Georgette Heyer (pronounced "hair") (16 August 1902 – 4 July 1974) was a English historical romance and detective fiction novelist.

Life

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Born in Wimbledon, London, her first published work, inspired by Baroness Orczy, was The Black Moth, and was written while she was seventeen to amuse her convalescent brother. She became an increasingly popular writer, supporting her family through her work.

Heyer created her most popular work when she started setting her novels during the English Regency, a period she made uniquely her own. Novels from this period include The Unknown Ajax, Frederica, and Black Sheep. She did a tremendous amount of research on this period but glossed over the bleaker realities of life when she wrote. Her writing in this genre has influenced many subsequent writers.

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