I have read and loved a few Georgette Heyer novels and each novel is better than the last one I'd read. The last Heyer novel I read was Sprig Muslin and it was one of the best Regency novels I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Well, False Colours is my new favorite novel liners are wonderful. The novel is written in the form of a Regency comic farce with oddball situations and colorful characters that characterize this brand of comedy. I love Kit's mother! She sort of reminds me of Pride and Prejudice's Mrs. Bennett. And I love the humor centered on the valets, butlers, grooms and other servants. Theirs is the kind of quirkiness and nosiness that I imagine existed among the servants at their masters' homes. Brilliant! But what I love the most is Kit. It is so refreshing to read about a hero who is neither a misogynist, a rake or a tortured soul (though I do like the latter). He is just a sweet, intelligent, serious, honorable and handsome man who loves his family. Cressy, the heroine, is also wonderful, but less "spirited" than other Heyer heroines. As for the historical aspects and references, I have commented on the author's eye for historical detail and accuracy in the other reviews I've written of her work, but I am again impressed with her ability to create Regency England as I'm sure the aforementioned time period had been. She is day, twenty-something-year-old people smacking gum while uttering the latest slang words and phrases. Heyer was an early to mid twentieth century writer, which is probably why her novels sound classic (and they are in fact classics), but I feel that some of today's historical writers should get their clues from this wonderful author. False Colours is a gem and I cannot recommend this hilarious, romantic novel enough.

In Regency England, a younger son/army officer, Kit, travels home upon the feeling that something has happened to his twin brother, the Earl of Denville. He finds his charming and scatterbrained mother worried to death, as Denville has been absent from home for 10 days; this very night, Denville is to go to a family party at the home of his soon-to-be intended wife in order to obtain the consent of her eccentric and sharp-tongued grandmother. The mother, while not wanting Denville to sacrifice himself on the altar of a marriage of convenience, nevertheless is anxious for the marriage, as Denville's trustees will release his fortune to him upon his marriage; this will allow her extravagant debts to be paid. Kit is persuaded to take Denville's place just for this one night in order that Cressy, the lovely and kind young lady in question, is not dealt the unforgiveable insult of Denville's absence from the "engagement" party.

Complications and fiascos ensue, supported by a multitude of minor characters.......grooms, former nannys, butlers, valets, elderly suitors......that spring fully to life with witty dialog through Heyer's pen. It is to be expected that Kit (as Denville) and Cressy fall in love; she can't imagine why she likes him so much better now than before! It needs only Denville's return, with his arm in a sling, to further complicate this funny and heartwarming story.

I discovered Georgette Heyer in about 1970 and this is still one of my favorites. The mother of the twins is one of those charming shatterbrains that Heyer characterizes so well, complete with all the wonderfully tangled circumstances into which she has embroiled herself. Kit, the twin who forms the main part of the story, is the underplayed hero - younger son, serious, willing to step in for his missing twin to help save his brother's engagement. Then of course there's the fiance and her dragon of a grandmother. Heyer froth at its best! Winning characters, unexpected situations, and denouments that keep you guessing.