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Cousin Kate by Georgette Heyer, A Review

May 12, 2009 by Vic

Cousin Kate

Almost every writer of the Romance genre will try her hand at a Gothic tale; even Jane Austen did it in Northanger Abbey, although to be really accurate, she was poking fun at her heroine rather than developing a scary tale. Georgette Heyer takes her turn in Cousin Kate, and while this is a darker story than most of her romances, her Gothic tale is not so far-fetched as it is mysterious and uncomfortable for her heroine. Perhaps, like Jane, Georgette is too sensible and too amused by life’s foibles to take the Gothic seriously.

Pretty Kate Malvern is in dire straits as the book opens. She is the only offspring of parents who ran off and married without the approval of either of their families. Her father, an Army officer, was more successful in war than in peace, where his propensity for gaming squandered what little money he had, since he had been disowned by his starchy father. His death was ignominious, and left his child not only orphaned, her mama having died when Kate was 12, but destitute. At 24, Kate must support herself, because with no money and no family, she is not likely to make a good marriage.

Young ladies who found themselves in such situations had few options: governess or companion being the best. Kate has just been “turned off”, or fired, from her position as governess to three young children because their uncle, brother to their mother, had fallen for her and the old gorgon who was the children’s grandmother, disapproved. Kate runs to her old nurse, her only refuge, for a place to stay while she makes her plans for her uncertain and likely unhappy future. Mrs. Nidd, a woman of high energy and great resource, contacts Kate’s aunt. Kate has never met her, nor had there ever been any correspondence between her father and his sister, but, interestingly, or strangely, enough Aunt Minerva, or Lady Broome, comes in to take Kate off to her home, Staplewood.

“ ‘You are too young to know what it means to have been an only child, when you reach my age and have no close relations, and no daughter! I have always longed for one, and never more so than now! It’s true I have a son, but a boy cannot give one the same companionship. Dear child, I’ve come to carry you off to Staplewood! I’m persuaded I must be your natural guardian!
“But I am of age ma’am!” protested Kate, feeling as though she were being swept along on an irresistible tide.
“Yes, so your kind nurse has informed me. I can’t compel you – heaven forbid that I should – but I can beg you to take pity on a very lonely woman!’ ”

And so Kate goes off to spend the summer at the great manor. She meets Sir Timothy, Lady Broome’s much older and frail husband, and Torquil, her incredibly good-looking son. She is surprised to know that the two men live in opposite wings of the house and seem to have little to do with one another. Dr. Delabole, a somewhat smarmy man who seems to be acting as a companion to her beautiful young cousin, completes the household.

Kate settles in to a life unlike anything she has experienced, because the family lives so very quietly and she has so little to do. Her one concern is that the letters she sends to Mrs. Nidd are not answered, and she becomes increasingly aware that she is entirely cut off from the world. It seems to this reader that Kate is very slow on the uptake, but that could be because she has not read many Gothic tales. The over-strict watch on her cousin, his wild displays of temper and capricious behaviors alert the reader to the dangers ahead. Fortunately, there is another cousin, Philip Broome. He is related to Sir Timothy, and although he often stayed with his uncle in his youth, Lady Broome, whose strong character rules the household, does not care to have him visit often. Philip, however, is not deterred, and he, along with Mr. Nidd, Mrs. Nidd’s papa-in-law, ensure that everything is resolved in the proper fashion.

As always with Heyer’s books, the dialogue among the characters is completely delightful. Kate, who was raised following the drum, knows more about young men than do most young ladies of her era and can hold her own in any conversation. Incurably forthright, she wins Philip’s heart quickly, as well as the devotion of Sir Timothy. The Gothic devices of screams in the night, locked doors and horrendous thunderstorms are not the normal Heyer fare, but the winning heroine and the steady and handsome hero are as good as any she created. The somewhat clumsy Gothic device of considering everything to be wonderful as soon as we achieve the death of the dangerous character is a little off-putting for me; still, once this heroine meets her hero there is nothing more to be done but marry them and settle them happily ever after. They certainly agree.

Cousin Kate is not the best of Georgette Heyer’s romance novels, but even a weak Heyer is better than an offering of almost any other Romance writer. It’s a great read for a stormy night. As she always does, Georgette Heyer builds a wonderful and complete world for her reader to sink into – like a bubble bath or a welcoming chair to relax you at the end of a busy day, but more fun. Much more fun.

Gentle Reader,

When Georgette Heyer wrote Cousin Kate in 1968 she had the flu and contracted ‘the worst cold of the century.’  She caustically informed her editor: “[I have] done about 30,000 words of Cousin Kate, and they stink. I don’t suppose you ‘ve ever been subjected to a course of diuretics, but I can assure you that they have the most disintegrating effect.”

While Georgette’s synopsis of the novel was superb –

Cousin Kate is the orphaned daughter of an impoverished Peninsular officer. Her mother died years ago, and she followed the drum with Pop. He must have been a very volatile type, because , when he died (of natural causes, after Waterloo) he left her with nothing but debts. I expect he was a gamester, or Lived Above his Income, but I’ll work that out later. Don’t interrupt!

– she was not pleased with the novel and told her publisher, “I don’t want to sound insufferable, but I know from the various booksellers of my acquaintance that when it comes to selling ME, no one wants to know what my latest effort is About: they only want to know whether there is a new Heyer Out.”

My friend, Lady Anne, reviewed the novel, and while she generally agrees that this story is not among Heyer’s best efforts, the book went straight to the top of the best-seller lists, and years later still provides its readers with hours of suspense and fun.*

  • Order the novel from SourceBooks at this link
  • Read more about the book at this Georgette Heyer site
  • *The Private World of Georgette Heyer, Jane Aiken Hodge, ISBN 0-370-30508-6,  P 178-179

My Other Georgette Heyer Reviews Sit Below

  • The Convenient Marriage
  • The Reluctant Widow
  • The Spanish Bride
  • Lady of Quality
  • False Colours
  • Cotillion
  • Royal Escape
  • Simon the Coldheart
  • Faro’s Daughter
  • Friday’s Child
  • Frederica
  • Black Sheep

Lady Anne is my special friend and co-founder of Janeites on the James. For this fine review, she has earned a ratafia at one of Richmond’s select restaurants for ladies who kvetch, gossip, and lunch.

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Posted in Book review | Tagged Cousin Kate, Georgette Heyer, Georgette Heyer Book Reviews, Gothic romance novels, Regency Books, SourceBooks | 18 Comments

18 Responses

  1. on May 12, 2009 at 19:09 B.G. Sanford

    Your article and review peaked my interest and I’m adding “Cousin Kate” to my TRL. While I’m on your site, permit me to tell you something about my new book, “Beth:Love Along The Way…by B.G.Sanford,” just released by Eloquent Books.


    • on May 13, 2009 at 09:51 Vic (Jane Austen's World)

      Hello BG, I approved your comment after a minor edit. While I do not mind you mentioning your book, the rest of your comment read like a press release, which is not allowed on this blog. I did leave enough information so others can find your book, if they so desire.


  2. on May 13, 2009 at 01:11 Elizabeth

    My first Georgette Heyer book was “The Grand Sophy” and it was witty–no, downright-giggle-into-your-pillow funny. It still stands among my favorite of the Heyer books I’ve read. I see that it hasn’t been reviewed yet and I highly suggest it as a next-to-read.


  3. on May 13, 2009 at 09:46 Vic (Jane Austen's World)

    Elizabeth, thank you so much. I read the Grand Sophy years ago. Along with Frederica, it is my favorite Georgette Heyer romance. Sourcebooks is reissuing the novel this summer and will be making a huge splash as it comes out. I am holding out me review until publication time, and can’t wait to reread it.


  4. on May 14, 2009 at 01:49 The Talisman Ring by Georgette Heyer, A Review | Romancing Trashy Novels

    […] romp that promises smiles to the pleasure reader.Read the first few pages of the novel in this linkRead the review of Cousin Kate on Jane Austen’s World Categories:Georgette Heyer, Review of The Talisman Ring, The Talisman […]


  5. on May 14, 2009 at 03:32 Dodado

    Thank you for the wonderful review!


  6. on May 30, 2009 at 12:42 The Talisman Ring by Georgette Heyer: A Conversational Review « Jane Austen’s World

    […] Lady Anne’s review of Cousin Kate […]


  7. on June 12, 2009 at 00:02 The Corinthian by Georgette Heyer, A Review « Jane Austen’s World

    […] Cousin Kate […]


  8. on June 18, 2009 at 16:29 viaggi

    I found your blog on google and read a few of your other posts. I just added you to my Google News Reader. Keep up the good work. Look forward to reading more from you in the future.


  9. on June 26, 2009 at 08:07 My Lord John by Georgette Heyer, by Georgette Heyer « Jane Austen’s World

    […] Cousin Kate […]


  10. on June 26, 2009 at 08:11 My Lord John by Georgette Heyer: A Review « Jane Austen’s World

    […] Cousin Kate […]


  11. on December 9, 2009 at 12:02 These Old Shades by Georgette Heyer: A review « Jane Austen's World

    […] Cousin Kate […]


  12. on February 2, 2010 at 01:25 The Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer: A Review « Jane Austen's World

    […] Cousin Kate […]


  13. on August 1, 2010 at 00:02 Georgette Heyer’s Regency World by Jennifer Kloester: A Review « Jane Austen's World

    […] Cousin Kate […]


  14. on August 16, 2010 at 09:41 Happy Birthday, Georgette Heyer « Jane Austen's World

    […] Cousin Kate […]


  15. on July 10, 2011 at 13:21 Review of The Quiet Gentleman by Georgette Heyer « Jane Austen's World

    […] Cousin Kate […]


  16. on August 7, 2011 at 09:19 Review: Venetia by Georgette Heyer « Jane Austen's World

    […] Cousin Kate […]


  17. on August 16, 2012 at 10:34 Happy 110th Birthday, Georgette Heyer! « Jane Austen's World

    […] Cousin Kate […]



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