Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 560 (click to see context) from:
* ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies: Damerel sends Venetia away due to the irreparable damage that would be done to her reputation if they married.
to:
* ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies: Damerel [[spoiler:Damerel sends Venetia away due to the irreparable damage that would be done to her reputation if they married.]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: [[spoiler:Damarel pretends that his flirtation with Venetia had only been a pleasant game, and makes her leave, because he thinks she deserves better than him, and because of his reputation (see above).]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* ObliviousToLove: Frederica about Alverstoke.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* LoveEpiphany: Mr Beaumaris has a very strong one, when he sees Arabella defend a poor urchin. It impacts him so strongly, he has to grip the back of a chair.
Added DiffLines:
* LoveEpiphany: When Hero [[spoiler: runs away, Sherry has this. In fact, the whole thing was staged so he could have this.]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* HeroWorshipper: Leonie worships Avon.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* GuileHero: Miles can be seen as a reluctant, lazy version of this.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther: [[spoiler:Charles and Sophy at the very end]].
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* LoveEpiphany: [[spoiler:Charles seems to have one when he sees Sophy self-sacrificially tending to his very ill little sister]].
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* MacGuffin: Everybody wants Horry's heirloom ring brooch.
Added DiffLines:
* ZanyScheme: Any plan Horry and her brother come up with.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* GambitPileup: Lady Massey is out to get Rule back; Lord Lethbridge is out to compromise Horatia in order to humiliate her husband; Drelincourt wants to destroy the marriage so he won't be displaced in the succession to the Earldom; Viscount Windwood wants to protect his sister; Horatia wants to save her marriage - and Rule wants exactly the same thing. The intersection of all these plots and plans results in a confused whirlwind of duels, risque parties, kidnapping, attempted murder, highwaymen and an heirloom brooch.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
* GreenEyedEpiphany: Implied. Both Desford and the heroine experience the jealousy, but the epiphany part happens off-page.
* HonorableMarriageProposal: Discussed; Cherry's father says that Desford should offer to marry Cherry to save her reputation after he took her to London. Everyone who hears the idea laughs it off, as Desford went to great lengths to make sure Cherry's reputation was not damaged.
* TheIngenue: Cherry, who is even referred to as such at one point.
* HonorableMarriageProposal: Discussed; Cherry's father says that Desford should offer to marry Cherry to save her reputation after he took her to London. Everyone who hears the idea laughs it off, as Desford went to great lengths to make sure Cherry's reputation was not damaged.
* TheIngenue: Cherry, who is even referred to as such at one point.
Deleted line(s) 146 (click to see context) :
* TheIngenue: Cherry, who is even referred to as such at one point.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* TheGhost: Conway is often talked about, and various of his offstage actions are important to the plot, but he never appears.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* AnnoyingYoungerSibling: Nicky Carlyon. Everyone likes him, but he certainly causes a lot of trouble!
Added DiffLines:
* PromotedToParent: The main reason, according to Elinor, for Carlyon's overbearing nature, was that he had to take charge of his younger siblings (and Eustace) from a relatively early age.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* OneDialogueTwoConversations: Between Abby and Miles early on, when she thinks he's the ''other'' Mr. Calverleigh.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 364 (click to see context) from:
* UnclePennybags
to:
* UnclePennybagsUnclePennybags: Sir Waldo Hawkridge
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 352 (click to see context) from:
* AttractiveBentGender
to:
* AttractiveBentGenderAttractiveBentGender: Both ways!
Changed line(s) 354 (click to see context) from:
* {{Crossdresser}}
to:
* {{Crossdresser}}{{Crossdresser}}: Again, both ways.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
trope for Frederica
Added DiffLines:
* FacePalm:
--> "You might well!' said Alverstoke, who had sunk his brow on his hand.
--> "You might well!' said Alverstoke, who had sunk his brow on his hand.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
trope for Frederica
Added DiffLines:
* PuppyDogEyes: Invoked when Felix is pleading with Alverstoke.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 67 (click to see context) from:
* RunawayFiance: Subverted: Serena persuades her to go back to Rotherham, who is highly annoyed at Serena ruining his {{plan}}.
to:
* RunawayFiance: PlotTriggeringDeath: The story begins with the death of Serena's father, leading to her discovery that he has named her former fiance as her guardian.
* RunawayFiancee: Subverted: Serena persuades her to go back to Rotherham, who is highly annoyed at Serena ruining his {{plan}}.
* RunawayFiancee: Subverted: Serena persuades her to go back to Rotherham, who is highly annoyed at Serena ruining his {{plan}}.
* WorkingWithTheEx: Serena doesn't have a job, but she has to deal with Rotherham on business matters when he becomes her guardian.
* PlotTriggeringDeath: The death of Jack and Richard's father leads the family lawyer to try to locate Jack, who has not been seen for six years.
Changed line(s) 389 (click to see context) from:
* IWantMyBelovedToBeFashionable: Cleone (and Sir Maurice) feel this way toward Philip.
to:
* IWantMyBelovedToBeFashionable: Cleone (and Sir Maurice) feel feels this way toward Philip.Philip (and Sir Maurice agrees with her).
Changed line(s) 419 (click to see context) from:
* OneDialogueTwoConversations: A hilarious one between Elinor and Carlyon at the start of the book, non-sexual for once. Carlyon thinks Elinor has [[MailOrderBride answered his advertisement for a woman to marry his cousin]], while she thinks he's discussing a governess position.
to:
* OneDialogueTwoConversations: A hilarious one between Elinor and Carlyon at the start of the book, non-sexual for once.book. Carlyon thinks Elinor has [[MailOrderBride answered his advertisement for a woman to marry his cousin]], while she thinks he's discussing a governess position.
Changed line(s) 524 (click to see context) from:
* UnexpectedSuccessor: Hugo becomes the heir after Lord Darracott's eldest son and grandson are drowned in a boating accident.
to:
* UnexpectedSuccessor: Hugo becomes the heir after Lord Darracott's eldest son and grandson are [[PlotTriggeringDeath drowned in a boating accident.accident]].
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Trope for Unknown Ajax
Added DiffLines:
* OohMeAccentsSlipping: Aunt Aurelia is the only character to notice that Hugo's OopNorth accent goes away, rather than appears, when he's not paying attention.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* IronicName: Serena is actually a FieryRedhead.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 19 (click to see context) from:
* AuthorAppeal: Expect at least one kiss to be described as "crushing," and for the men's clothing to be described in loving detail.
to:
* AuthorAppeal: Expect at least one kiss to be described as "crushing," and for the men's clothing to be described in loving detail."crushing."
Added DiffLines:
* IWantMyBelovedToBeFashionable: Cleone (and Sir Maurice) feel this way toward Philip.
* MakeoverMontage: Philip gets one (in text).
* MakeoverMontage: Philip gets one (in text).
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 383 (click to see context) from:
* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: Cleone and Sir Maurice want Philip to learn to [[SharpDressedMan dress well]] and get some social graces. He does, but he is hurt that they forced him into it, so he can't resist acting like an affected fop when he returns as a bit of an in-universe TakeThat.
to:
* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: Cleone and Sir Maurice want Philip to learn to [[SharpDressedMan dress well]] and get some social graces. He does, but he is hurt that they forced him into it, so he can't resist acting like an affected fop when he returns as a bit returns.
* DuelToTheDeath: Philip fights three duels over the course ofan in-universe TakeThat.the book, though they are not to the death.
* DuelToTheDeath: Philip fights three duels over the course of
Changed line(s) 385,386 (click to see context) from:
* GiftedlyBad: In-universe, Philip's French friends insist he is this as a poet. The one example of his poetry that we see is more an example of [[InformedAttribute Informed Badness]].
* GratuitousFrench: Quite a lot, combined with PoirotSpeak, from numerous French characters.
* GratuitousFrench: Quite a lot, combined with PoirotSpeak, from numerous French characters.
to:
* GiftedlyBad: In-universe, Philip's French friends insist he is this as a poet. The poet (though the one example of his poetry that we see is more an example of [[InformedAttribute Informed Badness]].
not bad at all]]).
* GratuitousFrench: Quite alot, combined with PoirotSpeak, from lot.
* PoirotSpeak: From numerous French characters.
* GratuitousFrench: Quite a
* PoirotSpeak: From numerous French characters.
Added DiffLines:
* TookALevelInBadass: Philip becomes an expert fencer along with his other accomplishments.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 20 (click to see context) from:
* CostumePorn: Clothing will be described in loving detail. As many of her heroes are [[SharpDressedMan Sharp Dressed Men, the men's clothing will very likely be described in even more detail than the women's.
to:
* CostumePorn: Clothing will be described in loving detail. As many of her heroes are [[SharpDressedMan Sharp Dressed Men, Men]], the men's clothing will very likely be described in even more detail than the women's.
Changed line(s) 383 (click to see context) from:
* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: Cleone and Sir Maurice want Philip to learn to dress well and get some social graces. He does, but he is hurt that they forced him into it, so he can't resist acting like an affected fop when he returns as a bit of a TakeThat.
to:
* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: Cleone and Sir Maurice want Philip to learn to [[SharpDressedMan dress well well]] and get some social graces. He does, but he is hurt that they forced him into it, so he can't resist acting like an affected fop when he returns as a bit of a TakeThat.an in-universe TakeThat.
* GayParee: Eighteenth-century version.
* GayParee: Eighteenth-century version.
Changed line(s) 483 (click to see context) from:
* {{Expy}}: Justin, Hugh, the Marlings, and the Merrivales are all {{Expy}}s of the characters from ''The Black Moth'', making this book a SpiritualSuccessor.
to:
* {{Expy}}: Justin, Hugh, the Marlings, and the Merrivales are all {{Expy}}s of the characters from ''The Black Moth'', Moth,'' making this book a SpiritualSuccessor.
Changed line(s) 539 (click to see context) from:
* AmateurSleuth: Frank Amberley - the person who solves the mystery - is a barrister, although it's noted in the story that he has some experience rounding up major criminals, having helped the police at least once.
to:
* AmateurSleuth: Frank Amberley - the Amberley--the person who solves the mystery - is mystery--is a barrister, although it's noted in the story that he has some experience rounding up major criminals, having helped the police at least once.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
* CostumePorn: Clothing will be described in loving detail. As many of her heroes are [[SharpDressedMan Sharp Dressed Men, the men's clothing will very likely be described in even more detail than the women's.
Changed line(s) 382,383 (click to see context) from:
* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor
* RedundantRomanceAttempt
* RedundantRomanceAttempt
to:
* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor
BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: Cleone and Sir Maurice want Philip to learn to dress well and get some social graces. He does, but he is hurt that they forced him into it, so he can't resist acting like an affected fop when he returns as a bit of a TakeThat.
*RedundantRomanceAttemptGiftedlyBad: In-universe, Philip's French friends insist he is this as a poet. The one example of his poetry that we see is more an example of [[InformedAttribute Informed Badness]].
* GratuitousFrench: Quite a lot, combined with PoirotSpeak, from numerous French characters.
* RedundantRomanceAttempt: Played with; Philip pretends to have become a foppish flirt because he wants to see whether Cleone will tell him she liked him better before.
*
* GratuitousFrench: Quite a lot, combined with PoirotSpeak, from numerous French characters.
* RedundantRomanceAttempt: Played with; Philip pretends to have become a foppish flirt because he wants to see whether Cleone will tell him she liked him better before.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
* HonorableMarriageProposal: First Vidal insists he must marry Mary to make up for compromising her reputation by taking her to France with him. Then Mr. Comyn offers her a way out of that dilemma by offering to marry her himself.
Changed line(s) 243 (click to see context) from:
* PoirotSpeak: Leonie.
to:
* PoirotSpeak: Leonie.Léonie.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 19 (click to see context) from:
* AuthorAppeal: Expect at least one kiss to be described as "crushing".
to:
* AuthorAppeal: Expect at least one kiss to be described as "crushing"."crushing," and for the men's clothing to be described in loving detail.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 178 (click to see context) from:
* WackyMarriageProposal
to:
* WackyMarriageProposalWackyMarriageProposal: Horry's ImpoverishedPatrician family desperately needs the match with the wealthy Earl of Rule but the beautiful elder sister is in love with another man. Horry very sensibly goes to Rule who is marrying for the bloodline not love, and asks if she won't do instead? He decides she would.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Changed line(s) 1,2 (click to see context) from:
Georgette Heyer was one of the most successful romance novelists of the 20th century. Her books were famous for her intelligent comedy, [[OfficialCouple the genuine sweetness of her romances]] and [[ShownTheirWork her meticulous research]] on the [[RegencyEngland Regency period]]. She also wrote a few detective novels here and there, but these aren't nearly as well-known, which is a shame.
to:
Georgette Heyer was one of the most successful romance novelists of the 20th century. Her books were famous for her intelligent comedy, [[OfficialCouple the genuine sweetness of her romances]] romances and [[ShownTheirWork her meticulous research]] on the [[RegencyEngland Regency period]]. She also wrote a few detective novels here and there, but these aren't nearly as well-known, which is a shame.
Deleted line(s) 433 (click to see context) :
* ChristmasCake: Hester.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
namespace migration
Added DiffLines:
Georgette Heyer was one of the most successful romance novelists of the 20th century. Her books were famous for her intelligent comedy, [[OfficialCouple the genuine sweetness of her romances]] and [[ShownTheirWork her meticulous research]] on the [[RegencyEngland Regency period]]. She also wrote a few detective novels here and there, but these aren't nearly as well-known, which is a shame.
Heyer's heroes and heroines (occasionally dubbed [[FanNickname Heyeroes and Heyeroines]]) tended to come in two types each:
* '''Hero #1:''' Tall, usually dark, and definitely handsome. [[AllGirlsWantBadBoys Almost always has]] [[AManIsNotAVirgin a past]]. While highly unlikely to actually mistreat the heroine, he's not above scaring her into submission (however, as he's often dealing with Heroine #1, it's unlikely to work).
* '''Hero #2:''' This is the consummate gentleman, who invariably comes up with the perfect response to any situation. Their usual role is to [[KnightInShiningArmor provide the heroine with an escape from any difficulties]], whereas Hero #1 is frequently the ''cause'' of those difficulties.
* '''Heroine #1:''' A [[SpiritedYoungLady lively young woman]]. She naturally gets herself into many a social scrape, [[DistressedDamsel from which the hero must rescue her]], and either bounces back or feels humiliated deep down inside that he saw her in such a state.
* '''Heroine #2:''' Overlooked and ignored, she may seem quiet. However, once the hero talks to her, or needs help, Heroine #2 comes into her own and reveals HiddenDepths.
Heyer was not above mixing and matching types, as well as subverting the expectations of her readers. In ''Sylvester'', for example, the eponymous hero appears to be a Hero #1, whereas he's actually a Hero #2 (he merely has an unfortunate pair of eyebrows).
Heyer used a lot of tropes in various ways, so listing them by novel seems the best way to go.
!!Tropes present in most Heyers include:
* AManIsNotAVirgin: The heroes very often have acknowledged mistresses and/or "bits of muslin" in their pasts. (TruthInTelevision to a degree, but sometimes the information is mentioned so pointedly that it's clear the main purpose is to ensure that the reader knows the hero is sexually experienced.)
* AssholeVictim: Always present in her whodunnits.
* AuthorAppeal: Expect at least one kiss to be described as "crushing".
* DeadpanSnarker: Hero #1 almost certainly; frequently Hero #2 as well. Less common but far from unknown among the heroines; it may come up as part of Heroine #2's HiddenDepths. Given Heyer's milieu, the character is usually a GentlemanSnarker as well.
* HappilyEverAfter
* HistoricalDomainCharacter: Her Regency and historical novels are peppered with cameo appearances by real people.
!!Individual works provide examples of:
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:A Blunt Instrument]]
* BewareTheNiceOnes: The first victim is originally portrayed as a nice old guy... however, it soons turns out he's a DirtyOldMan, [[spoiler: which explains why he was killed.]]
* FairPlayWhodunnit: ''Might'' be intentional... but if not, she was probably having an off day.
* TheFundamentalist: Constable Glass, UpToEleven.
* RealityEnsues: One early chapter includes some of the suspects thinking about how to get some [=IOUs=] out of a safe. Failing completely, they immediately {{lampshade}} the situation by pointing out how much easier it would be [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall if they were all characters in a detective novel]].
[[/folder]]
[[folder:April Lady]]
* ArrangedMarriage: Actually a [[MarryForLove love match]] that both participants ''think'' is an arranged marriage.
* BetaCouple: Letty and Mr. Allandale.
* BigSecret: Nell's bill from the dressmaker. Leads to a half-serious case of MistakenForCheating.
* [[BrattyTeenageDaughter Bratty Teenage Ward]]: Letty combines this with AnnoyingYoungerSibling and DramaQueen (but still manages to be lovable).
* CreditCardPlot: A Regency variant, with Nell's bills in place of the credit card.
* {{Elopement}}: [[spoiler:Hilariously averted by the ever-respectable Mr. Allandale, even when Letty has strong hysterics to persuade him.]]
* TheGamblingAddict: Dysart.
* LoveAtFirstSight
* MasqueradeBall
* UnableToSupportAWife: The reason Giles isn't worried about Allandale and Letty trying to elope. Letty would take more supporting than the average wife. [[spoiler:Things change when Allandale gets the offer to go to Brazil.]]
* UptightLovesWild: Allandale and Letty.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Arabella]]
* CreditCardPlot: [[spoiler:For Bertram.]]
* {{Elopement}}: [[spoiler:Started, but Arabella decides she can't go through with it. Much to Mr. Beaumaris's amusement and gratification.]]
* HappilyMarried: Arabella's parents.
* MeetCute
* MouthyKid
* PreachersKid: Arabella and Bertram.
* RichBoredom: Robert Beaumaris. He's especially bored with [[GoldDigger Gold Diggers.]]
* SecretTestOfCharacter
* SnowballLie
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Bath Tangle]]
* FirstLove
* HerCodeNameWasMarySue: in-universe example with ''Glenarvon''--Serena considers it SoBadItsGood and is highly entertained by trying to match the characters to the real people they're based on.
* LoveTriangle: Two of them: [[spoiler:Serena/Hector/Fanny, Serena/Rotherham/Emily.]]
* RunawayFiance: Subverted: Serena persuades her to go back to Rotherham, who is highly annoyed at Serena ruining his {{plan}}.
* SickeninglySweethearts
* SocialClimber: Lady Laleham. She's a combination of butt-kisser and snob on her own part, and also a gold-digger on her daughter's behalf.
* SlapSlapKiss: Serena and Rotherham.
* WrongGuyFirst
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Beauvallet]]
* GentlemanAdventurer
* HistoricalInJoke
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Behold, Here's Poison]]
* AssholeVictim
* BeAsUnhelpfulAsPossible
* EvilUncle
* KissingCousins
* NeverOneMurder: Subverted.
* ParentalMarriageVeto
* SympatheticMurderer
* WrongGuyFirst
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Black Moth]]
* AloofBigBrother: Tracy.
* AnnoyingYoungerSiblings: A grown-up example in Lavinia and Andrew.
* AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther: [[spoiler: Two-for-one example, as Tracy [[MagnificentBastard arranges]] for Lavinia and Richard to [[LoveEpiphany stay together]], and [[MealTicket keep him in reach of the Carstares' money]].]]
* BetaCouple: [[TheDutifulSon Richard]] and [[SpoiledBrat Lavinia]], whose subplot is arguably more entertaining than the main's.
* ClearMyName
* DistressedDamsel
* DysfunctionalFamily: both the Carstares and Belmanoirs.
* TheGamblingAddict: Andrew.
* GracefulLoser
* HandsomeDevil: Tracy
* HappilyMarried: Sir Miles and Molly O'Hara.
* HeelRealization: Lavinia vaguely realizes how shallow and petty she and the rest of her family is...but it never makes a particularly deep impression.
* IHaveYouNowMyPretty: [[VillainBall Tried twice]]. [[WhatAnIdiot Failed.]] [[JustInTime Twice.]]
* ImpoverishedPatrician: The Belmanoirs.
* JustLikeRobinHood: Combined with TheHighwayman.
* PoorCommunicationKills: Justified; they're [[UpperClassTwit idiots]].
* PurpleProse: Tracy verbally lapses into this when describing Diana's eyes to Lavinia.
--> Her Ladyship had recourse to the smelling-salts.
* LoveMakesYouDumb: and HOW.
* LoveRedeems: Tracy's friends hope for this...but, nope! Guess he'll have to wait for the sequel (or at least the SpiritualSuccessor, ''These Old Shades'').
* MakeUpOrBreakUp: Richard and Lavinia. [[spoiler: They stay together.]]
* MistakenForCheating
* RescueRomance
* TheDutifulSon
* TitleDrop: numerous times.
* ThickerThanWater: What saves the Belmanoirs from being utter bastards.
* UhOhEyes: Tracy's "catlike," slanted GreenEyes, lovingly and repeatedly mentioned by the narrator.
* UptightLovesWild: Richard and Lavinia.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Black Sheep]]
* AbductionIsLove: Parodied: Miles kidnaps Abby in the end, but she's just irritated at him for being presumptuous; when he offers to take her back to her family if she says she ''really'' doesn't want to marry him, she replies that he can abduct her, but he can't make her tell a lie.
* BatmanGambit: Miles hiring a prostitute to trick Stacey.
* BeautyEqualsGoodness: Subverted with Stacey Calverleigh.
* TheCharmer: Most characters (except Abby) find Stacey to be this.
* {{Elopement}}:
** [[spoiler: Averted by a timely attack of influenza.]]
** Also, the big reason Miles is the "black sheep" of his family is that he once attempted to elope with Fanny's mother.
* GenreSavvy: Abby refuses to pull a ParentalMarriageVeto on Fanny, knowing Fanny will try to elope with Stacey if she does.
* GoldDigger: Stacey is a male example.
* HumiliationConga: For Stacey Calverleigh.
* {{Hypochondria}}: Selina's favorite pastime.
* SiblingYinYang: Abby and Selina.
* UnderdressedForTheOccasion: Miles shocks some people by paying morning calls in riding dress.
* VirginityMakesYouStupid: Fanny.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Charity Girl]]
* ChildhoodFriendRomance
* DistressedDamsel: But not the heroine herself.
* JustFriends
* TheIngenue: Cherry, who is even referred to as such at one point.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:A Civil Contract]]
* ArrangedMarriage: Jenny and Adam.
* BittersweetEnding: Unusually, for a Heyer novel.
* FirstLove
* HistoricalInJoke: Adam [[spoiler:buying Government stock]] just before Waterloo.
* ItWillNeverCatchOn: Jenny's father warning Adam that Wellington is bound to lose at Waterloo.
* MySisterIsOffLimits: Parodied: Adam pretends to be doubtful about Brough's intentions.
* PerfectlyArrangedMarriage: Adam and Jenny, as despite initial appearances they're both willing to try and make it work - Jenny rather more so, of course - and suit each other well.
* SuddenlySuitableSuitor: Adam barely registers Jenny's existence until he finds out he's bankrupt and she has lots of money.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Conquerer]]
* HeroicBastard
* HistoricalInJoke
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Convenient Marriage]]
* ArrangedMarriage: Horatia and Rule.
* TheBaroness / WomanScorned: Caroline Massey.
* BestServedCold: Lethbridge has been waiting seven years to get his revenge on Rule for foiling his attempt to elope with Rule's sister.
* ComedicSociopathy: Viscount Winwood and company.
* CorruptTheCutie: Lethbridge's intention for Horatia. Eventually leads to IHaveYouNowMyPretty, [[spoiler:foiled by a TapOnTheHead.]]
* DuelToTheDeath: Two, in fact, [[spoiler:although neither ends in death.]]
* TheGamblingAddict: Several members of the Winwood family have "the fatal weakness."
* GemEncrusted: Horatia buys a pair of shoes with emerald-studded heels.
* TheHighwayman: Played with. If a highwayman appears, either someone hired him for an ulterior purpose, or he's a major character in disguise.
* IAmNotPretty: "Horry" is certainly unconventional, with a SpeechImpediment and [[BigOlUnibrow straight, heavy eyebrows]], but Rule finds her charming [[JustTheWayYouAre just the way she is]].
* MasqueradeBall
* MilhollandRelationshipMoment: several, actually, but most notably Horatia's confession after Ranelagh.
* RescueRomance: How Lethbridge gets Horry's attention.
* SignatureItemClue: Horatia loses her distinctive heirloom ring brooch at Lethbridge's home.
* SpiritedYoungLady: Horatia is this.
* ThrowingDownTheGauntlet:
** Viscount Winwood provokes [[TheDandy Drelincourt]] into challenging him to a duel by first insulting and then stamping on his hat.
** In a more metaphorical sense, Horatia leaves Rule a defiant message before going off to Ranelagh.
* WackyMarriageProposal
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Corinthian]]
* AttractiveBentGender
* ChildhoodMarriagePromise: [[spoiler:Pen]] and [[spoiler:Piers Luttrell ... for all the good it does them]]
* MacGuffin: The diamond necklace.
* MeetCute: The hero comes across the heroine dangling by a knotted sheet out her bedroom window (she's running away).
* MistakenForGay: Implicit; and then at the end several InnocentBystanders see the hero "ruthlessly" kissing the heroine -- who's still dressed as a boy.
* RaceForYourLove
* RomanticFalseLead/[[DisposableFiance Disposable Fiancée ]]: Does any reader seriously think Richard will marry Melissa?
* RunawayFiance
* SickeninglySweethearts: Parodied with the BetaCouple.
* SweetPollyOliver
* UnluckyChildhoodFriend: [[spoiler:The heroine]] is this.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Cotillion]]
* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: Subverted.
* ConvertingForLove: It's mentioned in passing that [[spoiler:Olivia]] will probably have to become a Catholic to marry [[spoiler:Camille]].
* GeniusDitz: Freddy.
* GrandRomanticGesture: Parodied: Camille makes extravagant proclamations of what he would do to save Olivia, but is surprised when practical Freddy suggests [[spoiler:simply eloping with her]]. Also played subtly straight with Freddy submitting to a day of sightseeing with Kitty.
* GrayEyes: The extremely smart and perceptive Lord Legerwood.
* HandsOnApproach: Freddy and Kitty dancing.
* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: Freddy tries to do this for Kitty, despite [[spoiler:genuine reservations about Jack beyond simple jealousy]].
* KickTheDog: Jack [[spoiler:blackmails]] Camille and [[spoiler:insults]] Freddy.
* LoveAtFirstSight: [[spoiler:Camille and Olivia.]]
* LovingAShadow: Kitty's realisation that [[spoiler:she only ever loved her childhood hero, not Jack himself]].
* MasqueradeBall: Kitty has a miserable time at one of these until Freddy rescues her.
* OperationJealousy: Kitty tries one of these on [[spoiler:Jack]].
* PoirotSpeak: Camille.
* ProfessionalGambler: Jack, [[spoiler:Camille.]]
* ReformedRakes: Subverted: [[spoiler:not only is Jack not planning to reform for Kitty's sake, he's actively trying to seduce a friend of hers while courting her]].
* RunawayFiance: Sort of: Kitty is running away from the ''possibility'' of being forced into an engagement to please her guardian, before coming up with a better plan.
* SecretRelationship: Freddy and Kitty pretend to have one of these.
* WrongGuyFirst
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Cousin Kate]]
* ArrangedMarriage: Minerva tries to press-gang Kate into one of these.
* AxCrazy
* BeautyEqualsGoodness: Subverted.
* LivingEmotionalCrutch: Kate for Torquil.
* {{Yandere}}: Torquil.
* SingleWomanSeeksGoodMan: Kate's relationship with Philip.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Detection Unlimited]]
* AnimalHoarding: The animals in question are Pekinese dogs. {{Justified|Trope}} in that the woman who owns them breeds them, but she still treats them like they're her children and gives them weird names like Ulysses.
* BlackmailIsSuchAnUglyWord: The AssholeVictim tried this, simply to become TheChessmaster of the county.
* DrivenToSuicide: The SmugSnake's late brother claimed this is what the SmugSnake had done to him in a letter... [[spoiler: Actually, [[NeverSuicide it was murder made to look like suicide]], which the AssholeVictim was blackmailing the SmugSnake about, hence why he was killed.]]
* ThisIsAWorkOfFiction: As Heyer herself states at the very beginning of the book:
-->There are some who may believe that this book is about them. They are, in fact, mistaken.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Devil's Cub]]
* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: Although Mary mocks Vidal as being no more than bratty and not nearly as bad as he thinks he is.
* ContinuityNod: Avon deplores Vidal's [[DeadpanSnarker lack of finesse]] in methods of daylight abduction.
* DistressedDamsel: Subverted: Mary shoots Vidal when he comes near her and derides crying and screaming as a useless ploy when in trouble.
* TheGloriousWarOfSisterlyRivalry: Mary and Sophia.
* HappilyMarried: Avon and Léonie from ''These Old Shades''.
* InnocentCohabitation: It may not have been intended as such, but Vidal goes to great lengths to make sure everyone knows he and Mary have not had sex.
* ItSeemedLikeAGoodIdeaAtTheTime: See TwinSwitch below.
* ParentExMachina: [[spoiler:Avon]].
* ParentalMarriageVeto: Mary fully expects one of these from Vidal's parents, [[spoiler:so she runs away before they get there; averted because they both thoroughly approve of her]].
* PoirotSpeak: Leonie.
* RescueRomance: Averted: Vidal is what Mary needs to be rescued ''from''.
* TroubledButCute: Vidal.
* TwinSwitch: Sort of: Mary, although not Sophia's twin, swaps places with her in her elopement with Vidal in order to put him off.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:False Colours]]
* BecomingTheMask
* EmergencyImpersonation
* FatIdiot / FatSlob: Averted with Bonamy Ripple. He may be enormously fat, but he's a [[TheDandy fastidious dresser]] and surprisingly perceptive (given his easygoing nature).
* FlorenceNightingaleEffect: [[spoiler:What Evelyn is experiencing while Kit takes his place.]]
* MsRedInk: Lady Denville.
* NoodleIncident: Just what did the twins do to get themselves sent down from Oxford? Whatever it was, they consider it [[TricksterTwins one of their best stunts]], and the students are still talking about it years later.
* TwinSwitch: The entire premise.
* TwinTelepathy: Kit rushes back to England because he has a premonition that Evelyn is in trouble. He is also sure that Evelyn isn't dead, even as time drags on with no sign of him.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Faro's Daughter]]
* ComedicSociopathy: Deborah has Max kidnapped and apologises for her servants going about it so roughly.
* MasochismTango: It's PlayedForLaughs, but Deborah and Max have this in spades. She kidnaps him, for heaven's sake.
* SlapSlapKiss
* SugarAndIcePersonality: both Max and Deborah.
* TheMatchmaker: Deb for Lord Mablethorpe and Phoebe.
* TheVamp: [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Max]] believes Deborah to be this.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Foundling]]
* BettyAndVeronica: Subverted: everyone ''thinks'' Gilly is in love with Belinda, but he isn't.
* ComingOfAgeStory
* MommasBoy
* ShrinkingViolet
* TooDumbToLive: Belinda, as [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] by many, many characters.
* TwiceShy
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Frederica]]
* CoolBigSis: Frederica.
* LoveAtFirstSight: Charis and her suitor.
* MouthyKid: Felix.
* PromotionToParent: Frederica.
* SpiritedYoungLady: Frederica is a slightly more responsible version of this.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Friday's Child]]
* AlphaBitch: Isabella ''could'' be, but most of her unpleasant moments are also her most sympathetic.
* BetaCouple: George and Isabella.
* TheBroCode: Essentially the reason why Sherry throws a fit at the idea of George and Hero having an affair - that, and he's in love with Hero, of course.
* ByronicHero: Invoked and parodied - George would ''love'' to be this.
* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: Hero, Ferdy.
* ComingOfAgeStory: Sherry, Hero to an extent.
* DefrostingIceQueen: Isabella.
* DuelToTheDeath: George is constantly spoiling for one. [[spoiler: He gets his wish when Sherry catches him giving Hero a brotherly kiss, but neither of them dies.]]
* FriendlessBackground: Hero seems to have only had two friends in her life prior to marrying Sherry, one of whom was him, the other being Isabella, and neither of them seem to have paid her much attention.
* KickTheDog: Revesby, first when he rejects [[spoiler:his discarded mistress and illegitimate infant daughter]] and second when he arranges [[spoiler:for Hero to get into debt]].
* LovableCoward: Ferdy, whom Sherry can't even stay angry with when he finds out Ferdy [[spoiler:hid his wife from him for weeks]] because Ferdy is so shamelessly trying to placate him.
* MarryForLove: Isabella eventually cracks and admits that this is what she wants.
* MasqueradeBall: Hero gets into trouble at one of these as a result of Sherry ditching her.
* MeetCute: While it is not their first-ever meeting, the first time Sherry and Hero meet in the book is when Sherry accidentally comes across Hero crying on a wall and proposes marriage.
* ReformedRakes: Part of Sherry's CharacterDevelopment.
* RelationshipUpgrade: Sherry elopes with Hero in the first few chapters.
* ShrinkingViolet: Hero.
* {{Tsundere}}: Isabella.
* VictoriousChildhoodFriend: Hero.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Grand Sophy]]
* BetaCouple: Cecilia and Charlbury, among others.
* CleaningUpRomanticLooseEnds
* TheChessmaster: Sophy, of course.
* GenreSavvy: Sophy's management of the Augustus/Cecilia/Charlbury triangle relies heavily on her knowledge of how Cecilia perceives the tropes involved.
* GreedyJew: Goldhanger, the moneylender, is very likely meant as one.
* LickedByTheDog: Everyone thinks Charles is a domestic tyrant, but Sophy knows better...because every animal in the novel loves and trusts him, of course!
* LockedInARoom: Subverted: Eugenia and Augustus are locked in a wood, but emerge only extremely annoyed.
* LoveAtFirstSight: Parodied with Cecilia and Augustus.
* OnlyAFleshWound: Sophy shoots a friend in the arm with only the noblest of intentions.
* PairTheSpares
* PoirotSpeak: Sancia.
* SlapSlapKiss: Sophy and Charles.
* TriangRelations: Sophy/Charles/Eugenia, Augustus/Cecilia/Charlbury, [[spoiler:Sir Horace/Sancia/Vincent Talgarth]].
* WrongGuyFirst: [[spoiler: Cecilia and Augustus.]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Great Roxhythe]]
* GentlemanAdventurer
[[/folder]]
[[folder:An Infamous Army]]
* BeautyIsNeverTarnished: Subverted: Charles has his arm amputated.
* BrokenBird
* HistoricalInJoke
* WellExcuseMePrincess
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Lady of Quality]]
* AnnoyingYoungerSibling
* RunawayFiance
* SlapSlapKiss
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Masqueraders]]
* AttractiveBentGender
* TheChessmaster: Lord Barham
* {{Crossdresser}}
* SweetPollyOliver
[[/folder]]
[[folder:My Lord John]]
* AuthorExistenceFailure: Heyer died while writing it.
* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory: John of Lancaster.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Nonesuch]]
* UnclePennybags
* WellExcuseMePrincess
[[/folder]]
[[folder:No Wind of Blame]]
* RubeGoldbergHatesYourGuts: The murder method is this in spades!
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Penhallow]]
* AbusiveDad[=/=]AssholeVictim: Penhallow himself.
* DownerEnding: Unusual for a Heyer novel, but it's a doozy. [[spoiler: Penhallow's death doesn't make things better; in fact, [[FromBadtoWorse it makes things even worse]]. The family are drawn together even tighter, even though few of them wish to be so, and the eldest is DrivenToSuicide because he thinks he'll be implicated by the LiteralAndFigurativeBastard, although on the last page it's revealed that the bastard in question did nothing of the sort. The police never catch the killer at the end, making the whole thing one big ShootTheShaggyDogStory]]. Some Heyer fans suspect that she was writing this book to make up for all the cheeriness in all of her other novels!
* OpenMystery: You know full well who killed Penhallow... [[AssholeVictim and you don't blame]] [[spoiler: her]].
* PoliceAreUseless: The policeman in charge of the case actually thinks Penhallow [[FlatWhat was a pretty generous patriarch]], [[CriticalResearchFailure and the rest of the family were just being whiny spongers]].
* TheUnfavourite: Technically, every one of Penhallow's children - legitimate [[BastardBastard or otherwise]] - qualify, but [[TheWoobie his youngest son]] definitely qualifies.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Pistols For Two]]
* AccidentalMarriage: In "Hazard", the hero is so drunk when he wins the card game that he and the heroine are halfway to Gretna Green when he wakes up the next morning.
* ArrangedMarriage: The hero of "Hazard" is about to go through with one of these; luckily for him, he has a RunawayFiance.
* LostHimInACardGame: "Hazard".
* PlatonicLifePartners: Annabella and Tom from "Full Moon", who are very fond of each other and plan to elope only because Annabella is so horrified at the idea of marrying an old man.
* RepetitiveName: Carlington Carlington in "Hazard". Though that's probably a typo/omitted comma.
* RightInFrontOfMe: Annabella and Tom complain bitterly to a friendly stranger about the "horrid old friend" of Annabella's father whom she's expected to marry. Neither of them have ever met him, leading to predictable results.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Powder and Patch]]
* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor
* RedundantRomanceAttempt
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Quiet Gentleman]]
* HistoricalInJoke
* TheMole
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Regency Buck]]
* BelligerentSexualTension: Judith really does not get on with Worth for about half the book.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Worth, who is busy being an arse to Judith's face while protecting her from fortune-hunters and her brother from murderers behind her back.
* MeetCute
* ReversePsychology: How Worth gets Judith to take the house he wants in Brighton.
* SlapSlapKiss
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Reluctant Widow]]
* AccidentalAimingSkills: Nicky, after missing [[spoiler: Louis de Castres]]:
--> I never touched him, but I did shatter his lantern, and that would have been pretty fair shooting, I can tell you, if I had been aiming at it.
* AmbiguouslyGay: Francis.
* AssholeVictim: Nobody misses Eustace much (although his death isn't a mystery).
* BigFriendlyDog: Bouncer, except when he's guarding Elinor. Then he morphs into AngryGuardDog.
* BookcasePassage: Actually in a closet, but close enough.
* TheDandy: Francis. And how. He could also be seen to be something of an AgentPeacock, as it transpires he is actually a [[spoiler:cold-blooded killer]].
* INeverSaidItWasPoison: How Carlyon deduces that [[spoiler:Francis killed de Castres; he knew details about the murder that were not in any of the newspaper accounts]].
* {{MacGuffin}}: The missing document.
* OneDialogueTwoConversations: A hilarious one between Elinor and Carlyon at the start of the book, non-sexual for once. Carlyon thinks Elinor has [[MailOrderBride answered his advertisement for a woman to marry his cousin]], while she thinks he's discussing a governess position.
* SecretPath: The hidden entrance to Highnoons.
* SecretRelationship: The cover story for why Eustace suddenly has a wife.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Royal Escape]]
* HistoricalInJoke
* KingIncognito
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Simon the Coldheart]]
* HeroicBastard
* YeOldeButcheredeEnglishe: Averted: the language used is thick with genuine Middle English, so much so that a ''glossary'' was included.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Spanish Bride]]
* HistoricalInJoke
* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Sprig Muslin]]
* AnnoyingYoungerSibling: Hester's brother, despite being older, fulfills this trope; Hildebrand at one point pretends to be this to Amanda and Gareth.
* BettyAndVeronica: Subverted: Amanda may be far more beautiful and exciting than Hester, but Gareth has no romantic interest in her whatsoever.
* BlatantLies: Amanda.
* CelibateHero: Gareth.
* ChristmasCake: Hester.
* TheFirstCutIsTheDeepest: Hester's fears about Gareth.
* FirstGirlWins: Subverted.
* FriendlessBackground: Hester, who isn't close to anyone but Gareth, and not that close to Gareth when the book begins.
* [[IDontWantToRuinOurFriendship I Don't Want To Ruin Our Friendship]]: Hester's main anxiety about rejecting Gareth's first proposal.
* MistakenForCheating: Hester's family are shocked that Gareth would bring his supposed mistress to their house.
* NobodyThinksItWillWork: Gareth and Hester.
* ParentalMarriageVeto: Amanda's grandfather refuses his consent to her marriage to Neil.
* SarcasticConfession: Gareth: "Yes, I have kidnapped this young lady and am keeping her with me against her will." Amanda is furious that he would abuse the truth this way, instead of lying fluently like she does.
* ShrinkingViolet: Hester.
* TheTale: Amanda spins about a dozen of these throughout the novel.
* TrueCompanions: Gareth, Hester, Amanda and Hildebrand. Neil would probably have been adopted one way or another had the book been longer.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Sylvester]]
* AngstySurvivingTwin: Sylvester is one.
* BrainlessBeauty: Both Ianthe and Sir Nugent.
* BreakTheHaughty: Sylvester, though a mild example.
* DarkSecret: Phoebe wrote the society novel of the year, featuring an {{Expy}} of Sylvester as the villain.
* [[DefrostingIceQueen Defrosting Ice King]]: Sylvester.
* EvilEyebrows: The thing that makes Sylvester so easily identifiable as the villain in Phoebe's novel.
* EvilUncle: Subverted: Sylvester is perceived to be this by everyone, but he's actually a far better [[ParentalSubstitute Parental Figure]] than the boy's mother.
* ItsAllAboutMe: Ianthe is convinced that ''The Lost Heir'' was written for the express purpose of warning her about Sylvester.
* LikeBrotherAndSister: Phoebe and Tom.
* MouthyKid: Edmund.
* TheProudElite: Sylvester, especially at the beginning.
* SlapSlapKiss
* SnowedIn
* WardrobeWound: Sir Nugent goes into fits when a dog bites the tassels off his boots. Earlier, he is deeply pained at having to cut a button off his coat (thinking it will placate Edmund, who is actually crying for Button, his nurse).
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Talisman Ring]]
* ArrangedMarriage: Tristram and Eustacie.
* ClearMyName: Ludovic.
* OnlySaneMan: Poor Tristram. None of the other characters like his practical and effective plans, because the plans aren't adventurous enough.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Toll-Gate]]
* AltarTheSpeed: John and Nell are...unexpectedly...married by Sir Peter's bedside because he's decided he wants it done before he dies.
* HistoricalInJoke
* StrangerInAFamiliarLand
[[/folder]]
[[folder:These Old Shades]]
* AloofBigBrother: Avon.
* AnnoyingYoungerSibling: Rupert and Fanny.
* BestServedCold: The enmity between Avon and St. Vire goes back twenty years.
* {{Expy}}: Justin, Hugh, the Marlings, and the Merrivales are all {{Expy}}s of the characters from ''The Black Moth'', making this book a SpiritualSuccessor.
* FieryRedhead: Léonie.
* HappilyMarried: Fanny and Edward. Also, Anthony and Jennifer.
* HeirClubForMen: [[spoiler:St. Vire exchanged his newborn daughter for the son of a peasant family in order to prevent his brother from inheriting his title.]]
* MagnificentBastard: Avon. The "bastard" part gets [[ReformedRakes reformed]] at least slightly, but the "magnificent" part is still going strong in the next book, ''Devil's Cub.''
* ManicPixieDreamGirl: Léonie is arguably this to Avon.
* MoralityPet: Léonie acts as one of these.
* ThePlan: Avon with Léonie.
* PoirotSpeak: Léonie.
* WholesomeCrossdresser
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Unfinished Clue]]
* AssholeVictim / Complete Monster / AbusiveDad: Sir Arthur Billington-Smith
* CulturalStereotypes: [[LatinLand Lola de Silva]] and her agent, a GreedyJew.
* IHaveNoSon: Arthur Billington-Smith tried to do this [[spoiler: and that was why he was killed.]]
* [[spoiler: MamaBear]]: [[spoiler: The murderess was Billington-Smith's first wife, making sure her son wasn't disinherited. [[TitleDrop The unfinished clue]] is the word "There", the last thing he wrote. [[ChekhovsGun In spite of most people not paying too much attention to it, TheInspector realises it's the first letters of]] ''Theresa'', the Major's first wife. ]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Unknown Ajax]]
* CrustyCaretaker: Spurstow (a handy way of making people reluctant to visit him).
* TheDandy: Claud.
* GirlfriendInCanada: Upon finding out that Lord Darracott intends for [[ArrangedMarriage him to marry Anthea]], Hugo invents a fiancée back in Yorkshire. (Anthea has already said that she doesn't want to marry him, but apparently he feels he must be more tactful.)
* InspectorJavert: Lieutenant Ottershaw with his near-fanatical pursuit of smugglers.
* KissingCousins
* MysteriousPast: Hugo, eventually revealed.
* [[MyKungFuIsStrongerThanYours My Valet-Fu is Stronger Than Yours]]: Crimplesham and Polyphant (Vincent and Claud's valets, respectively) spend a great deal of time trying to one-up each other.
* ObfuscatingStupidity
* OopNorth: Hugo milks this for all he's worth, pretending to be a FishOutOfWater in genteel surroundings, and very much enjoys the reactions of his relatives--until Anthea corners him and forces him to admit he was actually educated at Harrow.
* ThePatriarch: Lord Darracott.
* PerfectlyArrangedMarriage
* ScoobyDooHoax: The truth behind the supposedly-haunted Dower House.
* SecretUndergroundPassage
* UnexpectedSuccessor: Hugo becomes the heir after Lord Darracott's eldest son and grandson are drowned in a boating accident.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Venetia]]
* AnnoyingYoungerSibling: Aubrey to an extent, although Conway is far worse despite never actually appearing.
* BeneathTheMask: Damerel has [[ThenLetMeBeEvil thrown himself into the lifestyle of a rake]] after ruining his own reputation through a youthful mistake, but Venetia gets to see a different side of him.
* BrotherSisterTeam: Aubrey and Venetia have elements of this.
* CoolBigSis: Venetia.
* DarkAndTroubledPast: Damerel.
* DoubleStandard: Played with; Damerel arguably suffered more for running off with a married woman than she did.
* EmoTeen: Oswald, who desperately wishes he was a ByronicHero.
-->"He is brooding over nameless crimes, I daresay, and only think how disheartening to have his dark thoughts mistaken for a fit of the sulks!"
* [[spoiler:FakingTheDead: Venetia's mother ran off with a lover and was divorced by her father; he told the children that she had died suddenly.]]
* ForcefulKiss: Oswald tries this on Venetia.
* ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies: Damerel sends Venetia away due to the irreparable damage that would be done to her reputation if they married.
* MomentKiller: Every time Damerel tries to propose to Venetia, Aubrey pops up.
* NobodyThinksItWillWork: Everyone, with the exception of [[ShipperOnDeck Aubrey]] and Venetia – and including Damerel – thinks Damerel and Venetia will be miserable together.
* ObnoxiousInLaws: An inversion of sorts, as it is Conway's new mother-in-law who makes things miserable for Venetia when she moves in.
* PairTheSpares: It's hinted that [[spoiler:Edward Yardley and Clara Denny]] will probably marry after being rejected by [[spoiler:Venetia and Conway]], respectively.
* ReformedRakes: Played with more than used straight. Damerel won't seduce Venetia, but it's up to interpretation how much his way of life will change. He ''might'' just be joking about having his wife preside over an orgy...
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Why Shoot A Butler?]]
* AmateurSleuth: Frank Amberley - the person who solves the mystery - is a barrister, although it's noted in the story that he has some experience rounding up major criminals, having helped the police at least once.
* CrazyPrepared: When the BigBad tries to get away via a motorboat, Frank just happens to have a motorboat of his own ready. {{Justified|Trope}} in that he'd done some research during the previous day, and figured that would happen.
* PoliceAreUseless: {{Averted}}. the police are just at sea because there are no clues to go on, and Amberley has quite a few of them... [[LockedOutOfTheLoop not that he tells the police most of them]].
* SlapSlapKiss: It doesn't help that Frank is something of a {{troll}} throughout the whole book, and not just to the girl.
* SmugSnake: Frank Amberley is this, making him something of a DesignatedHero.
* TitleDrop: In the second chapter, no less!
[[/folder]]
----
Heyer's heroes and heroines (occasionally dubbed [[FanNickname Heyeroes and Heyeroines]]) tended to come in two types each:
* '''Hero #1:''' Tall, usually dark, and definitely handsome. [[AllGirlsWantBadBoys Almost always has]] [[AManIsNotAVirgin a past]]. While highly unlikely to actually mistreat the heroine, he's not above scaring her into submission (however, as he's often dealing with Heroine #1, it's unlikely to work).
* '''Hero #2:''' This is the consummate gentleman, who invariably comes up with the perfect response to any situation. Their usual role is to [[KnightInShiningArmor provide the heroine with an escape from any difficulties]], whereas Hero #1 is frequently the ''cause'' of those difficulties.
* '''Heroine #1:''' A [[SpiritedYoungLady lively young woman]]. She naturally gets herself into many a social scrape, [[DistressedDamsel from which the hero must rescue her]], and either bounces back or feels humiliated deep down inside that he saw her in such a state.
* '''Heroine #2:''' Overlooked and ignored, she may seem quiet. However, once the hero talks to her, or needs help, Heroine #2 comes into her own and reveals HiddenDepths.
Heyer was not above mixing and matching types, as well as subverting the expectations of her readers. In ''Sylvester'', for example, the eponymous hero appears to be a Hero #1, whereas he's actually a Hero #2 (he merely has an unfortunate pair of eyebrows).
Heyer used a lot of tropes in various ways, so listing them by novel seems the best way to go.
!!Tropes present in most Heyers include:
* AManIsNotAVirgin: The heroes very often have acknowledged mistresses and/or "bits of muslin" in their pasts. (TruthInTelevision to a degree, but sometimes the information is mentioned so pointedly that it's clear the main purpose is to ensure that the reader knows the hero is sexually experienced.)
* AssholeVictim: Always present in her whodunnits.
* AuthorAppeal: Expect at least one kiss to be described as "crushing".
* DeadpanSnarker: Hero #1 almost certainly; frequently Hero #2 as well. Less common but far from unknown among the heroines; it may come up as part of Heroine #2's HiddenDepths. Given Heyer's milieu, the character is usually a GentlemanSnarker as well.
* HappilyEverAfter
* HistoricalDomainCharacter: Her Regency and historical novels are peppered with cameo appearances by real people.
!!Individual works provide examples of:
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:A Blunt Instrument]]
* BewareTheNiceOnes: The first victim is originally portrayed as a nice old guy... however, it soons turns out he's a DirtyOldMan, [[spoiler: which explains why he was killed.]]
* FairPlayWhodunnit: ''Might'' be intentional... but if not, she was probably having an off day.
* TheFundamentalist: Constable Glass, UpToEleven.
* RealityEnsues: One early chapter includes some of the suspects thinking about how to get some [=IOUs=] out of a safe. Failing completely, they immediately {{lampshade}} the situation by pointing out how much easier it would be [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall if they were all characters in a detective novel]].
[[/folder]]
[[folder:April Lady]]
* ArrangedMarriage: Actually a [[MarryForLove love match]] that both participants ''think'' is an arranged marriage.
* BetaCouple: Letty and Mr. Allandale.
* BigSecret: Nell's bill from the dressmaker. Leads to a half-serious case of MistakenForCheating.
* [[BrattyTeenageDaughter Bratty Teenage Ward]]: Letty combines this with AnnoyingYoungerSibling and DramaQueen (but still manages to be lovable).
* CreditCardPlot: A Regency variant, with Nell's bills in place of the credit card.
* {{Elopement}}: [[spoiler:Hilariously averted by the ever-respectable Mr. Allandale, even when Letty has strong hysterics to persuade him.]]
* TheGamblingAddict: Dysart.
* LoveAtFirstSight
* MasqueradeBall
* UnableToSupportAWife: The reason Giles isn't worried about Allandale and Letty trying to elope. Letty would take more supporting than the average wife. [[spoiler:Things change when Allandale gets the offer to go to Brazil.]]
* UptightLovesWild: Allandale and Letty.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Arabella]]
* CreditCardPlot: [[spoiler:For Bertram.]]
* {{Elopement}}: [[spoiler:Started, but Arabella decides she can't go through with it. Much to Mr. Beaumaris's amusement and gratification.]]
* HappilyMarried: Arabella's parents.
* MeetCute
* MouthyKid
* PreachersKid: Arabella and Bertram.
* RichBoredom: Robert Beaumaris. He's especially bored with [[GoldDigger Gold Diggers.]]
* SecretTestOfCharacter
* SnowballLie
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Bath Tangle]]
* FirstLove
* HerCodeNameWasMarySue: in-universe example with ''Glenarvon''--Serena considers it SoBadItsGood and is highly entertained by trying to match the characters to the real people they're based on.
* LoveTriangle: Two of them: [[spoiler:Serena/Hector/Fanny, Serena/Rotherham/Emily.]]
* RunawayFiance: Subverted: Serena persuades her to go back to Rotherham, who is highly annoyed at Serena ruining his {{plan}}.
* SickeninglySweethearts
* SocialClimber: Lady Laleham. She's a combination of butt-kisser and snob on her own part, and also a gold-digger on her daughter's behalf.
* SlapSlapKiss: Serena and Rotherham.
* WrongGuyFirst
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Beauvallet]]
* GentlemanAdventurer
* HistoricalInJoke
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Behold, Here's Poison]]
* AssholeVictim
* BeAsUnhelpfulAsPossible
* EvilUncle
* KissingCousins
* NeverOneMurder: Subverted.
* ParentalMarriageVeto
* SympatheticMurderer
* WrongGuyFirst
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Black Moth]]
* AloofBigBrother: Tracy.
* AnnoyingYoungerSiblings: A grown-up example in Lavinia and Andrew.
* AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther: [[spoiler: Two-for-one example, as Tracy [[MagnificentBastard arranges]] for Lavinia and Richard to [[LoveEpiphany stay together]], and [[MealTicket keep him in reach of the Carstares' money]].]]
* BetaCouple: [[TheDutifulSon Richard]] and [[SpoiledBrat Lavinia]], whose subplot is arguably more entertaining than the main's.
* ClearMyName
* DistressedDamsel
* DysfunctionalFamily: both the Carstares and Belmanoirs.
* TheGamblingAddict: Andrew.
* GracefulLoser
* HandsomeDevil: Tracy
* HappilyMarried: Sir Miles and Molly O'Hara.
* HeelRealization: Lavinia vaguely realizes how shallow and petty she and the rest of her family is...but it never makes a particularly deep impression.
* IHaveYouNowMyPretty: [[VillainBall Tried twice]]. [[WhatAnIdiot Failed.]] [[JustInTime Twice.]]
* ImpoverishedPatrician: The Belmanoirs.
* JustLikeRobinHood: Combined with TheHighwayman.
* PoorCommunicationKills: Justified; they're [[UpperClassTwit idiots]].
* PurpleProse: Tracy verbally lapses into this when describing Diana's eyes to Lavinia.
--> Her Ladyship had recourse to the smelling-salts.
* LoveMakesYouDumb: and HOW.
* LoveRedeems: Tracy's friends hope for this...but, nope! Guess he'll have to wait for the sequel (or at least the SpiritualSuccessor, ''These Old Shades'').
* MakeUpOrBreakUp: Richard and Lavinia. [[spoiler: They stay together.]]
* MistakenForCheating
* RescueRomance
* TheDutifulSon
* TitleDrop: numerous times.
* ThickerThanWater: What saves the Belmanoirs from being utter bastards.
* UhOhEyes: Tracy's "catlike," slanted GreenEyes, lovingly and repeatedly mentioned by the narrator.
* UptightLovesWild: Richard and Lavinia.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Black Sheep]]
* AbductionIsLove: Parodied: Miles kidnaps Abby in the end, but she's just irritated at him for being presumptuous; when he offers to take her back to her family if she says she ''really'' doesn't want to marry him, she replies that he can abduct her, but he can't make her tell a lie.
* BatmanGambit: Miles hiring a prostitute to trick Stacey.
* BeautyEqualsGoodness: Subverted with Stacey Calverleigh.
* TheCharmer: Most characters (except Abby) find Stacey to be this.
* {{Elopement}}:
** [[spoiler: Averted by a timely attack of influenza.]]
** Also, the big reason Miles is the "black sheep" of his family is that he once attempted to elope with Fanny's mother.
* GenreSavvy: Abby refuses to pull a ParentalMarriageVeto on Fanny, knowing Fanny will try to elope with Stacey if she does.
* GoldDigger: Stacey is a male example.
* HumiliationConga: For Stacey Calverleigh.
* {{Hypochondria}}: Selina's favorite pastime.
* SiblingYinYang: Abby and Selina.
* UnderdressedForTheOccasion: Miles shocks some people by paying morning calls in riding dress.
* VirginityMakesYouStupid: Fanny.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Charity Girl]]
* ChildhoodFriendRomance
* DistressedDamsel: But not the heroine herself.
* JustFriends
* TheIngenue: Cherry, who is even referred to as such at one point.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:A Civil Contract]]
* ArrangedMarriage: Jenny and Adam.
* BittersweetEnding: Unusually, for a Heyer novel.
* FirstLove
* HistoricalInJoke: Adam [[spoiler:buying Government stock]] just before Waterloo.
* ItWillNeverCatchOn: Jenny's father warning Adam that Wellington is bound to lose at Waterloo.
* MySisterIsOffLimits: Parodied: Adam pretends to be doubtful about Brough's intentions.
* PerfectlyArrangedMarriage: Adam and Jenny, as despite initial appearances they're both willing to try and make it work - Jenny rather more so, of course - and suit each other well.
* SuddenlySuitableSuitor: Adam barely registers Jenny's existence until he finds out he's bankrupt and she has lots of money.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Conquerer]]
* HeroicBastard
* HistoricalInJoke
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Convenient Marriage]]
* ArrangedMarriage: Horatia and Rule.
* TheBaroness / WomanScorned: Caroline Massey.
* BestServedCold: Lethbridge has been waiting seven years to get his revenge on Rule for foiling his attempt to elope with Rule's sister.
* ComedicSociopathy: Viscount Winwood and company.
* CorruptTheCutie: Lethbridge's intention for Horatia. Eventually leads to IHaveYouNowMyPretty, [[spoiler:foiled by a TapOnTheHead.]]
* DuelToTheDeath: Two, in fact, [[spoiler:although neither ends in death.]]
* TheGamblingAddict: Several members of the Winwood family have "the fatal weakness."
* GemEncrusted: Horatia buys a pair of shoes with emerald-studded heels.
* TheHighwayman: Played with. If a highwayman appears, either someone hired him for an ulterior purpose, or he's a major character in disguise.
* IAmNotPretty: "Horry" is certainly unconventional, with a SpeechImpediment and [[BigOlUnibrow straight, heavy eyebrows]], but Rule finds her charming [[JustTheWayYouAre just the way she is]].
* MasqueradeBall
* MilhollandRelationshipMoment: several, actually, but most notably Horatia's confession after Ranelagh.
* RescueRomance: How Lethbridge gets Horry's attention.
* SignatureItemClue: Horatia loses her distinctive heirloom ring brooch at Lethbridge's home.
* SpiritedYoungLady: Horatia is this.
* ThrowingDownTheGauntlet:
** Viscount Winwood provokes [[TheDandy Drelincourt]] into challenging him to a duel by first insulting and then stamping on his hat.
** In a more metaphorical sense, Horatia leaves Rule a defiant message before going off to Ranelagh.
* WackyMarriageProposal
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Corinthian]]
* AttractiveBentGender
* ChildhoodMarriagePromise: [[spoiler:Pen]] and [[spoiler:Piers Luttrell ... for all the good it does them]]
* MacGuffin: The diamond necklace.
* MeetCute: The hero comes across the heroine dangling by a knotted sheet out her bedroom window (she's running away).
* MistakenForGay: Implicit; and then at the end several InnocentBystanders see the hero "ruthlessly" kissing the heroine -- who's still dressed as a boy.
* RaceForYourLove
* RomanticFalseLead/[[DisposableFiance Disposable Fiancée ]]: Does any reader seriously think Richard will marry Melissa?
* RunawayFiance
* SickeninglySweethearts: Parodied with the BetaCouple.
* SweetPollyOliver
* UnluckyChildhoodFriend: [[spoiler:The heroine]] is this.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Cotillion]]
* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: Subverted.
* ConvertingForLove: It's mentioned in passing that [[spoiler:Olivia]] will probably have to become a Catholic to marry [[spoiler:Camille]].
* GeniusDitz: Freddy.
* GrandRomanticGesture: Parodied: Camille makes extravagant proclamations of what he would do to save Olivia, but is surprised when practical Freddy suggests [[spoiler:simply eloping with her]]. Also played subtly straight with Freddy submitting to a day of sightseeing with Kitty.
* GrayEyes: The extremely smart and perceptive Lord Legerwood.
* HandsOnApproach: Freddy and Kitty dancing.
* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: Freddy tries to do this for Kitty, despite [[spoiler:genuine reservations about Jack beyond simple jealousy]].
* KickTheDog: Jack [[spoiler:blackmails]] Camille and [[spoiler:insults]] Freddy.
* LoveAtFirstSight: [[spoiler:Camille and Olivia.]]
* LovingAShadow: Kitty's realisation that [[spoiler:she only ever loved her childhood hero, not Jack himself]].
* MasqueradeBall: Kitty has a miserable time at one of these until Freddy rescues her.
* OperationJealousy: Kitty tries one of these on [[spoiler:Jack]].
* PoirotSpeak: Camille.
* ProfessionalGambler: Jack, [[spoiler:Camille.]]
* ReformedRakes: Subverted: [[spoiler:not only is Jack not planning to reform for Kitty's sake, he's actively trying to seduce a friend of hers while courting her]].
* RunawayFiance: Sort of: Kitty is running away from the ''possibility'' of being forced into an engagement to please her guardian, before coming up with a better plan.
* SecretRelationship: Freddy and Kitty pretend to have one of these.
* WrongGuyFirst
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Cousin Kate]]
* ArrangedMarriage: Minerva tries to press-gang Kate into one of these.
* AxCrazy
* BeautyEqualsGoodness: Subverted.
* LivingEmotionalCrutch: Kate for Torquil.
* {{Yandere}}: Torquil.
* SingleWomanSeeksGoodMan: Kate's relationship with Philip.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Detection Unlimited]]
* AnimalHoarding: The animals in question are Pekinese dogs. {{Justified|Trope}} in that the woman who owns them breeds them, but she still treats them like they're her children and gives them weird names like Ulysses.
* BlackmailIsSuchAnUglyWord: The AssholeVictim tried this, simply to become TheChessmaster of the county.
* DrivenToSuicide: The SmugSnake's late brother claimed this is what the SmugSnake had done to him in a letter... [[spoiler: Actually, [[NeverSuicide it was murder made to look like suicide]], which the AssholeVictim was blackmailing the SmugSnake about, hence why he was killed.]]
* ThisIsAWorkOfFiction: As Heyer herself states at the very beginning of the book:
-->There are some who may believe that this book is about them. They are, in fact, mistaken.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Devil's Cub]]
* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: Although Mary mocks Vidal as being no more than bratty and not nearly as bad as he thinks he is.
* ContinuityNod: Avon deplores Vidal's [[DeadpanSnarker lack of finesse]] in methods of daylight abduction.
* DistressedDamsel: Subverted: Mary shoots Vidal when he comes near her and derides crying and screaming as a useless ploy when in trouble.
* TheGloriousWarOfSisterlyRivalry: Mary and Sophia.
* HappilyMarried: Avon and Léonie from ''These Old Shades''.
* InnocentCohabitation: It may not have been intended as such, but Vidal goes to great lengths to make sure everyone knows he and Mary have not had sex.
* ItSeemedLikeAGoodIdeaAtTheTime: See TwinSwitch below.
* ParentExMachina: [[spoiler:Avon]].
* ParentalMarriageVeto: Mary fully expects one of these from Vidal's parents, [[spoiler:so she runs away before they get there; averted because they both thoroughly approve of her]].
* PoirotSpeak: Leonie.
* RescueRomance: Averted: Vidal is what Mary needs to be rescued ''from''.
* TroubledButCute: Vidal.
* TwinSwitch: Sort of: Mary, although not Sophia's twin, swaps places with her in her elopement with Vidal in order to put him off.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:False Colours]]
* BecomingTheMask
* EmergencyImpersonation
* FatIdiot / FatSlob: Averted with Bonamy Ripple. He may be enormously fat, but he's a [[TheDandy fastidious dresser]] and surprisingly perceptive (given his easygoing nature).
* FlorenceNightingaleEffect: [[spoiler:What Evelyn is experiencing while Kit takes his place.]]
* MsRedInk: Lady Denville.
* NoodleIncident: Just what did the twins do to get themselves sent down from Oxford? Whatever it was, they consider it [[TricksterTwins one of their best stunts]], and the students are still talking about it years later.
* TwinSwitch: The entire premise.
* TwinTelepathy: Kit rushes back to England because he has a premonition that Evelyn is in trouble. He is also sure that Evelyn isn't dead, even as time drags on with no sign of him.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Faro's Daughter]]
* ComedicSociopathy: Deborah has Max kidnapped and apologises for her servants going about it so roughly.
* MasochismTango: It's PlayedForLaughs, but Deborah and Max have this in spades. She kidnaps him, for heaven's sake.
* SlapSlapKiss
* SugarAndIcePersonality: both Max and Deborah.
* TheMatchmaker: Deb for Lord Mablethorpe and Phoebe.
* TheVamp: [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Max]] believes Deborah to be this.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Foundling]]
* BettyAndVeronica: Subverted: everyone ''thinks'' Gilly is in love with Belinda, but he isn't.
* ComingOfAgeStory
* MommasBoy
* ShrinkingViolet
* TooDumbToLive: Belinda, as [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] by many, many characters.
* TwiceShy
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Frederica]]
* CoolBigSis: Frederica.
* LoveAtFirstSight: Charis and her suitor.
* MouthyKid: Felix.
* PromotionToParent: Frederica.
* SpiritedYoungLady: Frederica is a slightly more responsible version of this.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Friday's Child]]
* AlphaBitch: Isabella ''could'' be, but most of her unpleasant moments are also her most sympathetic.
* BetaCouple: George and Isabella.
* TheBroCode: Essentially the reason why Sherry throws a fit at the idea of George and Hero having an affair - that, and he's in love with Hero, of course.
* ByronicHero: Invoked and parodied - George would ''love'' to be this.
* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: Hero, Ferdy.
* ComingOfAgeStory: Sherry, Hero to an extent.
* DefrostingIceQueen: Isabella.
* DuelToTheDeath: George is constantly spoiling for one. [[spoiler: He gets his wish when Sherry catches him giving Hero a brotherly kiss, but neither of them dies.]]
* FriendlessBackground: Hero seems to have only had two friends in her life prior to marrying Sherry, one of whom was him, the other being Isabella, and neither of them seem to have paid her much attention.
* KickTheDog: Revesby, first when he rejects [[spoiler:his discarded mistress and illegitimate infant daughter]] and second when he arranges [[spoiler:for Hero to get into debt]].
* LovableCoward: Ferdy, whom Sherry can't even stay angry with when he finds out Ferdy [[spoiler:hid his wife from him for weeks]] because Ferdy is so shamelessly trying to placate him.
* MarryForLove: Isabella eventually cracks and admits that this is what she wants.
* MasqueradeBall: Hero gets into trouble at one of these as a result of Sherry ditching her.
* MeetCute: While it is not their first-ever meeting, the first time Sherry and Hero meet in the book is when Sherry accidentally comes across Hero crying on a wall and proposes marriage.
* ReformedRakes: Part of Sherry's CharacterDevelopment.
* RelationshipUpgrade: Sherry elopes with Hero in the first few chapters.
* ShrinkingViolet: Hero.
* {{Tsundere}}: Isabella.
* VictoriousChildhoodFriend: Hero.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Grand Sophy]]
* BetaCouple: Cecilia and Charlbury, among others.
* CleaningUpRomanticLooseEnds
* TheChessmaster: Sophy, of course.
* GenreSavvy: Sophy's management of the Augustus/Cecilia/Charlbury triangle relies heavily on her knowledge of how Cecilia perceives the tropes involved.
* GreedyJew: Goldhanger, the moneylender, is very likely meant as one.
* LickedByTheDog: Everyone thinks Charles is a domestic tyrant, but Sophy knows better...because every animal in the novel loves and trusts him, of course!
* LockedInARoom: Subverted: Eugenia and Augustus are locked in a wood, but emerge only extremely annoyed.
* LoveAtFirstSight: Parodied with Cecilia and Augustus.
* OnlyAFleshWound: Sophy shoots a friend in the arm with only the noblest of intentions.
* PairTheSpares
* PoirotSpeak: Sancia.
* SlapSlapKiss: Sophy and Charles.
* TriangRelations: Sophy/Charles/Eugenia, Augustus/Cecilia/Charlbury, [[spoiler:Sir Horace/Sancia/Vincent Talgarth]].
* WrongGuyFirst: [[spoiler: Cecilia and Augustus.]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Great Roxhythe]]
* GentlemanAdventurer
[[/folder]]
[[folder:An Infamous Army]]
* BeautyIsNeverTarnished: Subverted: Charles has his arm amputated.
* BrokenBird
* HistoricalInJoke
* WellExcuseMePrincess
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Lady of Quality]]
* AnnoyingYoungerSibling
* RunawayFiance
* SlapSlapKiss
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Masqueraders]]
* AttractiveBentGender
* TheChessmaster: Lord Barham
* {{Crossdresser}}
* SweetPollyOliver
[[/folder]]
[[folder:My Lord John]]
* AuthorExistenceFailure: Heyer died while writing it.
* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory: John of Lancaster.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Nonesuch]]
* UnclePennybags
* WellExcuseMePrincess
[[/folder]]
[[folder:No Wind of Blame]]
* RubeGoldbergHatesYourGuts: The murder method is this in spades!
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Penhallow]]
* AbusiveDad[=/=]AssholeVictim: Penhallow himself.
* DownerEnding: Unusual for a Heyer novel, but it's a doozy. [[spoiler: Penhallow's death doesn't make things better; in fact, [[FromBadtoWorse it makes things even worse]]. The family are drawn together even tighter, even though few of them wish to be so, and the eldest is DrivenToSuicide because he thinks he'll be implicated by the LiteralAndFigurativeBastard, although on the last page it's revealed that the bastard in question did nothing of the sort. The police never catch the killer at the end, making the whole thing one big ShootTheShaggyDogStory]]. Some Heyer fans suspect that she was writing this book to make up for all the cheeriness in all of her other novels!
* OpenMystery: You know full well who killed Penhallow... [[AssholeVictim and you don't blame]] [[spoiler: her]].
* PoliceAreUseless: The policeman in charge of the case actually thinks Penhallow [[FlatWhat was a pretty generous patriarch]], [[CriticalResearchFailure and the rest of the family were just being whiny spongers]].
* TheUnfavourite: Technically, every one of Penhallow's children - legitimate [[BastardBastard or otherwise]] - qualify, but [[TheWoobie his youngest son]] definitely qualifies.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Pistols For Two]]
* AccidentalMarriage: In "Hazard", the hero is so drunk when he wins the card game that he and the heroine are halfway to Gretna Green when he wakes up the next morning.
* ArrangedMarriage: The hero of "Hazard" is about to go through with one of these; luckily for him, he has a RunawayFiance.
* LostHimInACardGame: "Hazard".
* PlatonicLifePartners: Annabella and Tom from "Full Moon", who are very fond of each other and plan to elope only because Annabella is so horrified at the idea of marrying an old man.
* RepetitiveName: Carlington Carlington in "Hazard". Though that's probably a typo/omitted comma.
* RightInFrontOfMe: Annabella and Tom complain bitterly to a friendly stranger about the "horrid old friend" of Annabella's father whom she's expected to marry. Neither of them have ever met him, leading to predictable results.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Powder and Patch]]
* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor
* RedundantRomanceAttempt
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Quiet Gentleman]]
* HistoricalInJoke
* TheMole
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Regency Buck]]
* BelligerentSexualTension: Judith really does not get on with Worth for about half the book.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Worth, who is busy being an arse to Judith's face while protecting her from fortune-hunters and her brother from murderers behind her back.
* MeetCute
* ReversePsychology: How Worth gets Judith to take the house he wants in Brighton.
* SlapSlapKiss
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Reluctant Widow]]
* AccidentalAimingSkills: Nicky, after missing [[spoiler: Louis de Castres]]:
--> I never touched him, but I did shatter his lantern, and that would have been pretty fair shooting, I can tell you, if I had been aiming at it.
* AmbiguouslyGay: Francis.
* AssholeVictim: Nobody misses Eustace much (although his death isn't a mystery).
* BigFriendlyDog: Bouncer, except when he's guarding Elinor. Then he morphs into AngryGuardDog.
* BookcasePassage: Actually in a closet, but close enough.
* TheDandy: Francis. And how. He could also be seen to be something of an AgentPeacock, as it transpires he is actually a [[spoiler:cold-blooded killer]].
* INeverSaidItWasPoison: How Carlyon deduces that [[spoiler:Francis killed de Castres; he knew details about the murder that were not in any of the newspaper accounts]].
* {{MacGuffin}}: The missing document.
* OneDialogueTwoConversations: A hilarious one between Elinor and Carlyon at the start of the book, non-sexual for once. Carlyon thinks Elinor has [[MailOrderBride answered his advertisement for a woman to marry his cousin]], while she thinks he's discussing a governess position.
* SecretPath: The hidden entrance to Highnoons.
* SecretRelationship: The cover story for why Eustace suddenly has a wife.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Royal Escape]]
* HistoricalInJoke
* KingIncognito
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Simon the Coldheart]]
* HeroicBastard
* YeOldeButcheredeEnglishe: Averted: the language used is thick with genuine Middle English, so much so that a ''glossary'' was included.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Spanish Bride]]
* HistoricalInJoke
* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Sprig Muslin]]
* AnnoyingYoungerSibling: Hester's brother, despite being older, fulfills this trope; Hildebrand at one point pretends to be this to Amanda and Gareth.
* BettyAndVeronica: Subverted: Amanda may be far more beautiful and exciting than Hester, but Gareth has no romantic interest in her whatsoever.
* BlatantLies: Amanda.
* CelibateHero: Gareth.
* ChristmasCake: Hester.
* TheFirstCutIsTheDeepest: Hester's fears about Gareth.
* FirstGirlWins: Subverted.
* FriendlessBackground: Hester, who isn't close to anyone but Gareth, and not that close to Gareth when the book begins.
* [[IDontWantToRuinOurFriendship I Don't Want To Ruin Our Friendship]]: Hester's main anxiety about rejecting Gareth's first proposal.
* MistakenForCheating: Hester's family are shocked that Gareth would bring his supposed mistress to their house.
* NobodyThinksItWillWork: Gareth and Hester.
* ParentalMarriageVeto: Amanda's grandfather refuses his consent to her marriage to Neil.
* SarcasticConfession: Gareth: "Yes, I have kidnapped this young lady and am keeping her with me against her will." Amanda is furious that he would abuse the truth this way, instead of lying fluently like she does.
* ShrinkingViolet: Hester.
* TheTale: Amanda spins about a dozen of these throughout the novel.
* TrueCompanions: Gareth, Hester, Amanda and Hildebrand. Neil would probably have been adopted one way or another had the book been longer.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Sylvester]]
* AngstySurvivingTwin: Sylvester is one.
* BrainlessBeauty: Both Ianthe and Sir Nugent.
* BreakTheHaughty: Sylvester, though a mild example.
* DarkSecret: Phoebe wrote the society novel of the year, featuring an {{Expy}} of Sylvester as the villain.
* [[DefrostingIceQueen Defrosting Ice King]]: Sylvester.
* EvilEyebrows: The thing that makes Sylvester so easily identifiable as the villain in Phoebe's novel.
* EvilUncle: Subverted: Sylvester is perceived to be this by everyone, but he's actually a far better [[ParentalSubstitute Parental Figure]] than the boy's mother.
* ItsAllAboutMe: Ianthe is convinced that ''The Lost Heir'' was written for the express purpose of warning her about Sylvester.
* LikeBrotherAndSister: Phoebe and Tom.
* MouthyKid: Edmund.
* TheProudElite: Sylvester, especially at the beginning.
* SlapSlapKiss
* SnowedIn
* WardrobeWound: Sir Nugent goes into fits when a dog bites the tassels off his boots. Earlier, he is deeply pained at having to cut a button off his coat (thinking it will placate Edmund, who is actually crying for Button, his nurse).
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Talisman Ring]]
* ArrangedMarriage: Tristram and Eustacie.
* ClearMyName: Ludovic.
* OnlySaneMan: Poor Tristram. None of the other characters like his practical and effective plans, because the plans aren't adventurous enough.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Toll-Gate]]
* AltarTheSpeed: John and Nell are...unexpectedly...married by Sir Peter's bedside because he's decided he wants it done before he dies.
* HistoricalInJoke
* StrangerInAFamiliarLand
[[/folder]]
[[folder:These Old Shades]]
* AloofBigBrother: Avon.
* AnnoyingYoungerSibling: Rupert and Fanny.
* BestServedCold: The enmity between Avon and St. Vire goes back twenty years.
* {{Expy}}: Justin, Hugh, the Marlings, and the Merrivales are all {{Expy}}s of the characters from ''The Black Moth'', making this book a SpiritualSuccessor.
* FieryRedhead: Léonie.
* HappilyMarried: Fanny and Edward. Also, Anthony and Jennifer.
* HeirClubForMen: [[spoiler:St. Vire exchanged his newborn daughter for the son of a peasant family in order to prevent his brother from inheriting his title.]]
* MagnificentBastard: Avon. The "bastard" part gets [[ReformedRakes reformed]] at least slightly, but the "magnificent" part is still going strong in the next book, ''Devil's Cub.''
* ManicPixieDreamGirl: Léonie is arguably this to Avon.
* MoralityPet: Léonie acts as one of these.
* ThePlan: Avon with Léonie.
* PoirotSpeak: Léonie.
* WholesomeCrossdresser
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Unfinished Clue]]
* AssholeVictim / Complete Monster / AbusiveDad: Sir Arthur Billington-Smith
* CulturalStereotypes: [[LatinLand Lola de Silva]] and her agent, a GreedyJew.
* IHaveNoSon: Arthur Billington-Smith tried to do this [[spoiler: and that was why he was killed.]]
* [[spoiler: MamaBear]]: [[spoiler: The murderess was Billington-Smith's first wife, making sure her son wasn't disinherited. [[TitleDrop The unfinished clue]] is the word "There", the last thing he wrote. [[ChekhovsGun In spite of most people not paying too much attention to it, TheInspector realises it's the first letters of]] ''Theresa'', the Major's first wife. ]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Unknown Ajax]]
* CrustyCaretaker: Spurstow (a handy way of making people reluctant to visit him).
* TheDandy: Claud.
* GirlfriendInCanada: Upon finding out that Lord Darracott intends for [[ArrangedMarriage him to marry Anthea]], Hugo invents a fiancée back in Yorkshire. (Anthea has already said that she doesn't want to marry him, but apparently he feels he must be more tactful.)
* InspectorJavert: Lieutenant Ottershaw with his near-fanatical pursuit of smugglers.
* KissingCousins
* MysteriousPast: Hugo, eventually revealed.
* [[MyKungFuIsStrongerThanYours My Valet-Fu is Stronger Than Yours]]: Crimplesham and Polyphant (Vincent and Claud's valets, respectively) spend a great deal of time trying to one-up each other.
* ObfuscatingStupidity
* OopNorth: Hugo milks this for all he's worth, pretending to be a FishOutOfWater in genteel surroundings, and very much enjoys the reactions of his relatives--until Anthea corners him and forces him to admit he was actually educated at Harrow.
* ThePatriarch: Lord Darracott.
* PerfectlyArrangedMarriage
* ScoobyDooHoax: The truth behind the supposedly-haunted Dower House.
* SecretUndergroundPassage
* UnexpectedSuccessor: Hugo becomes the heir after Lord Darracott's eldest son and grandson are drowned in a boating accident.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Venetia]]
* AnnoyingYoungerSibling: Aubrey to an extent, although Conway is far worse despite never actually appearing.
* BeneathTheMask: Damerel has [[ThenLetMeBeEvil thrown himself into the lifestyle of a rake]] after ruining his own reputation through a youthful mistake, but Venetia gets to see a different side of him.
* BrotherSisterTeam: Aubrey and Venetia have elements of this.
* CoolBigSis: Venetia.
* DarkAndTroubledPast: Damerel.
* DoubleStandard: Played with; Damerel arguably suffered more for running off with a married woman than she did.
* EmoTeen: Oswald, who desperately wishes he was a ByronicHero.
-->"He is brooding over nameless crimes, I daresay, and only think how disheartening to have his dark thoughts mistaken for a fit of the sulks!"
* [[spoiler:FakingTheDead: Venetia's mother ran off with a lover and was divorced by her father; he told the children that she had died suddenly.]]
* ForcefulKiss: Oswald tries this on Venetia.
* ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies: Damerel sends Venetia away due to the irreparable damage that would be done to her reputation if they married.
* MomentKiller: Every time Damerel tries to propose to Venetia, Aubrey pops up.
* NobodyThinksItWillWork: Everyone, with the exception of [[ShipperOnDeck Aubrey]] and Venetia – and including Damerel – thinks Damerel and Venetia will be miserable together.
* ObnoxiousInLaws: An inversion of sorts, as it is Conway's new mother-in-law who makes things miserable for Venetia when she moves in.
* PairTheSpares: It's hinted that [[spoiler:Edward Yardley and Clara Denny]] will probably marry after being rejected by [[spoiler:Venetia and Conway]], respectively.
* ReformedRakes: Played with more than used straight. Damerel won't seduce Venetia, but it's up to interpretation how much his way of life will change. He ''might'' just be joking about having his wife preside over an orgy...
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Why Shoot A Butler?]]
* AmateurSleuth: Frank Amberley - the person who solves the mystery - is a barrister, although it's noted in the story that he has some experience rounding up major criminals, having helped the police at least once.
* CrazyPrepared: When the BigBad tries to get away via a motorboat, Frank just happens to have a motorboat of his own ready. {{Justified|Trope}} in that he'd done some research during the previous day, and figured that would happen.
* PoliceAreUseless: {{Averted}}. the police are just at sea because there are no clues to go on, and Amberley has quite a few of them... [[LockedOutOfTheLoop not that he tells the police most of them]].
* SlapSlapKiss: It doesn't help that Frank is something of a {{troll}} throughout the whole book, and not just to the girl.
* SmugSnake: Frank Amberley is this, making him something of a DesignatedHero.
* TitleDrop: In the second chapter, no less!
[[/folder]]
----
