The Unknown Ajax

Gossip, scandal and an unforgettable Regency romance

By: Georgette Heyer

Narrated by: Thomas Judd

Length: 11 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

Miles from anywhere, the isolated mansion Darracott Place is presided over by the irascible Lord Darracott.

The recent drowning of his eldest son has done nothing to improve his temper. For now he must send for the unknown offspring of the uncle whom the family are never permitted to mention. Yet none of that beleaguered family are prepared for the arrival of the weaver's brat and heir apparent....

Yet again Georgette Heyer shows the qualities that made her one of the most successful and best-loved romantic novelists of her age, and why her popularity endures to this day.

©1959 Georgette Heyer (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Absolutely delicious tales of Regency heroes.... Utter, immersive escapism." (Sophie Kinsella)

"One of my perennial comfort authors. Heyer's books are as incisively witty and quietly subversive as any of Jane Austen's." (Joanne Harris)

"Heart-stoppingly gorgeous." (Harriet Evans)

"Georgette Heyer is second to none." (Sunday Times)

Well done

Loved it. Great story, well narrated . Great author.
Many thanks to Penguin Audible.

Well done classic

Classic Heyer witty entertaining story and very well done voice acting by the narrator. The dialects were particularly good.

Fabulous story and great reading

This is a really excellent and engaging audiobook reading of this interesting story full of fascinating characters!

This is one of my favorite Heyer books.

I don’t know how many times I’ve read it just that my paperback finally fell apart.
The characters are wonderful, I suspect my favorite is the same as everyone else’s, Hugo.
I still have a number of her books to read but am so happy to have this old friend available for a visit whenever I want.

Excellent!

I’ve always loved this light hearted story. The narration is excellent, smoothly changing from one accent or character to the next. Hugo’s Yorkshire accent is perfect!

Liked it more the longer I listened

I gave up on this after just a few minutes the first time I tried to listen to it. The narration sounded incredibly flat and I couldn’t bear to listen any longer. I’m glad I tried again and persevered longer on the second try, it’s actually a good narration! Just some weird intonation (or lack of) initially, as the scene is set.

Excellent Narrator

Georgette Heyer is one of my favorite authors so I knew the story would be excellent. I was blown away with the perfection of the narration. Each character had a unique voice without the reader stretching his voice. Well done!

Great voice acting

Georgette Heyer's books are wonderful in print, but the audiobooks add so much life and colour. Thomas Judd's narration is wonderful, especially his Yorkshire accent for Hugo Darracott. As an Australlian, I'd never been able to "hear" it in my head whilst reading the print version. Bravo!

One of my favorite Heyer books!

One of Ms. Heyer's best. The narrator was a pleasure to listen to. Now if we can just get The Toll House, The Reluctant Widow, and a few others.

Quite a different hero

In this late novel Heyer turns her world on its head, relegating her standard Corinthian and Dandy heroes to secondary roles in favor of a seeming yokel who proves superior to them both. His love story, with overtones of Shakespeare’s Benedick and Beatrice, will charm you, and help you wade through the tedious smuggling subplot, (For Heyer’s better use of this device try her matchless The Talisman Ring). Good narration.