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The Six Sisters #5

Diana the Huntress

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Diana Armitage's passion is a unusual for a lady - she loves to hunt dressed as a man. With lustrous black hair and enormous dark eyes, Diana is shy of men, yet dreams of the freedom they enjoy. Only when icy-blond Lord Mark Dantrey invites her to town does she see advantages to being a woman.

230 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

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About the author

Marion Chesney

139 books750 followers
Marion Chesney Gibbons
aka: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Charlotte Ward, M.C. Beaton, Sarah Chester.

Marion Chesney was born on 1936 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK, and started her first job as a bookseller in charge of the fiction department in John Smith & Sons Ltd. While bookselling, by chance, she got an offer from the Scottish Daily Mail to review variety shows and quickly rose to be their theatre critic. She left Smith’s to join Scottish Field magazine as a secretary in the advertising department, without any shorthand or typing, but quickly got the job of fashion editor instead. She then moved to the Scottish Daily Express where she reported mostly on crime. This was followed by a move to Fleet Street to the Daily Express where she became chief woman reporter. After marrying Harry Scott Gibbons and having a son, Charles, Marion went to the United States where Harry had been offered the job of editor of the Oyster Bay Guardian. When that didn’t work out, they went to Virginia and Marion worked as a waitress in a greasy spoon on the Jefferson Davies in Alexandria while Harry washed the dishes. Both then got jobs on Rupert Murdoch’s new tabloid, The Star, and moved to New York.

Anxious to spend more time at home with her small son, Marion, urged by her husband, started to write historical romances in 1977. After she had written over 100 of them under her maiden name, Marion Chesney, and under the pseudonyms: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Charlotte Ward, and Sarah Chester, she getting fed up with 1714 to 1910, she began to write detectives stories in 1985 under the pseudonym of M. C. Beaton. On a trip from the States to Sutherland on holiday, a course at a fishing school inspired the first Constable Hamish Macbeth story. They returned to Britain and bought a croft house and croft in Sutherland where Harry reared a flock of black sheep. But Charles was at school, in London so when he finished and both tired of the long commute to the north of Scotland, they moved to the Cotswolds where Agatha Raisin was created.

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5 stars
310 (23%)
4 stars
467 (35%)
3 stars
441 (33%)
2 stars
82 (6%)
1 star
17 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
Profile Image for Mela.
2,013 reviews267 followers
September 5, 2017
I feel I am going to repeat what I have written in reviews of other books of series [Minerva, The Taming of Annabelle, Deirdre and Desire]. So, let me say short that it was also charming, funny and wise.

I see in this series how good writer Marion Chesney is. One doesn't have to write a high literature. And when a really good author produces light, enjoyable novels I am very happy indeed ;-)

What was particularly interesting here?

The scene when Diana was cooking. Those kitchen tools, recipes, food - very informative.

The concept around question "love or freedom/equality". Is equality/freedom possible in love? When you love someone you lose some part of your freedom. When you really love someone you often (sometimes even always) put welfare of your beloved before yourself, that means there is no equality. I know, it is perhaps hard to believe that in such novel I have found these questions but I have.

There were smaller (like what he or she did after a kiss) and bigger (like ) plot twists.

Like in the other novels of series characters (especially two main) were well chosen.

Of course, I am not blind and I see some similarities and repeatings. E.g.: all sisters at some point were afraid of their future husbands, all heroes showed that they can fight (physically) for their beloved. But even so, I simply love this series!
Profile Image for Melindam.
886 reviews406 followers
April 24, 2023
2,5 stars

In all honesty, every book in this series is on the silly side of entertining, but this reached even more silliness & less entertainment.
Profile Image for Rebekah.
665 reviews55 followers
February 1, 2018
Marion Chesney is a good author to listen to on Audible. Light and frothy; No need to backtrack or keep up lots of characters or a complex plot. This one does not break new ground with the six sisters, and this entry was as equally enjoyable as the others. And I am looking forward to Frederica's story next. One never get's bogged down in angst and cliched plot devices and extended turmoil. Do I want a steady diet of her books? No. I'm ready to move on to someone else, but not before finishing the Six Sisters! After 5 books of build up to Frederica, I have high hopes for this one!
455 reviews158 followers
August 8, 2017
This is probably the least engaging of this series.

Even though Diana, the fifth daughter of the Vicar Armitage, is hunt- and horse-mad and wishes she were a man and gets into plenty of scrapes that should be a maelstrom of excitement or a comedy of errors, the book ends up being sadly dismal because of the lack of chemistry between her and the male lead, Mark Dantrey.

Exciting things that happen:
*Diana gallops away from the hunt and her angry father in a storm to take refuge as a man in disguise at Mark Dantrey's house and Mark Dantrey invites the disguised Diana to a week of manly fun in London.
*Diana meets a gypsy who predicts love with a dark-haired man. She subsequently meets a dark-haired man.
*Diana schemes to delay her come-out and embarks on a week's fun as a man with Mark Dantrey. Things go badly when she actually is mistaken as a man and is gang-pressed into the navy. Luckily Mark Dantrey is around to save her and reveals that he knew her true feminine identity all along. Diana runs away from him in a hurry.
*Mark Dantrey is subsequently pressed to marry Diana and recoils in cynical horror. Diana is also horrified because she wants to marry her dark-haired man. (Mark Dantrey is blond.) Diana schemes to elope with the dark-haired man, who has bribed the previous gypsy into saying that she should beware the fair-haired man.
*Dark-haired man is actually a minor villain and only wants to blackmail money from Diana's father. Scheme is foiled when father approves of their marriage. He reveals Diana and Mark Dantrey's scandalous week-long adventure in hopes of backing out of marriage and ruining Diana. Diana runs away again.
*Somehow the suddenly enamored Mark Dantrey makes dark-haired man retract his words and goes after Diana, who is said to have sailed for America, but is really in hiding in London as a man.

You would think with this comedy of errors and unending plot twists that there would be more than enough time for chemistry to erupt between the two. But alas, there seems to be nothing but the week-long adventure/scandal that holds them together, given both of their book-long aversion to the other. The book was furthermore singularly lacking in comic diversion, except for Diana's one dance with Dantrey in which she was said to "dance primarily on top of his feet" and once, she tried to flirt by smacking the back of his hand playfully but ended up "thwacking his knuckles painfully with her fan." A sad disappointment in the series.
Profile Image for QNPoohBear.
3,583 reviews1,562 followers
February 7, 2014
Diana is the 5th of the six sisters and wants nothing to do with men other than to be one. She loves to ride and hunt and has her father's permission to hunt with the pack as long as she dresses like a man. Unfortunately, her father's friend, Squire Radford, discovers her disguise and lectures the Rev. Armitage on the impropriety of allowing his daughter to hunt. Diana, scared and upset, dashes off on her horse through a storm and seeks shelter at the mansion of Lord Charles Dantry, a gentleman who has recently returned to the country and moved to the neighborhood. Diana feels her disguise will prevent any improper behavior on the part of Lord Charles, but she remains uneasy around him. He offers to show young "David" around London for a week and Diana feels that is the opportunity for freedom she has always desired. Rev. Armitage decides it's time to send Diana to Lady Godolphin in London for a Season. Diana rebels and dons her manly disguise once more to escape into the hitherto unknown gentleman's world of London where she discovers that being a man is not as much fun as she thought. After her adventures as a member of the opposite sex, Diana returns to womanhood and finds herself being courted by a Mr. Jack Emberton, who is kind and pleasing. Lord Charles Dantry is concerned with Diana's attentions to Mr. Emberton and determined to remain in her life! Diana is scared and conflicted by the different types of attention and the feelings she has for both men. Her father fears Diana's exploits will be discovered and attempts to interfere in her life. Tragedy brings Diana home where she must discover what will truly make her happy. I liked Diana and sympathized with her desire for freedom but somehow I didn't enjoy this story as much as I wanted to. I did love Diana's reaction to her first kiss, which was exactly how I hoped all of her sisters would act! There is very little humor in this story and not enough Lady Godolphin. It's not one of my favorites but it is well-written and has more substance than the first three.
Profile Image for Anne Patkau.
3,711 reviews68 followers
April 12, 2015
"'If only I were a man', thought Diana for about the thousandth time in her young life" p 29. "Any girl who dressed as a man and flouted the conventions so blatantly must have the morals of a tom cat" p 69. Icy-blond Lord Mark Dantrey mid-30s p 33 sees through her 'David' disguise and misunderstands.

While hunting as lad, Diana Armitage 19 needs shelter from a storm. Mark's invite to see London town together shows her the advantages to being a woman. Meanwhile a world of minor characters carry on. Lady Godolphin scrambles her words, emotes tropical hurricanes, pipes an easy laugh and a half.

"'Follicles'. It took an hour for Lady Godolphin to put on her face and what she called her 'negligent' p 88. 'Diana's still a virago intax .. nothing but a kiss between them and that kiss was only because Dantry had an understandably low view of her morals" p 89.

"Mrs Armitage .. with a great stock of patent medicines .. proceeded to dose herself. The wind gave a great howl .. The banshee" warns of oncoming death in Ireland. We don't need supernatural to foretell trouble.

Author Chesney writes more than standard 'Regency Romance' if heroine Diana loses her mama, however silly and vapid. Mama abdicated her parental responsibility to eldest daughter, yet her presence would be missed. She wanders in flimsies over wintry moor, stumbles, falls, consciousness darkens.

"Why should any woman want to be a man? Freedom" p 105. "I'll tell you a real story" p 106 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christia.... History has many examples of Amazons who fight harder than Diana. Chesney explores social issues still contentious today. Yet somehow her series are slotted as light and fluffy, make me smile more than worry.
Profile Image for LuvBug .
336 reviews96 followers
June 28, 2010
This book only had 193 pages and almost half way through the book there was still no spark between the hero and heroine. The heroine did not even seem attracted to the hero yet and I can't tell for the life of me if he's handsome or not from the authors description of him. That might not be a problem for some, but for me it was agonizing. I have too many books that i'm looking forward to read, to waste my time on this one.
Profile Image for Abby Stopka.
588 reviews11 followers
May 15, 2025
well the plot of every one of these books is pretty much the same, there's a villain who gets outsmarted and you can always tell who's marrying who. still a good book though
Profile Image for Marilyn Fontane.
939 reviews8 followers
November 29, 2014
Diana the Huntress, is the fifth book in the Six Sisters series. Again the plot is fairly original. Diana is as beautiful as her other sisters, but she is original in that she loves hunting as much as her father, the Reverend Armitage. And of course, hunting is as inappropriate for her as it is for her father. However, Daphne, the fourth sister, made her father promise at the end of book four that if she married the wealthy Mr. Simon Garfield (who she truly adored), her father would let Diana hunt. He feels he must keep his promise; however, since the rest of the people in the vicinity would be shocked, her father makes her dress up like a boy to participate in the hunt. All goes well, until one cold late day Diana leaves the group to hurry home and change, but it is wet and cold and dark and she loses her way. Finally she finds a light and rides toward it. The place she finds has been rented by an icily blond Lord Mark Dantrey, who invites her in and lets her spend the night. In fact, he invites him/her to go to London with him to show him the sights. Diana leaves before the rest of the house is awake and manages to beat her father home, who had been in a similar position, but managed to find the home of his best friend, Squire Radford. Her father never knows what she has done.
In the meantime the Wentworth mansion (if he is gone, his house still is the lair of a villain) was also rented by a dark haired, handsome card shark by the name of Jake Emberton, who having heard of the rich marriages of the older sisters, decides to raise his fortunes by courting Diana, instead of just playing cards. Since a gypsy fortune teller had told Diana to forgo blond men for the true love of a dark handsome husband, Diana is inclined to see Mr. Jack Emberton, but she still doesn't want to get married. She decides instead to accept Lord Dantrey's invitation to see London--dressed as a boy. However, she has trouble carrying it off and finally Lord Dantrey sees through her disguise and saves her from a truly horrible fate. Diana goes to Lady Godolphin and is quite content to remain a girl, the activities of men in London being too viscious for her.
Now both Lord Dantrey and Mr. Emberton become off again, on again suitors, Diana favoring Emberton, thinking he fulfills the "fortune" she was given, and neither she nor her father realizing that in fact Emberton is a true fortune hunter, unlike the Armitages who merely look for money but don't try to trick anyone to get it.
After many misfortunes and apparent problems, including Diana pretending to sail for America, she realizes what Jack Emberton really is and also how wonderful Lord Mark Dantrey is.
Profile Image for Lynne Tull.
1,465 reviews51 followers
April 3, 2011
This is one of the few books/series I would read again. These stories of Marion Chesney started me on my adventure...reading Regency Romance/Novels/History! I love them all. It must be a "past life" thing:) Note: wonder why this one doesn't show No. 6???
Profile Image for Gretchen Bernet-Ward.
564 reviews21 followers
February 4, 2020
As a kind of tribute to the late Marion Chesney (M C Beaton) I decided to read some of her earlier books before detective Agatha Raisin came on the scene. Like many readers I have a love hate relationship with Aggie but just the same enjoyed reading the series. First up, the audio version of 'Diana the Huntress' caught my eye. This book was written in 1985, and the story is set in 1800s Regency England with a nice blend of good behaviour and naughty antics, prim and proper versus wild abandon as Diana dresses as a man to go hunting with the good fellows who enjoy killing innocent animals.

Diana's father is the vicar and her mother is always ailing abed, so shy big-eyed lustrous haired Diana enjoys the freedom hunting gives; very unlike her adorable yet stuffy married sisters in London. As you can imagine, there's plenty of ups and downs when in walks handsome Lord Mark Dantrey. Diana is in her male disguise as young David Armitage and Dantrey invites her to spend a week with him in London. Need I say more?

The audio reader has a good voice and starts off by reading an olde Norfolk Minstrel poem. The clothes, the coaches and the manners are well researched. Of course there's a warning from a gypsy which in itself shows the time period well. Overall, a humorous and enjoyable romp written with an almost school girl naivety but strong enough in the right places to keep me interested.
Profile Image for ~BEE~.
29 reviews
August 12, 2025
the book was great and well written but it drags on for my liking
and Dantrey seemed to feel lust not love for Diana but i must admit what he did for her was amazing
but the the dude kissed her 3x without consent and on time she was drunk on top of that
at least he supports her hunting
Jake is a son pf a cabbage farmer to think after whatever he did Diana would still for for him ludicrous
the vicar seems to be alcoholic yet somewhat a good father (somewhat) but seriously you think a maid who's also have an affair with Jake would make a good mother.
Her little sister is the best wing woman for what she did
but overall the book is good if you're into detailed descriptions and writing
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Ginny Braddock.
30 reviews1 follower
October 12, 2018
Clearly Beaton is running out of steam in this book. If she hadn't declared up front that it would be a six-part series one has to believe she would have ended before this. Diana, the focus of the novel, wishes she were a man. Now having set herself up for any number of interesting possibilities, the author sadly falls back on formula. We get virtually the same story, with minor alterations as that of the previous sisters, misunderstood love, defamed heroine sacrifices herself for her family. Too tired. Save yourself the bother, skip this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
129 reviews
May 10, 2025
This is my least favorite of the series so far. It wasn't bad exactly, but it didn't really work for me. Dantrey was a rather empty character, he felt like Store Brand Simon Garfield. The entire romance between him and Diana felt confused and awkward to a point where it was hard to understand why they ended up together. I liked Diana as a character and some set piece moments were good, and as always Chesney's humor was very fun and funny.. but the book just never hooked me. At least it was short.
Profile Image for Alina.
12 reviews
March 22, 2021
Diana is definitely different from her older sisters.
It's interesting to see her points of view and how they come about in real life.
There are some very serious events in this book that really bring you back to real life.
The love situation is different as well.
In this book, we get to glimpse what the man of the story is thinking.
Overall a sweet and intense tale of finding oneself and of realizing the importance of love and friendship.
931 reviews41 followers
October 7, 2024
The extra star is because the hero and heroine are so likeable and even though the detour and pacing leave a lot to be desired other features save the story, Frederika for one, the villain’ comeuppance for the other, and the squire who’s the lifelong friend of their hapless father the vicar and his partner in giving a helping hand to Cupid in his daughters’ convoluted love lives all make up for an entertaining romp in MC’s make believe world.
Profile Image for Zarabeth Davies.
71 reviews
March 9, 2017
Ok, but this series is becoming rather weak. It's light fare but this one wasn't not well written either a poor story compared to some others in the series - fingers crossed for the final instalment.
Profile Image for Fleurtje Eliza.
613 reviews11 followers
February 21, 2023
Mr Emberton had never been in love - he loved himself too much to waste that tender emotion on anyone else.

I laughed out loud several times reading this book :) And I couldn't help myself, bought #6 about Freddie immediately for the Kindle.
37 reviews1 follower
May 4, 2017
Not the best of the series.
Profile Image for Tria.
659 reviews79 followers
October 7, 2017
3.5 stars. Not bad. :) Ugh, I'm months behind on my GR updates, *really* need to fix my reading record!
Profile Image for Leanne.
139 reviews2 followers
November 6, 2017
Light, enjoyable, lots of fun. Perfect report-writing time of year reading.
937 reviews13 followers
November 18, 2019
A slow starter but got a little interesting later. Story like this makes you stop and think about how things were back then.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews

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