So, which is your favourite Heyer?

[girlyswot]

Surfing my friends' friends list, I came across this, which is apparently the results of a survey of a Heyer mailing list.



Votes as of 12/14/08 (104 votes)
The Grand Sophy (1950) 4.7
Frederica (1965) 4.5
Venetia (1958) 4.5
Sylvester (The Wicked Uncle) (1957) 4.4
The Unknown Ajax (1959) 4.3
Cotillion (1953) 4.3
Arabella (1949) 4.3
The Talisman Ring (1936) 4.3
Devil's Cub (1932) 4.2
The Reluctant Widow (1946) 4.2
Black Sheep (1966) 4.1
The Quiet Gentleman (1951) 4.1
Friday's Child (1944) 4.1
The Nonesuch (1962) 4.1
False Colours (1963) 3.9
These Old Shades (1926) 3.9
Faro's Daughter (1941) 3.9
The Toll-Gate (1954) 3.9
The Corinthian (Beau Wyndham) (1940) 3.8
The Convenient Marriage (1934) 3.8
Sprig Muslin (1956) 3.8
Masqueraders (1928) 3.8
Lady of Quality (1972) 3.7
April Lady (1957) 3.6
The Foundling (1948) 3.6
Bath Tangle (1955) 3.5
Pistols for Two: And Other Stories (1960) 3.5
A Civil Contract (1961) 3.3
Death in the Stocks (Merely Murder) (1935) 3.3
Behold, Here's Poison (1936) 3.3
Regency Buck (1935) 3.2
The Unfinished Clue (1934) 3.2
An Infamous Army (1937) 3.1
Why Shoot a Butler? (1933) 3.1
Duplicate Death (1951) 3.1
Envious Casca (1941) 3.1
A Blunt Instrument (1938) 3.0
Charity Girl (1970) 3.0
Detection Unlimited (1953) 3.0
They Found Him Dead (1937) 2.9
No Wind of Blame (1939) 2.9
Footsteps in the Dark (1932) 2.9
Beauvallet (1929) 2.8
The Black Moth (1921) 2.8
Cousin Kate (1968) 2.8
The Spanish Bride (1940) 2.8
Simon the Coldheart (1925) 2.6
Penhallow (1942) 2.4
Instead of the Thorn (1923) 2.4
The Transformation of Philip Jettan (Powder and Patch) (1923) 2.3
The Conqueror (1931) 2.3
Pastel (1929) 2.1
Barren Corn (1930) 2.0
Royal Escape (1938) 1.9
My Lord John (1975) 1.9
The Great Roxhythe (1923) 1.8
Helen (1928) 1.8

I am surprised that Frederica is quite so high and disappointed that Regency Buck, A Civil Contract and An Infamous Army didn't score more. I love the historical ones too, but I'm not really surprised that they weren't so popular. I've only read a couple of the detective stories so I can't judge (and I wonder if the survey is less accurate for those, since I suspect many of the readers polled won't have read them either).

Which are your favourites and what were you surprised by?

Comments

[frankie-ecap.livejournal.com]

I'm surprised The Black Moth is so low.

A bit surprised by Frederica (but pleased) and by Venetia and Arabella (indifferent). Wonder if it is the names.

Not surprised by Sophy but she is far from my fave, as regular readers will know.

Pleased by Ajax, Talisman Ring, Cotillion and Sylvester which are all big faves.

I'd have put Masqueraders and The Foundling higher up the list.

[tdu000.livejournal.com]

I think that An Infamous Army may be lower down because it was so hard to get hold of for years. For some reason it wasn't released in the editions that were printed in the '80s and I had to borrow a 1950s one from my aunt to read it. It's one of my favourites. I loved the story and the description of the battle.

Most of my favourites are near the top. I would rate A Civil Contract higher too but perhaps it isn't frothy enough for most readers to put it as a favourite. I think the depiction of Jenny's father is a bit of a turn-off too.

It's an interesting list.

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

I have ordered a copy of Venetia to be delivered to my parents’ so I can read it over Christmas!

The only detective one I have read was Death in the Stocks. Given that one could deduce whodunnit from the author's social prejudices as revealed in the text, I'm not inclined to race out for more.