I picked up the Grand Sophy because it seemed to be the universal favourite, liked it, and found a copy of the Unfinished Clue immediately after; which I found an indifferent-to-dumb solution-to-the-mystery but a much more worthy wild cast of characters and event to that end-point.

Since then, the only ones I've found without spending new-book prices were Lady of Quality, which, even with that thin reading, did indeed read like a weak mockery (Although it positively shone compared to the Heyer-imitation regency I read shortly thereafter, which had ahistorical bits to make me wince, and I don't know the period nearly that well) and the Talisman Ring, which is still on the great unread shelves.

And I was warned off Simon the Coldheart and My Lord John.

So,m in short, thank you for the lsit of which other titles to look for.