Customer Reviews

The Toll Gate

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Georgette Heyer is noted as a writer of Regency romances (she established the genre) and of murder mysteries. In this book she integrates the two into a seamless whole, producing an mystery that is inseparable from a romance (and which is set during the Regency). This sounds an unlikely juxtaposition, but Heyer pulls it off without a jarring note.

Captain John Staple, at a loose end now that the war against Napoleon is over, stumbles across an anomaly: an unattended tollgate. He takes shelter for the night, and in the morning finds a reason to stay in the area: Miss Stornaway. The two turn out connected, which is not to the Captain's liking, and he finds it necessary to disentangle them before he can let justice take its course.

I am an unabashed "Heyer" fan and own almost everything she has ever written but I believe that this is one of her best as far as humor and wit are concerned. These "characters" all grab your heart, make you both laugh and cry ... sometimes all at once! One of my favorites that I have read and re-read many times over. Enjoy!

Unlike a previous reviewer, I have read this one many times and find the dialogue so funny I laugh out loud. Not the typical heroine and hero but very real characters. I just love this book.

I'd place this in the second tier of Georgette Heyer books.

The setting is interesting, revolving around a toll-gate. The characters are not as well-developed as characters in some of Heyer's best books. The plot development takes up most of the book, with less attention to the growth of relationships.

This is also one of Heyer's "love at first sight" books, which always seem a little bit embarassing and silly to me (I hate to use a harsh work, but "contrived" comes to mind). If you prefer her books about relationships which grow over time (for example, "Frederica" or "Friday's Child"), you'll agree that this is not one of her best. But if you are on a roll, reading through all the Heyer books, you won't want to miss it.

I re-read this book a few days ago and it reminded me why I got hooked on Georgette Heyer's books (and through her, the entire Regency genre) in the first place. A dashing hero, love at first sight, and a mystery to solve . . . thoroughly delightful!

STORY BRIEF:
Captain John Staple has just left the military after Napoleon's defeat. He is traveling to see a friend and comes across an unmanned toll-gate. The gatekeeper has disappeared, and his son Ben is alone and frightened. John offers to help and stays the night. The next day Nell is traveling through and needs the gate lifted. For John it is love at first sight. He decides to stay with the boy and be temporary gatekeeper until Ben's father can be found (and to get to know Nell).

Nell's grandfather Sir Peter is close to death. Her parents died earlier. Her cousin Henry has moved in planning to take over when Sir Peter dies. Henry's friend Nat is also staying at the house. There are bad vibes about Nat.

As John talks to Nell and others coming through the gate, he begins investigating and uncovers murder and robbery. He takes some interesting action.

REVIEWER'S OPINION:
I usually don't read mysteries because I prefer strong emotional relationship development. This is mostly mystery, so I was surprised that I enjoyed it. The main draw was John doing interesting things with interesting characters. I was not glued to my seat. It was easy to put down, but it worked well for me as an audiobook. When deciding between 3 and 4 stars, I rounded up to 4 because it had some things I didn't expect.

Nell's role is passively walking on egg shells. Her grandfather is near death. Any stress could kill him, so Nell lies about things to keep him calm. She doesn't do anything to get rid of Henry or Nat who scare her. But I'm not sure what she could have done. She's quiet and doesn't take action about anything. There is no money or provision for her future. The estate is burdened with debt. There is no interesting dialogue between Nell and John. It's really a story about John investigating the mystery and saving the day. He's the strong, smart, action hero.

The narrator Daniel Hill was good - maybe speaking a little too fast once in a while - but maybe not. He's not my favorite, but he was fine.

DATA:
Unabridged audiobook length: 9 ¼ hours. Narrator: Daniel Hill. Swearing language: none that I recall. Sexual content: none. Setting: 1816-1817 England. Book Published: 1954. Genre: historical mystery with a little romance.

I've read where this was originally written as a serial, so some things got stuck in which were never afterward addressed as the story evolved into something else than Heyer originally envisioned. Nevermind! An amusing time is still had by all.

At 29, Captain John Staple is the heir-presumptive to Earldom but prefers an adventurous life. After his mother and sister unsuccessfully introduce him to a few eligible ladies, he decides to journey to Leicestershire to his friend's estate. On his way he ends help at a toll-gate run by a scared boy, Ben. Captain Staple notices Ben's father is missing and decideds to stay until he returns. He meets Miss Nell Stornaway and realizes there is a mystery surrounding her cousin and his unwelcomed friend staying with her.

Not one of her best books, but the characters and mystery kept me engaged. The romance doesn't evolve over time but is love at first sight. The setting is unique and Heyer gives an interesting persceptive into the life one leads while working in a toll-gate. I found the slang a little difficult to understand at times but it is a book I would again and again.

Clean romance. Would recommend this to Regency fans who enjoy a little bit of mystery.

This is one of Heyer's most enjoyable books in my opinion. The only reason I am not giving it 5 stars is because of the over-use of Regency slang words, which annoys me. That's probably the only complaint I have about some of Heyer's books in general, and fortunately she did not do it in all her books. The story here and the characters are excellent and the book moves along at a nice clip. There are no dead spots in the story. I loved the characters; Heyer really had a gift for nailing people's foibles and not making her heroes and heroines too perfect. Highly recommended.

John Staple finds an unmanned toll gate and decides to spend the night before continuing his journey. He meet Miss Nell Stornaway in the course of his assumed duties and they discover a body.
A hidden murder mystery lurks in THE TOLL GATE, a Regency romance by Georgette Heyer. It has gotten lost from its true colors and deserves to be placed with her excellent mysteries.
Nash Black, author of HAINTS and SINS OF THE FATHERS.