: "Oh thank you Margaret! That was really bothering me."

I tremble and obey. : ) Perhaps a whole bevy of girls - that would be a trial for poor Aubrey!

[Margaret]

Very likely, because now it might be seen as his responsibility to get them married off! :D

[Elliot]

Margaret wrote: "Very likely, because now it might be seen as his responsibility to get them married off! :D"

Oh, I'm liking this more and more...could work a P & P vibe into it: "Five daughters! Five! What on earth possessed them to have five daughters? One I could understand, two, or even three, but...five?"

[Karlyne]

I'd read it! So go ahead and write it, Elliot!

[Elliot]

All righty then...I'm a bit stuck on my other writing so I shall! Ha! You are hereby warned!

[Karlyne]

Elliot wrote: "All righty then...I'm a bit stuck on my other writing so I shall! Ha! You are hereby warned!"

Somewhere, on an Austen group discussion, we did a sequel to Emma that was hilarious! One of these days I really am going to write it...

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Good luck Elliott. Aubrey's love could be the governess brought in to help with the brood he inherited. Sort of Sound of Musiclike?

[Susan in Perthshire]

So sad to read the essay on the effect of Alzheimer's on Agatha Christie's work.

[Susan in Perthshire]

On a more pleasant note, I love the plot outline you've done for Aubrey. The governess would work, except it is too predictable - but the mysterious widow with a risqué past? Fantastic! I think we should not assume Aubrey will be inexperienced, but he would certainly need a really good back story on that issue!

[Elliot]

☆ Ｃａｒｏｌ ☆ wrote: "Good luck Elliott. Aubrey's love could be the governess brought in to help with the brood he inherited. Sort of Sound of Musiclike?"

ooh...and the REASON she's a governess is that she - a precociously brilliant, well-educated miss - made a very reckless mesalliance in her youth, family cast her off, now she's a widow, she's changed her name, and she has to support herself - ha!

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Susan wrote: "So sad to read the essay on the effect of Alzheimer's on Agatha Christie's work."

& also that the family were asking the publisher not to pressure her for a new book. I think GH felt the pressure too. I can remember people eagerly awaiting this year's Heyer, Christie, etc.

[Susan in Perthshire]

☆ Ｃａｒｏｌ ☆ wrote: "Susan wrote: "So sad to read the essay on the effect of Alzheimer's on Agatha Christie's work."

& also that the family were asking the publisher not to pressure her for a new book. I think GH felt..."

I know it must have been awful for them. My Mum has Alzheimer's and I can see the deterioration in cognitive function in her and would absolutely fight anyone trying to pressurise her into doing something she was no longer capable of doing. I too can remember waiting for each new one to come out!

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Ha! Yes the 3 Christies my parents bought in hardback were her 3 last ones & the 3 in Heyer were LOQ, My Lord John & I bought Dad Simon the Coldheart because it was his favourite book as a boy. Sigh. I was so excited thinking I had got this present right - but he was so disappointed - & so was I when I read it!

I am intending to reread on sentimental grounds though.

Susan, my mother (who died last year) had vascular dementia. It's really tough.

[Barbara]

Elliot wrote: "Critterbee wrote: "That would be challenging, as he is still a man-child in Venetia. But a sequel could start with the great base that GH drew, and develop his personality from there. He does have ..."

I love the sound of your sequel Elliot and if you make Conways's first born a girl, not necessary to kill any child off!

[Elliot]

Thanks, friends! I swear on the little red pony saddle that there will be NO killing of children. : )

[Barbara]

Elliot wrote: "Thanks, friends! I swear on the little red pony saddle that there will be NO killing of children. : )"
LOL

[Karlyne]

Whew!

[MaryC]

Elliot wrote: "Critterbee wrote: "That would be challenging, as he is still a man-child in Venetia. But a sequel could start with the great base that GH drew, and develop his personality from there. He does have ..."

Not bad, Elliot! I agree with Barbara that Charlotte and Conway's baby could just as easily be a girl. Now could poor Charlotte in her widow's weeds smite the heart of dear, dull Edward? And would you pack Mrs. Scorrier off in high dudgeon when it becomes clear that Aubrey is not going to let her run the household any longer? As for a match for Aubrey, I prefer the idea of a tart young bluestocking, a kind of Beatrice to his Benedick.

[Elliot]

MaryC wrote: "Elliot wrote: "Critterbee wrote: "That would be challenging, as he is still a man-child in Venetia. But a sequel could start with the great base that GH drew, and develop his personality from there..."

Mrs. Scorrier definitely deserves a fine Exit Stage Right Raging, but I can't see her yielding the ground without a desperate struggle..ooh, Edward and Lady Lanyon! What a perfect pair of gudgeons! H'mmm, that opens up the possibility of Mrs. Scorrier and Mrs. Yardley under the same roof... CLASH OF THE TITANS!

I like the Benedick/Beatrice vibe...possibly a sparring match over an interpretation of "The Eumenides"...which of course a Proper Young Lady shouldn't be reading anyway, much less in the original...

[Jenny]

MaryC wrote: "...Now could poor Charlotte in her widow's weeds smite the heart of dear, dull Edward? ..."

Oh no! Edward is marrying Clara Denny! She thinks he's wonderful.
Conway was going to see off his ma-in-law as soon as he got home and I imagine that will cause her sufficient offence to keep her away from Undershaw (as in the case of her other son-in-law).

[Elliot]

But you KNOW Mrs. S. going to come boiling back to be a prop and support to her daughter at this trying time...so the question becomes, in what spectacular manner will she end up leaving again?

[Amy]

I don't need a sequel but I would have loved to have had another chapter at the end of The Nonesuch. Even a few more chapters would have been splendid.