If You Like Georgette Heyer - Master List of Similar Books & Authors

Master Rec List for Georgette Heyer Readalikes

The following is a Master List of books and authors that you will like if you like Georgette Heyer's works. In other words, historical fiction books that have historically accurate language, masterful plotting, and at least some comedy of manners. Generally, the plot (need to have) is more important than the romance (good to have).

This is not the post where readalikes for one Georgette Heyer book comprise other books by Heyer. *rolls eyes* I've run into many of those.

Note also that NOBODY comes close to the genius Heyer. NOBODY!

1. P.G. Wodehouse: I mean, you probably already guessed this one. Anything by him is marvelous and rip-roaringly hilarious. I'd check out Blandings series and another treasure called Quick Service by him, if you want something close to Heyer.

2. Patricia Veryan: I found Practice to Deceive and The Wagered Widow both very credible, in terms of rules of historical society, language and world-building. Humor quotient is low, and leans more to romance side. But overall, charming and worth a try.

3. Edith Layton: The Duke's Wager was superb. Also leans to romance and humor is non-existent. But the hypocrisy underneath social mannerisms is well-exposed and the language is as formal as you can expect it to be.

4. Simply Scandalous by Tamara Lejeune: (I think that's the correct spelling and title.) I read this one ages back, but I do remember the hilarious battle of wits between an oafish hero and a young miss. It's not "clean" and the laughs really start midway. But when the comedy ensues, it simply pours!

5. Maggie Fenton: She has a series about Dukes, again read this long ago, so I am missing some details. I do not think historical accuracy was high, but the humor and romance (even if not "clean") were top-notch.

6. Jude Morgan's An Accomplished Woman: This was a welcome recent find. It's less similar to Georgette Heyer and really closer to Jane Austen's Emma. But there are snippets of witty repartee and human characterization which will make you break out into mad chuckles. And the language was sufficiently 'historically accurate' for me.

7. Barbara Metzger: Now here is an author closest to Heyer in terms of mad scrapes and screwball comedy in historically accurate language! I wonder why she is not better known/ more widely spoken of. For the funnies, I recommend Miss Lockharte's Letters, Primrose Path, Cupboard Kisses, and A Debt to Delia. (And for myself, I didn't like A Loyal Companion and Miss Treadwell's Talent all that much. The language was too modern and the plot too thin for me.)

8. Viscount Vagabond by Loretta Chase: Again, don't know why this book by Chase is not that well-known. I do remember squealing with laughter when I read it years ago. Highly recommended. I'd also recommend Knave's Wager (not "clean" though) and Isabel by Chase, for a similar feel to Heyer's Faro's Daughter perhaps.

9. The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens: This is on the thicker side, a long tome. But it has enough droll humor to keep it going. And it is by Dickens, so you really can't err with this one.

10. The Famous Heroine by Mary Balogh: This one is better suited to fans of A Civil Contract or even The Quiet Gentleman. It isn't about humor, but more about social norms, and is on the more serious side. Balogh has written a few others of this style too, but I liked Famous Heroine best for this list.

11. The Black Arrow by R.L. Stevenson: No, not humor. But there are crazy historical shenanigans about wards and battles and thrones, and a rather touching love story thrown in. On the longer side, but well worth the effort. A classic and a favorite of mine. Recommended for fans of Beauvallet and Masqueraders.

12. Sir Walter Scott: Again, fans of Heyer's adventure romance books should look to works by Sir Walter Scott, such as Ivanhoe and Kenilworth. (And you can guess, that the Robin Hood books and King Arthur books could also probably give you similar adventure romance flavor.)

13. The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf by Gerald Morris: Why, oh why, is this book not better known? It comes across as middle-grade, but really, it isn't! It's a wonderful parody of the adventures of King Arthur's Knights of the Round Table, and seriously funny! It is comic fantasy at its best, and so very fresh.

14. Lady Elizabeth's Comet by Sheila Simonson: Excellent (mostly self-deprecating) humor about our Lady Elizabeth as she discovers a comet, makes comical social faux pas and finds someone special. Very highly recommended.

15. Carla Kelly's Reforming Lord Ragsdale: This does require a little suspension of disbelief but charming, charming tale about how a secretary reforms a rake-ish lord by simply being efficient at work. I do remember chuckling a lot.

16. Catherine Cookson: Not funny, but accurate representation of how industrial revolution is slowly changing class distinctions in England. I do remember liking The Black Velvet Gown a lot. Most of her books have been made into telefilms, and you can find them on YouTube.

17. Alice Chetwynd Ley: I really liked her The Beau and the Bluestocking, which gave me the same vibes as Arabella by Heyer. She has a rather interesting backlist, and I do mean to try all of them some day.

18. Joan Smith: She does humor really well, and they are clean romps. It never reaches the Heyer level of manic glee, but some bits are always darned funny. I've heard her book Escapade is pretty good, and I'd also recommend Aunt Sophie's Diamonds and Waltzing Widow.

19. Mira Stables: Stables' work seems to involve younger heroines (just about to start new season?), not the old hats like Frederica or Nonesuch by Heyer. Her book, The Swynden Necklace was a pretty good Georgian farce, and although more romantic than funny, held up well. 

20. Mimi Matthews: I only recently discovered this author when I read Gentleman Jim, and it was so good! If you like Powder and Patch or Talisman Ring or Reluctant Widow -- the more adventurous, chivalrous variety from Heyer -- you would like this author's work. 

21. Stella Riley: In the same "adventure/ chilvary" vein, I'd highly recommend Riley's work, especially Parfit Knight and Mesalliance. Her language is pretty historically accurate IMHO, even if the funny quotient is next to NIL. She writes serious works, but her characterizations are well done. 

Last Update: 26 August 2021

[List to be continued as and when I find more readalikes.]