The Talisman Ring (by Georgette Heyer)

(Amazon UK link)

Georgette Heyer is an author who crops up fairly frequently in these reviews. That's because I have a large collection of her books, most of which are Regency romances. I re-read them regularly.

Heyer stands out above the majority of historical romance writers, however, in that her research was excellent, her plots cleverly written, and her characterisation superb. I've probably learned more history (as background) from reading Georgette Heyer than I ever learned in school, even though she doesn't push the historical context much at all.

'The Talisman Ring' is - in my opinion - one of Heyer's most sparkling novels. There's romance, excitement and danger, all beautifully mixed together with the most delightful characters.

There's the excitable Eustacie, who longs for adventure; the prosaic Sir Tristram who's cautious and wise; and Ludovic, who left the country some years previously after being accused of murder, but is now working with the 'free traders' (ie smugglers of alcohol).

The plot is brilliant, the characters memorable, and there's just enough suspense to make it exciting without being in any way frightening. A most satisfactory conclusion, too. Highly recommended.

You can also read my longer review of 'The Talisman Ring', written six years later after re-reading.