The Black Moth
Georgette Heyer wrote this Georgian adventure when she was still a teenager, and it launched the career that would define historical romance. Set in 1751, it follows Jack Carstares, an earl who took the blame for a card-cheating scandal to shield his brother and now rides the roads as a gentleman highwayman. His path crosses that of Diana Beauleigh, whom he rescues from the clutches of the sardonic Duke of Andover, a black-hearted rake who becomes the story’s most memorable figure. Between duels, abductions, and questions of wounded honor, Heyer sketches the manners and menace of the age with surprising assurance. Andover would later resurface, reworked, as the hero of These Old Shades. Free to read as a PDF and EPUB edition.
About the Author
Read and download 12 free books by Georgette Heyer on BDeBooks. Browse the complete collection of Georgette Heyer’s works available as free PDF and EPUB downloads. Discover novels, fiction, and other writings by Georgette Heyer in our online eBook library.
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Listen to The Black Moth Audiobook Free
Listen to The Black Moth by Georgette Heyer free online. The full audiobook (8 hr 50 min, 60 chapters, read by Sibella Denton) streams free on this page.
The Black Moth (1921) is a public domain work.
| # | Chapter | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 01 - Prologue | 3:05 | |
| 2 | 02 - Ch. 1: At the Chequers Inn, Fallowfield, pt. 1 | 8:33 | |
| 3 | 03 - Ch. 1: At the Chequers Inn, Fallowfield, pt. 2 | 16:22 | |
| 4 | 04 - Ch. 2: My Lord at the White Hart, pt. 1 | 10:01 | |
| 5 | 05 - Ch. 2: My Lord at the White Hart, pt. 2 | 10:58 | |
| 6 | 06 - Ch. 3: Introducing the Hon. Richard Carstares, pt. 1 | 10:47 | |
| 7 | 07 - Ch. 3: Introducing the Hon. Richard Carstares, pt. 2 | 12:12 | |
| 8 | 08 - Ch. 4: Introducing the Lady Lavinia Carstares, pt. 1 | 9:30 | |
| 9 | 09 - Ch. 4: Introducing the Lady Lavinia Carstares, pt. 2 | 10:17 | |
| 10 | 10 - Ch. 5: His Grace of Andover, pt. 1 | 7:54 | |
| 11 | 11 - Ch. 5: His Grace of Andover, pt. 2 | 7:39 | |
| 12 | 12 - Ch. 6: Bath: 29 Queen Square, pt. 1 | 10:15 | |
| 13 | 13 - Ch. 6: Bath: 29 Queen Square, pt. 2 | 7:35 | |
| 14 | 14 - Ch. 7: Introducing Sundry New Characters, pt. 1 | 13:04 | |
| 15 | 15 - Ch. 7: Introducing Sundry New Characters, pt. 2 | 10:46 | |
| 16 | 16 - Ch. 8: The Biter Bit, pt. 1 | 8:33 | |
| 17 | 17 - Ch. 8: The Biter Bit, pt. 2 | 9:24 | |
| 18 | 18 - Ch. 9: Lady O'Hara Intervenes, pt. 1 | 6:57 | |
| 19 | 19 - Ch. 9: Lady O'Hara Intervenes, pt. 2 | 7:06 | |
| 20 | 20 - Ch. 10: Lady O'Hara Retires, pt. 1 | 6:05 | |
| 21 | 21 - Ch. 10: Lady O'Hara Retires, pt. 2 | 6:19 | |
| 22 | 22 - Ch. 11: My Lord turns Rescuer and comes nigh ending his Life, pt. 1 | 7:41 | |
| 23 | 23 - Ch. 11: My Lord turns Rescuer and comes nigh ending his Life, pt. 2 | 6:56 | |
| 24 | 24 - Ch. 12: My Lord dictates his Letter and receives a Visitor, pt. 1 | 8:00 | |
| 25 | 25 - Ch. 12: My Lord dictates his Letter and receives a Visitor, pt. 2 | 9:16 | |
| 26 | 26 - Ch. 13: My Lord makes his Bow, pt. 1 | 9:45 | |
| 27 | 27 - Ch. 13: My Lord makes his Bow, pt. 2 | 10:03 | |
| 28 | 28 - Ch. 14: Mistress Diana is Unmaidenly, pt. 1 | 6:49 | |
| 29 | 29 - Ch. 14: Mistress Diana is Unmaidenly, pt. 2 | 8:04 | |
| 30 | 30 - Ch. 15: O'Hara's Mind is made up, pt. 1 | 13:15 | |
| 31 | 31 - Ch. 15: O'Hara's Mind is made up, pt. 2 | 12:15 | |
| 32 | 32 - Ch. 16: Mr. Bettison Proposes, pt. 1 | 7:43 | |
| 33 | 33 - Ch. 16: Mr. Bettison Proposes, pt. 2 | 7:05 | |
| 34 | 34 - Ch. 17: Lady O'Hara wins her Point, pt. 1 | 7:52 | |
| 35 | 35 - Ch. 17: Lady O'Hara wins her Point, pt. 2 | 7:48 | |
| 36 | 36 - Ch. 18: Enter Captain Harold Lovelace, pt. 1 | 10:01 | |
| 37 | 37 - Ch. 18: Enter Captain Harold Lovelace, pt. 2 | 10:43 | |
| 38 | 38 - Ch. 19: The Reappearance of His Grace of Andover, pt. 1 | 15:00 | |
| 39 | 39 - Ch. 19: The Reappearance of His Grace of Andover, pt. 2 | 12:42 | |
| 40 | 40 - Ch. 20: His Grace of Andover takes a Hand in the Game, pt. 1 | 6:14 | |
| 41 | 41 - Ch. 20: His Grace of Andover takes a Hand in the Game, pt. 2 | 7:34 | |
| 42 | 42 - Ch. 21: Mrs. Fanshawe Lights a Fire and O'Hara fans the Flame, pt. 1 | 7:30 | |
| 43 | 43 - Ch. 21: Mrs. Fanshawe Lights a Fire and O'Hara fans the Flame, pt. 2 | 6:47 | |
| 44 | 44 - Ch. 22: Developments, pt. 1 | 12:40 | |
| 45 | 45 - Ch. 22: Developments, pt. 2 | 8:03 | |
| 46 | 46 - Ch. 23: Lady Lavinia goes to the Play, pt. 1 | 10:56 | |
| 47 | 47 - Ch. 23: Lady Lavinia goes to the Play, pt. 2 | 10:15 | |
| 48 | 48 - Ch. 24: Richard Plays the Man, pt. 1 | 7:20 | |
| 49 | 49 - Ch. 24: Richard Plays the Man, pt. 2 | 8:06 | |
| 50 | 50 - Ch. 25: His Grace of Andover Captures the Queen, pt. 1 | 9:17 | |
| 51 | 51 - Ch. 25: His Grace of Andover Captures the Queen, pt. 2 | 9:31 | |
| 52 | 52 - Ch. 26: My Lord Rides to Frustrate His Grace, pt. 1 | 8:10 | |
| 53 | 53 - Ch. 26: My Lord Rides to Frustrate His Grace, pt. 2 | 6:45 | |
| 54 | 54 - Ch. 27: My Lord Enters by the Window, pt. 1 | 5:31 | |
| 55 | 55 - Ch. 27: My Lord Enters by the Window, pt. 2 | 8:13 | |
| 56 | 56 - Ch. 28: In which what Threatened to be Tragedy turns to Comedy, pt. 1 | 10:48 | |
| 57 | 57 - Ch. 28: In which what Threatened to be Tragedy turns to Comedy, pt. 2 | 9:27 | |
| 58 | 58 - Ch. 29: Lady O'Hara Triumphant, pt. 1 | 4:26 | |
| 59 | 59 - Ch. 29: Lady O'Hara Triumphant, pt. 2 | 4:03 | |
| 60 | 60 - Epilogue | 3:56 |
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