The Black Moth

Written by Georgette Heyer

Narrated by Deaver Brown

An historical romance set in London and the English country side with remarkable nuance and descriptions about dress, parties, houses, men and women and their dealings with each other with special insights into marriage. A wonderful ode to our better selves and what we can be if we move beyond the bumps and bruises in life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simply Magazine Inc.
• Release date: Jan 1, 2019
• ISBN: 9781614966180

Georgette Heyer

Georgette Heyer's novels have charmed and delighted millions of readers for decades. English Heritage has awarded Georgette Heyer one of their prestigious Blue Plaques, designating her Wimbledon home as the residence of an important figure in British history. She was born in Wimbledon in August 1902. She wrote her first novel, The Black Moth, at the age of seventeen to amuse her convalescent brother; it was published in 1921 and became an instant success. Heyer published 56 books over the next 53 years, until her death from lung cancer in 1974. Her last book, My Lord John, was published posthumously in 1975. A very private woman, she rarely reached out to the public to discuss her works or personal life. Her work included Regency romances, mysteries and historical fiction. Known as the Queen of Regency romance, Heyer was legendary for her research, historical accuracy and her extraordinary plots and characterizations. She was married to George Ronald Rougier, a barrister, and they had one son, Richard.

Reviews for The Black Moth

[jbd1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This may be Heyer's first book, but the evidence of her writing ability is certainly on display. There were at least a few times when I actually laughed out loud. Good fun.

[n.w.moors-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I read a lot of Georgette Heyer back in my youth but I missed this one. Apparently, it was her first book. I could see a lot of These Old Shades here, and in doing some googling found this was sort of a precursor to that wonderful book - she changed names: Satanas, Duke of Avon, is Devil, the Duke of Andover here, and so on. The Black Moth has some of the elements that made the later book so great but is a bit over the top and very melodramatic. Jack Carstares is the disgraced Earl of Wyncham and now a half-hearted highwayman. He rescues Diana Beauleigh from the Duke of Andover's abduction but is wounded. It's a good read, just not as strong as her later books. I give it 3 1/2 stars.

[bekkil1977 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

"The Black Moth" by Georgette Heyer was of course light and fluffy. Jack has given up his rightful place in society as Earl after taking the fall for his brother's cheating at cards. He becomes an outlaw, a highwayman. But then he falls in love with Diana, and he knows he cannot marry her because of his shameful situation. Diana doesn't care, but Jack won't let her throw away her life on a scoundrel like him. Of course everything works out in the end and Jack gets to play the hero and rescue Diana from peril and the whole truth comes out about how he sacrificed for his brother. She's so much fun.

[atimco-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A thoroughly fun read. If I hadn't known it was Georgette Heyer's first novel (written at the age of 15, no less), I would have simply pegged it as one of her more colorful but not perfectly skillful tales — highly entertaining, but betraying a few wooden moments and contrived events. However, armed with the first-novel and written-by-a-minor tidbits, I can say, with a wise and knowing look, that here we see Heyer developing the trademark wit, characterization, historical verisimilitude, and creative plotting that make her successive novels such a delight. Really though — Devil Belmanoir. It's astonishing to think of a 15-year-old girl penning such a memorable villain. His unfailing arrogance and aplomb are hard to forget, and there's more than a hint of Heyer's own admiration for such a dashing and unapologetic bad guy. I think she used him as a partial model for her later-developed stock hero, the worldly-wise, handsome, thoroughly competent whip and corinthian who, beneath the stylish cravat and polished self control, is truly captivated by the heroine. Devil is captivated, all right, but he's gone too far to be fully redeemed. However, the way his thread ends the story is highly pleasing. The hero and heroine are a bit stereotypical in their physically gorgeousness, intelligence, strict honor, and all that. Sir Miles was fun, although a bit incongruous for me (the last Irish character I read was Gene Stratton Porter's Freckles... a very different sort of story!). I liked Molly too and see in her the prototype for many other Heyerian supporting females. I also thought Lavinia was surprisingly well crafted... a bit depressing to read about in the beginning, but she comes around. All in all, The Black Moth is an imperfect but enjoyable story that lays its author open to far fewer first-novel criticisms than is usual. Applause from me!

[sandyamcpherson · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A fun read even though the kidnapping is a bit contrived. A classic Georgian era/ Regency-style romance. Total brain candy.

[judithproctor · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This was Heyer's first book, written to entertain her brother, and it shows.It has none of the character depth of her later books. The characters are stereotypes and the plot incredibly melodramatic. The only Heyer so far that I have failed to finish reading.

[nmhale_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Georgette Heyer's first novel has a few differences that could mark this out as a novice piece of writing, but still remains very much a Heyer romance in style and story. The book involves a large cast of characters, almost too many to juggle. The noble Lord Jack Carstares, eldest son of Earl of Wyncham, takes the blame when his younger brother cheats at cards. Since money was on the line, the disgrace is great, and Jack is ostracized from his family and friends. He disappears to the continent, and the novel fast forwards in time. Richard, Jack's younger brother, is now the acknowledged earl. He is racked with guilt for his actions, but can't confess because his wife, the lovely and spoiled Lady Lavinia, refuses to let him disgrace their name. She was the reason Richard let Jack take the blame all those years ago, and she continues to rule his life now.Lavinia is sister to the Duke of Andover, also known as the Devil, a dissolute man who only seeks his own gratification. He was present the night of Jack's disgrace, and it is apparent to the reader that he knows that Richard is the guilty one while he happily prods Jack to take the blame. He now remorselessly bleeds Richard of the Wyncham money to support his many infamous habits. The Devil becomes entangled with Jack again when he attempts to abduct beautiful Diana Beauleigh and Jack stops him. Oh yes, Jack has now returned to England and is living as a highwayman. Jack falls in love with Diana while he is spending time at her home to recuperate from the gunshot he took in the shoulder while saving her. He meets her father and devoted aunt. The cast of characters still isn't complete, however - there is still Jack's old friend Sir Miles and his perky wife who has the habit of interfering. Jack eventually moves to their house for an extended stay. Meanwhile, Richard and Lavinia are staying in town. Richard puts up with his wife's many admirers, but when he sees the way she acts around Captain Lovelace he fears that she is in love with another. Meanwhile (again), Tracy the Duke of Andover is still plotting on how to acquire Diana, whether she wills it or no. The many players come together in a melodramatic conclusion, where an attempted rape is thwarted and confessions made, leading to happy endings all around.The book never uses the word rape, by the way, although that is clearly what the Devil intends so he can force Diana into marriage with him. Her honor gone, she would have no choice but to accept. Other characters in the story allude to the fact that this is not the first time Tracy has carried girls off against their will, either; however, they were not of the upper class, and therefore didn't count. Ugh. I wish I could say this is one aspect of Heyer's fledgling writer status, but it is not an unusual element of her books. I recognize that she is accepting the cultural status quo both of her own time and the historical time she is presenting, so I don't get too worked up about it, but I still don't like it. I'm glad I am not a woman living in those times. Getting off my soapbox, let's look at the rest of the book. The story has a fun plot, which is unnecessarily complex but still easy to follow, and it has a fast pace. The dialogue is witty and believable, and Heyer catches the historical setting with phenomenal detail and colloquialisms. The romance is sweet, albeit a bit rushed, because the author has so many story lines and characters to manage. For a first book, this is a nice escapist story, although I am glad Heyer focused in on on her central characters in later novels.

[helenliz_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Just fabulous. It has everything, a dashing hero, a beautiful damsel, a villain, and a cast of supporting characters, each one of whom leaps out of the stereo and into life. There's the requisite amount of peril, potential strife and a resolution to warm the cockles of your heart. No, this isn't a terribly constructive review, but this is a book I listened to with my heart, not my head. loved it. Only knocked off half a point for the narration, Julian Rhind Tutt made Lavina (an annoying woman, admittedly) into a screeching harpy.

[jjmcgaffey · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I quite like it. Lavina - all the Belmanoirs - are utter idiots in various ways - very spoiled. They've never had to deal with the consequences of their choices...but two of them learn that lesson by the end of the book. Dick is a different kind of idiot, one who is extremely familiar with consequences - but again, by the end of the book he's progressed quite a bit. And Jack and Diana are sweet (though Jack is yet another type of idiot - but a heroic one). I like Jim, actually - obsessively loyal for very good reason. And Miles and Molly, too. The story is quite silly - false names and pride and playing at highwayman - and leans a bit too heavily on coincidence at several points (why _were_ his pistols unloaded?). But it makes a nice stage for the characters to play out their games. They're not particularly well-rounded - more like well-done puppets - but it's definitely worth reading, and rereading (I recognized a few scenes as I came across them, though I didn't remember the story as a whole).

[sageness · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

so, so slashy. *fond*

[thatotter-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Heyer's first novel, and not one of her best. The writing itself is fine, but the characters are one-dimensional, and the plot is aggravating.

[philsyphe · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I liked the humour in "The Black Moth", especially Lady Lavinia's dialogue. In reality this type of character would be quite maddening, but in a novel most entertaining.Although I didn't find this tale a gripping one, I did find it entertaining, and it made a refreshing change. It is essentially "light" throughout, focusing on social occasions, material desire, love, and honour, though there is the odd dark moment too.Great characterisation and a simple plot sums up my opinion of this novel. It was my first taste of Georgette Heyer and will certainly sample more of her historical fiction in future.Any one in two minds about reading "The Black Moth" should do as I did and head over to Project Gutenberg and download the e-book for free.

[abigailadams26 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Wrongly accused of cheating at cards, and determined to protect his younger brother from disgrace, John Carstares walked away from society, taking to a wandering life of adventure as a highwayman. But when he came upon the beautiful Miss Diana Beauleigh being abducted by the villanous Tracy Belmanoir, Duke of Andover, his intervention set in motion a series of events that would restore him to his rightful position as the Earl of Wyncham...Georgette Heyer's first novel, written in 1921, The Black Moth is a bit of a swashbuckling melodrama, one of the author's earlier Georgian adventures, created before she turned her attention to the Regency period. Admirers of These Old Shades will immediately perceive in Tracy "Devil" Belmanoir, Duke of Andover, the incipient Justin "Satanus" Alastair, Duke of Avon, and much has been of the similarities between the two. It is hardly surprising that Heyer rewrote this story, making the "villain" into her "hero," as Belmanoir is by far the most compelling character in The Black Moth. Thoroughly detestable and completely amoral, with occasional flashes of humanity, his is just the kind of ambiguous evil which both fascinates and repels...All in all, I would say that this was a worthy first creation on the author's part, and would recommend it to all Heyer readers.

[condorena · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Every time I read this book and it is worth rereading, I am flabbergasted by the fact that Georgette Heyer began it when she was fifteen years old. The characters are very well drawn with a subtle mixture of emotional depths that is very insightful. Even her villain is quite three dimensional with an intriguing blend of good and bad that made him in the end quite likable.

Nobody does period speech as well as Heyer and she has been much emulated. If I had to compare Heyer with Jane Austen all I can say it I have read her more often and more repeatedly that any of Austin's works in which case once was enough.

[jmaloney17 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was Heyer's first novel. Evidently it started out as a story she told her brother while he was sick. Her father suggested she write it down and sell it. She did.This a first book, but it is good. Heyer has not quite fully developed her characters and wit in this one. There is a bunch of sword fighting though! I enjoyed it.

[justchris_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The Black Moth is perhaps a little more my style than Arabella. The heroine Diana is young and virtuous, like Arabella, but not quite as clueless. And her troubles are thanks to a villain--the Duke of Andover, known as Devil--rather than her own actions. But this story is less about Diana and far more about our hero Jack, who has been estranged from his family for several years, ever since he took the fall for his brother for cheating at cards--practically a hanging offense in polite society. He's making a living as a highwayman on the byways of England, having returned from living on the continent, when he interrupts an abduction. Yes, of course, the Devil and Diana. The story is also about Jack's younger brother Richard, who married Andover's sister, who has struggled (with guilt and shame) all these years between sacrificing his marriage and his brother. Then there's Sir Miles and his wife. All in all, an engaging cast of characters, lots of interesting dialogue, swordfights, chases, impersonations, and self-sacrificing honorableness and other impediments to True Love. This is the first story that Georgette Heyer ever wrote, while she was still a teenager. It's a keeper, particularly as it is part of the Alistair family collection, along with These Old Shades and Devil's Cub.

[wyvernfriend · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fun, regency romance by the master.