The Toll Gate

Ice and his gang hold up a stagecoach and encounter San Francisco vice king Bates and his innocent niece Betty Werdin. Outlaw Black Deering leads a band of desperadoes, but decides to give up the bandit life. Agreeing to go on one last job with his gang, he is captured when his henchman Jordan betrays the gang for the reward. Deering escapes and determines to avenge himself on Jordan.

Hart wants to retire after his gang's latest robbery but they convince him to go after one more score.

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His partner ends up selling him out for the reward money and Deering swears vengeance no matter how long it takes. He manages to escape from the posse and ends up on a small farm where he saves the life of a young boy and becomes apart of his mother's life. Soon Deering wants to start life fresh with them but his past is close behind. In all seriousness, if you've seen one Hart picture then you basically get the same story one film to the next but it says a lot about the persona of Hart that he managed to make each film so fresh and exciting even when it offers up nothing new.

At minutes the film never gets boring as we're treated to some nice drama as well as a couple very good action scenes. The opening scenes of the men trying to rob the train were pretty exciting and the ending with Hart trying to track down the man who set him up also offers some nice tension. The majority of the film features the same old story of Hart being a very bad man who falls for a woman who then makes him want to change his ways. At least in this film his character goes through a transformation where the viewer can at least understand and see why he would want to change his ways.

There are several cute scenes between the little boy and Hart that really make the film stand out. The boy never got to know his real father so he looks forward to having a new dad in his life and this here makes for some very good moments. Hart fits the role with ease as by this time he could do this type of role in his sleep.

He's benefited from a very strong supporting cast including Anna Q. Nilsson as the mother and Richard Headrick as the kid. Tom Jordan does a very good job playing the snake who turns Hart in. The film also benefits from some authentic scenery that really helps build up an atmosphere of being in the Old West. While the story is something we've seen before, the film is a good example of how you can bring fresh life to an old tale and with Hart's performance you walk away satisfied. Everything comes down to those caves, they either break a man, or make a man, there is no in between. And Captain Staple is about to find out just how cold an underground river can get.

I love how Heyer did this book, it's one of my favorites of her Regencies. There's no balls, not dancing none of the usual Regency plot at all in fact! But there is suspense, and a surprising ending. I truly didn't think it would end how it did. I'm glad it ended the way it did though What made this five stars was that I liked every character. No, they weren't all likable, but they were all interesting; none of them irritated me. A sort of mix between the two but with a military background.

Also, Jerry Chirk is a lot like the highwayman in Lorna Doone. Which, I liked even if he is "bad" Miss Nell Stornaway is independent, headstrong and completely likable. She and Jack are unusual, they are both horribly tall for other people's tastes, but perfect for each other. She was a bit like the heroine from Eye of the Wind , they are both tall, capable ladies who have their own ideas on how young ladies should behave. And both fall for men seemingly far below themselves.

The flavor of this book is similar to Georgette Heyer's The Reluctant Widow , I'm not going to say why as it'd give everything away, but if you liked that one, I'd try this. Mild swearing to none existent. No talk of mistresses as in other Heyer's View all 43 comments. Georgette Heyer departs from what romance readers can expect by crafting a HR where the story told is completely from the hero's POV rather than that of the heroine for a refreshing change. A very thrilling and interesting mystery takes up the better part of the story and here also, GH includes a wide array of colorful supporting characters from the "lower orders" that I qu Georgette Heyer Group January BOTM This is not my first read of this book, but instead, it's an old friend and favorite.

A very thrilling and interesting mystery takes up the better part of the story and here also, GH includes a wide array of colorful supporting characters from the "lower orders" that I quite enjoyed and are interesting and carefully drawn in their own right with their own lives and concerns. I don't usually enjoy child characters and their "doings" all that much. At best they are tolerated, but I just love 11 year old Ben, the gatekeeper's son--such a good sort of boy and easy to like--not at all a nuisance to anyone or to me, the reader.

There is also a very sweet secondary romance as well. Unable to endure his stuffy cousin's engagement party more than one night and tired of his mother and sister's matchmaking schemes, Captain John Staple sets out for his friend's hunting box. Much to his dismay, he gets a late start, his horse loses a shoe on the moors and he takes a wrong turn and ends up in the middle of nowhere, Derbyshire in a rain storm.

Finding a toll-gate, John demands entry to the pike, hoping to spend the night in the nearest town.

The gate is opened by a ten-year-old bo Unable to endure his stuffy cousin's engagement party more than one night and tired of his mother and sister's matchmaking schemes, Captain John Staple sets out for his friend's hunting box. The gate is opened by a ten-year-old boy, wet, cold and afraid. Ben's father, the toll keeper, has disappeared and Ben doesn't know where he is or when he will return. John, wet and tired and also intensely curious, decides to spend the night until Mr. Brean has not returned by morning and John, always up for an adventure, takes on the role of toll-keeper. One of his first customers is Miss Nell Stornaway, the Squire's granddaughter.

Suddenly, John's reasons for staying increase. Miss Nell is not a young miss nor is she missish.

She's taken over the management of the estate from her ill grandfather and cares for the old man as he lays dying. Now her cousin and grandfather's heir, Henry and his sleazy friend Nat Coate are staying at the Manor and Nell is sure they're up to no good. John wonders if Henry Stornaway's arrival has anything to do with the mysterious disappearance of the toll-keeper and if so, what is the connection. With the help of a highwayman with a heart of gold, John sets out to solve the mystery and protect Miss Nell with all his heart and body.

This is an unconventional novel for Heyer. The hero doesn't even appear until the second page and he doesn't speak until page 6.

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There are kisses in the middle of the book and more romance than most of her other novels. I'm not complaining though, I enjoy a good, sweet romance. The plot reads like a copycat for the first half but the last half sparkles with her usual wit and intelligence. Only Heyer could create such quirky characters and infuse humor into a mystery plot. John is a great hero, he's an alpha hero but he's not arrogant or angry and never loses his temper. Nell is one of my favorite heroines. She's strong, intelligent and capable of taking care of herself. The romance is a bit unbelievable given the time frame it happens in but I like the couple together and think they'll suit very well.

Nell has just the right temperament to deal with John. I adored the secondary romance which made me giggle a lot. The mystery is impossible to solve and kept me turning the page far too late into the night. I can't believe I hadn't read this one before because now it's one of my favorites! View all 4 comments. I think I've just found another Heyer favourite. There is absolutely nothing to dislike here. I really liked it. I mean, there are villains you are supposed to dislike and want them dead and stuff, but that's part of the story.

I can't possibly do it and its character justice, but the main reason I loved it this much is Captain John Staple. This is one of those stories where Heyer didn't take her sweet time to introduce everyone. There is something for everyone.

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There's a p 4. There's a protagonist who seems to be a trouble magnet, there's a young woman who takes care of an ill grandfather, there are real villains not the redeeming kind , there's an eleven year old boy who really wants the captain to stay and protect him, there are great people working for the girl's family and so much more. Also, where can I find a John Staple of my own? Jan 21, Seema Khan rated it really liked it. The Toll Gate was an interesting read and my rating is hovering somewhere between 3.

The best feature of this book for me is it's outstanding characterisation, which is typical Heyer, with an incredulous hero, equally matched heroine, a strong and inexorable grandfather, an amazingly natural urchin and a good natured highwayman ever ready to take offense. And that is what pushed my rating f The Toll Gate was an interesting read and my rating is hovering somewhere between 3. And that is what pushed my rating from 3. The story is about the adventurous Captain John Staple or Crazy Jack, and as the name suggests, he is obstinately crazy and is most unsurprisingly found in scrapes no one would ever think of!

So, suitably matching his habit of getting into unprecedented tangles, he finds himself minding an unmanned toll gate with a mystery hanging about the disappearance of the gatekeeper and an urchin at his disposal to be taken care of. The details of the story and the plot may be gathered from several earlier posts and the book summary at GR, so I will concentrate on my perceptions of the book. Mind you, this ain't a regular romance, hardly much of it to be seen in here, but it is more of a mystery and a good and exciting one at that!

The character of Captain John Staple is dynamic to say the least. He has an incredible presence to his credit and is very kind, intelligent and ingenious at the same time. The most striking feature of his character is his ability to switch from one phase to another without much trouble. He can be the vulgar cant bantering gatekeeper without an ounce of sophistication in him at one time and a very kind and empathetic listener and comforter with very agreeable manners endowed within him at the next.

He is handsome to behold and of a mountainous size towering well over everyone around him. He is also tolerably good at handling a kitchen and manages to keep his wardrobe and dress himself without his man at his disposal.

The Toll Booth

So when the hero is so incredible, shouldn't he have a suitable heroine to match him? Here enters Miss Nell Stornaway in her overgrown size closer to 6 feet, for John does say she is taller than his sister, who herself stands at five feet and nine inches to give him a leveller at first glance and has him loose his balance. Nell Stornaway is very much my kind of heroine, not a diamond if the first water but kind, compassionate, understanding and a fighter, but sadly she has not a very big part to play throughout the book.

And she is definitely a change from the regular misses and a complete match to the Captain for her notions of propriety do not very much match with those of Society. Sir Peter Stornaway is one emphatically strong character of astounding mettle. Even in the obvious face of death he is anxious to do right by his granddaughter and pulls and holds on till he has not settled everything to the rights and to his satisfaction.

He is a very perceptive and discerning man with a glorious past and keen determination to keep his family name unsullied. His was the most impressive character of the book for me and I could not help but like him immensely and feel his death harshly through the pages. The next character I liked best, rather I loved, was that of Ben.

The way he shrieks from being cleansed and his innocent, childish ways of groping for security and loving to live in unadulterated childhood playfulness is what catches the attention.

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Also, his perceptions of the adult nature and ever readiness not to disoblige any of the elders for fear of some scary though unreal punishments is very heart wrenching. Rose Durward is also one likeable character and tends to be very endearing in her loving scoldings, like one of those good natured matrons putting up a tough exterior.

Bred to high propriety she astonishingly falls for a highwayman and cherishes unshared dreams of having a happy married life with him, though not sure of its fulfilment. Jerry Chirk, a highwayman and Rose's love interest is not bad either. Though his cant was the most difficult to comprehend, his character was nevertheless interesting. Henry Stornaway is a person with a long tongue and no discipline and faithfulness in him.

While Nathaniel Coate is one really cold blooded and black villain. Secondary characters of Lydd and Stogumber were also very realistically designed and executed. Overall, the story is intriguing and very different with new twists and has an ability to keep the reader wanting to know the next turn of events, which is absolutely a sign that the author has been successful in achieving the expected intrigue. Too much thieves cant in it for my taste!

There were lines together where I could not make a word of what was happening and that was a damper! Also, I would have liked a more elaborate ending, with some note on what happens to the manor, how Ben takes to being taken up with Jerry and also a glimpse at Nell and John's eccentric and adventurous life and his family's surprise at having to directly welcome a daughter in law!

But then some thoughts are better left on the reader's imagination and to be supposed to be the obvious. Georgette Heyer fans should have a read of this work of hers at least once This is one of the few Heyers I didn't actually read back during my Heyer phase in Still picking it up now when I just felt like reading more Heyer, it's actually just as good as the others!

Of course it is, it's Georgette Heyer! John is a champ, he's an oddball and can always be found doing random things, such as becoming the gatekeeper of a toll gate when he ar This is one of the few Heyers I didn't actually read back during my Heyer phase in John is a champ, he's an oddball and can always be found doing random things, such as becoming the gatekeeper of a toll gate when he arrives at it by accident only to find it looked after by young Ben.

So he becomes the gate keeper temporarily, taking on a new identity until he becomes embroiled in a mystery.



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Nell, is the granddaughter of Sir Peter Stornaway, the squire of the locality. And she frequently passes through the toll gate, which is how she meets and falls in love with John. While the romance is a good part of this novel, unlike her other regency stories, it does take a passenger seat for once. It's adorable and sweet, but for me, in this Heyer, I was more amused by the interactions of John and all the other supporting characters, such as: Chirk, the man who doesn't want to be a highwayman anymore, Ben, the kid who was left behind, Sir Peter, the future grandfather in law, Stogumber, the Bow Street Runner, and my favourite!

Mr Babbacombe is the friend that John was on his way to visiting before he got lost and thus sidetracked. Why do I like him? Because he's the source of amusement in this book! The funny character, the piece of comedy that Heyer always includes in her works, see: In fact, we had a bit of a turn-up.

But again, unlike some of these aforementioned titles, the Toll Gate is mystery first and romance second. Again, good fun for lovers of Austen! Where Jane Austen is serious, Georgette Heyer's regencies generally come off as incredibly funny! I love this book. Nell is one of Heyers older, sensible heroines, and John is steady as a rock but very nosy and delighted to stumble across mysterious and sinister goings on. Heyer is in top-form here, there are a host of memorable secondary characters, and the language is simply wonderful.

John to his mother: And if one did," he added t Umpteenth re-read. And if one did," he added thoughtfully, "It's Lombard Street to a China orange you wouldn't take to her! He stood as though stunned, for he had received his leveller at last. You hand over the half of a fiddle! I thought you was a cawker. Henry's man--ain't no better than a clunch--and oyster-faced at that!

Whatever it is them pair o' shog-bags is up to, he's in it, up to the chin! You are commenting using your WordPress. You are commenting using your Twitter account. You are commenting using your Facebook account. Notify me of new comments via email. Notify me of new posts via email. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Rhapsody In Books with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

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