The Talisman Ring (by Georgette Heyer)

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Georgette Heyer is my favourite historical romance writer, by a long way. Her characterisation is always excellent, her plots, if a tad far-fetched at times, are very well crafted, and her research was meticulous. I have a large collection of her novels, and re-read them regularly. ‘The Talisman Ring’ was one I bought from a street market back in 1987, and thoroughly enjoyed. I re-read it in 1995, again in 2004, and last time almost ten years ago, in 2010. It was more than time for a re-read.

Surprisingly, for a book I enjoyed so much, I couldn’t remember much about it when I picked it up again a few days ago. We’re introduced fairly quickly to the old Lord Lavenham, Sylvester, who is in his 80s, not at all well, and not likely to live much longer. His granddaughter Eustacie, who is half French, is quite pragmatic about this, as is her cousin Sir Tristram. Sylvester wants the two of them to marry, even though they have not previously met, and they agree to this. However Sylvester dies before he is able to organise a wedding.

Eustacie is excitable and romantic, and quickly realises that Sir Tristram is rather prosaic and practical; he finds himself disapproving of her levity more and more, but wants to fulfil his great-uncle’s last wishes. However Eustacie decides to escape from the house in the middle of the night. She intends to travel to London in the hope of becoming a governess.

Her hopes are not realised; instead she falls in with smugglers - free traders - and most of the story takes place in an inn, where she finds herself, with an injured young man who was working with the free traders. I found that I remembered bits of the story as it got going - and it’s certainly quite exciting, full of twists and turns. Unlike many of Heyer’s novels, it’s not set in the world of balls and card parties. Instead it’s about a young man, accused of a terrible crime, who wants to vindicate himself. But to do so, he has to find who has a valuable ring….

The main cast members of this story all feel believable, and if some of the secondary ones are a little caricatured, it’s not a big problem. Probably my favourite of the people in the book is Sarah Thane, a well-born, respectable young woman in her mid-twenties, who has never found anyone that she wanted to marry. She lives and travels with her brother Sir Hugh, and they happen to be staying at the inn where Eustacie ends up. Sarah is a wonderful creation, full of ingenuity and wit, who has always longed for adventure…

Sir Hugh is excellent too, stuck at the inn because of a cold, and then determined to stay because the brandy is so good. He is a Justice of the Peace, but doesn’t have any problem with free traders. He finds the complex plot rather confusing, and his sister worries that he will say something inappropriate, or give away secrets. But Hugh stays true to himself, and ends up with quite a big role in the final unmasking of the true villain of the piece.

It’s quite violent in place; not gratuitously, but shots are fired several times, and there are at least a couple of quite serious fights. There are two low-key romances in the story, one of which only becomes apparent to the rest of the cast in the final pages, although I had recalled that it would take place. And it’s a very complex, cleverly written story.

However…. Although I enjoyed re-reading this, I don’t know that I would class it any more as one of my top favourites. I prefer books that are a little less tense and action-filled. I am still glad I re-read it, and delighted to have re-acquainted myself with Sarah Thane. And if anyone would like to try Heyer but prefers fast-paced stories to the gentler Regency Romances, I would recommend it.

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