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Alastair-Audley Tetralogy #1-2
These Old Shades / Devil's Cub
These Old Shades
Under the reign of Louis XV, corruption and intrigue have been allowed to blossom in France, and Justin Alastair, the notorious Duke of Avon and proud of his soubriquet 'Satanas', flourishes as well. Then, from a dark Parisian back alley, he plucks Leon, a redheaded urchin with strangely familiar looks, just in time for his long over-due schemes of revenge on the Comte de St. Vire. Among the splendours of Versailles and the dignified mansions of England, Justin begins to unfold his sinister plans -- until, that is, Leon becomes the ravishing beauty Leonie...
Unanswered questions.
Lovely, titian-haired Leonie, ward of the dashing Duke of Avon, had all Paris at her feet. Yet her true origins remained shrouded in mystery. And neither the glittering soirees nor the young aristocrats who so ardently courted her could still the question that plagued her young heart.
What was her mysterious parentage?
Just one man held the secret, the one she feared most in the world--the iron-willed Comte de Saint-Vire, deadly enemy of the Duke. He would give her the answer--for a price. But could she betray the man she secretly, helplessly loved? And could this proud young beauty bear to face the truth when it came?
Devil's Cub
Dominic Alistair, Marquis of Vidal is a bad lot a rake and seducer, reckless, heedless, and possessed of a murderous temper. He is known by friend and foe alike as the "Devil's Cub." Yet as the handsome and wealthy heir to a Dukedom, he is considered a good prospect on the marriage market. Vidal currently has his eye on the young, lovely, and unintelligent Sophia Challoner, and Sophia's greedy mother is more than happy to encourage his dubious attentions.
When lovely, saucy Mary Challoner had practiced her hold deception upon the hot-blooded, fiery-tempered young Marquis of Vidal--substituting herself for her young sister he had thought to carry off to France--she had little notion he would grimly hold her to her part of the bargain. Now he had left her, and she was alone, a stranger in a strange land, prey to the intrigues of glittering, heartless, 18th century Paris.
Only one person could rescue her--the Marquis himself. But how could she ever trust this man? How could she even hope to overcome the contempt in which he held her? And how could even the sudden flowering of her love ever bridge the terrible gap between them?
Under the reign of Louis XV, corruption and intrigue have been allowed to blossom in France, and Justin Alastair, the notorious Duke of Avon and proud of his soubriquet 'Satanas', flourishes as well. Then, from a dark Parisian back alley, he plucks Leon, a redheaded urchin with strangely familiar looks, just in time for his long over-due schemes of revenge on the Comte de St. Vire. Among the splendours of Versailles and the dignified mansions of England, Justin begins to unfold his sinister plans -- until, that is, Leon becomes the ravishing beauty Leonie...
Unanswered questions.
Lovely, titian-haired Leonie, ward of the dashing Duke of Avon, had all Paris at her feet. Yet her true origins remained shrouded in mystery. And neither the glittering soirees nor the young aristocrats who so ardently courted her could still the question that plagued her young heart.
What was her mysterious parentage?
Just one man held the secret, the one she feared most in the world--the iron-willed Comte de Saint-Vire, deadly enemy of the Duke. He would give her the answer--for a price. But could she betray the man she secretly, helplessly loved? And could this proud young beauty bear to face the truth when it came?
Devil's Cub
Dominic Alistair, Marquis of Vidal is a bad lot a rake and seducer, reckless, heedless, and possessed of a murderous temper. He is known by friend and foe alike as the "Devil's Cub." Yet as the handsome and wealthy heir to a Dukedom, he is considered a good prospect on the marriage market. Vidal currently has his eye on the young, lovely, and unintelligent Sophia Challoner, and Sophia's greedy mother is more than happy to encourage his dubious attentions.
When lovely, saucy Mary Challoner had practiced her hold deception upon the hot-blooded, fiery-tempered young Marquis of Vidal--substituting herself for her young sister he had thought to carry off to France--she had little notion he would grimly hold her to her part of the bargain. Now he had left her, and she was alone, a stranger in a strange land, prey to the intrigues of glittering, heartless, 18th century Paris.
Only one person could rescue her--the Marquis himself. But how could she ever trust this man? How could she even hope to overcome the contempt in which he held her? And how could even the sudden flowering of her love ever bridge the terrible gap between them?
629 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
8 people are currently reading
130 people want to read
About the author
Georgette Heyer
256 books5,552 followersGeorgette Heyer was a prolific historical romance and detective fiction novelist. Her writing career began in 1921, when she turned a story for her younger brother into the novel The Black Moth.
In 1925 she married George Ronald Rougier, a mining engineer. Rougier later became a barrister and he often provided basic plot outlines for her thrillers. Beginning in 1932, Heyer released one romance novel and one thriller each year.
Heyer was an intensely private person who remained a best selling author 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. She wrote one novel using the pseudonym Stella Martin.
Her Georgian and Regencies romances were inspired by Jane Austen. While some critics thought her novels were too detailed, others considered the level of detail to be Heyer's greatest asset.
Heyer remains a popular and much-loved author, known for essentially establishing the historical romance genre and its subgenre Regency romance.
In 1925 she married George Ronald Rougier, a mining engineer. Rougier later became a barrister and he often provided basic plot outlines for her thrillers. Beginning in 1932, Heyer released one romance novel and one thriller each year.
Heyer was an intensely private person who remained a best selling author 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. She wrote one novel using the pseudonym Stella Martin.
Her Georgian and Regencies romances were inspired by Jane Austen. While some critics thought her novels were too detailed, others considered the level of detail to be Heyer's greatest asset.
Heyer remains a popular and much-loved author, known for essentially establishing the historical romance genre and its subgenre Regency romance.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 14, 2023
Soul food. I have been reading and re-reading them since I was eleven. Am fifty now.
The heroes are gorgeous. To die for.
Leonie is amazing.
Mary is a bit too placid for my liking. But she suits the hero who is so trigger happy and ready to blow up at the slightest provocation.
The books are so perfect that .. what review can one give them??
The heroes are gorgeous. To die for.
Leonie is amazing.
Mary is a bit too placid for my liking. But she suits the hero who is so trigger happy and ready to blow up at the slightest provocation.
The books are so perfect that .. what review can one give them??
March 24, 2020
Charming, funny, farcical. Way to go Ms Heyer. These books are a great distraction.
January 2, 2021
Cotillion
I am particularly fond of this story, because Freddy is a most refreshingly unusual atypical romantic hero. He is funny, kind, smallish, a bit effete. During this story he matures convincingly. The other main characters are also convincingly portrayed.
Georgette Heyer's characters are varied, credible, and many grow and mature as the plot unfolds. What Georgette Heyer does have in common with Jane Austen is her wit, her lightness of touch, her gift for period detail, her ability to create credible, multi-dimensional characters whom feel you'd recognise if you saw them on the street, her ability to set the scene so that you feel you are there, her genius for witty but everyday dialogue. She is such a brilliant writer.
Georgette did intend her historical romances to be light reading and I prefer her Regency romances where she paid loving attention to period detail including historical events, facts, slang and real people such as Beau Brummell, the Regent, the Duke of Wellington.
I am particularly fond of this story, because Freddy is a most refreshingly unusual atypical romantic hero. He is funny, kind, smallish, a bit effete. During this story he matures convincingly. The other main characters are also convincingly portrayed.
Georgette Heyer's characters are varied, credible, and many grow and mature as the plot unfolds. What Georgette Heyer does have in common with Jane Austen is her wit, her lightness of touch, her gift for period detail, her ability to create credible, multi-dimensional characters whom feel you'd recognise if you saw them on the street, her ability to set the scene so that you feel you are there, her genius for witty but everyday dialogue. She is such a brilliant writer.
Georgette did intend her historical romances to be light reading and I prefer her Regency romances where she paid loving attention to period detail including historical events, facts, slang and real people such as Beau Brummell, the Regent, the Duke of Wellington.
December 19, 2017
Another of Georgette's very best.
June 23, 2020
My favourite of all .....
February 26, 2020
If you like Regency romance, Heyer is the best! Some of her titles are not at good as others, but she wrote so many outstanding books. I've not read all of her oeuvre, but I especially recommend these:
These Old Shades (technically not a Regency novel, being set in 18th century Paris)
The Grand Sophy
Cousin Kate
Frederica
These Old Shades (technically not a Regency novel, being set in 18th century Paris)
The Grand Sophy
Cousin Kate
Frederica
November 7, 2015
Heyer never disappoints.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews