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    Lady Audley's Secret
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    Lady Audley's Secret
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    Lady Audley's Secret
    Ebook533 pages9 hours

    Lady Audley's Secret

    By Mary Elizabeth Braddon

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    Lady Audley's Secret was one of the first and most successful sensation novels of the late 19th century. A young gentleman of leisure, Robert Audley, is spurred into action when his friend Geroge Talboys goes missing from Audley Court. As an amateur detective, Robert travels the length and breadth of the country, only to discover that the answer to the mystery lies in the true identity of his uncle's wife, Lady Audley.


    True to its genre, the novel brings danger home to the private sphere of the country house and questions the unassailable boundaries of class. It is also a strident feminine criticism of the times, though debate still rages as to whether Braddon tidies her questions away too neatly at the end of the novel.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSheba Blake Publishing
    Release dateJun 28, 2015
    ISBN9789635274819
    Author

    Mary Elizabeth Braddon

    Mary Elizabeth Braddon (1835–1915) was a Victorian English author best known for her sensation novels. She was rather prolific, having written more than eighty novels in her lifetime. In 1862, Braddon published Lady Audley’s Secret, a rousing success that earned her a fortune. She also founded Belgravia magazine, which serialized sensation novels, biographies, poems, and essays; and wrote supernatural fiction, such as Gerald: Or, The World, the Flesh and the Devil. Braddon’s works have endured through the years and been adapted into films and television shows.   

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    Reviews for Lady Audley's Secret

    4/5

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    • 5/5
      I've read my fill of mystery/suspense stories and I must say that this was one of the better ones, in my opinion. Although it was published in the mid 1800's, the story line still felt fresh. Lots of build- up and even midway through I was not knowing where we would go next. I don't want to say too much, as to what happens, as "the secret" is the primary focus of the novel.

      What I can say is that I was kept guessing throughout. There was one point in the book where I thought something was going to happen and I had to hold my breath and keep turning pages. My guess was wrong, which I was happy to see.

      The main characters were diverse and Lady Audley was portrayed perfectly; I would loved to see a photo of her. She is described as being incredibly beautiful, childish and doll-like, Robert Audley who plays the detective reminded me of a young Bruce Willis, laid-back, witty and forever the bachelor.

      This was a very enjoyable, quick read and I will be checking out more of Braddon's work. I can imagine that this novel made her hugely popular at the time of it's release.
    • 4/5
      I liked this rather more than I expected when I first picked it up. The pacing is generally good (with only one or two stumbles), and the mystery(/ies) continue to build throughout the story, even as there seem to be resolutions in sight. Many of the characters are as they seem, but not what they seem... A rollicking good read, with at times curiously good turns of phrase.
    • 4/5
      Although a contemporary of both Dickens and Trollope, I found M.E. Braddon’s “sensation novel” an easy read compared to those two authors, whose works I also enjoy.The book is full of vivid descriptions, hidden identities, secrets and conspiracies hinted at. Young Robert Audley is a laconic and highly unlikely detective.With its gothic foreboding, the plot is telegraphed, and possibly, readers may find the novel too slow for our era of fast-paced mysteries.I enjoyed the book, but felt things might have been wound up a little faster towards the end. Recommended for all lovers of Victorian literature.
    • 4/5
      A large rambling mansion surrounded by beautiful gardens, a beautiful young woman brilliantly wedded who hides secrets which she must keep at all costs... this novel has all the ingredients of a Gothic extravaganza. When Sir Michael Audley takes Lucy Graham, a humble governess of great beauty as his wife, everyone in the town of Audley is enchanted by the match. Sir Michael has been a sad widower for so many years, and now has found true love with a woman who manages to delight everyone she meets with her great charm, good graces, and china doll perfect good looks. Sir Michael's nephew, the young Robert Audley is fascinated by Lucy much like everyone else, but when his best friend George Talboys recently arrived from a long stay in Australia goes missing after having visited Audley Court, he begins suspecting that something is afoul and decides to pry into Lucy's mysteriously blank past. A very satisfying adventure, though I must admit the mystery aspect offered me no great surprises as I had put the pieces together from the first few chapters. All the same, the way in which the characters evolve and the story itself is put together offered plenty of satisfaction. Another touch of Gothic thrills worked into the tale is the presence of a portrait of Lady Audley painted by a Pre-Raphaëlite artist that shows a side of Lucy that only the artist seems to have noticed. The portrait plays a crucial role in the story, but the almost surreal appeal of the painting also brought to mind The Picture of Dorian Gray, which may or may not have been influenced by Lady Audley, but which certainly shares a complexity of themes with it's precursor. Heartily recommended.
    • 4/5
      Upon his return from the gold fields of Australia,, George Talboys runs into his old friend, Robert Audley. Talboys can think of nothing but his reunion with the wife and child he left behind, and he is devastated to learn of his wife's death just days before his arrival. Audley takes his grieving friend under his wing, and he invites Talboys to go with him to visit the family estate. Robert's widowed uncle has recently married a much younger woman, and Robert has yet to meet his new aunt, who seems strangely reluctant to meet him. Then his friend George disappears, and Robert feels compelled to solve the mystery.This book is similar to many of the recently-written historical mysteries I've read, and in some ways it seems fresher. I particularly enjoyed spotting Braddon's references to contemporary culture and events like the U.S. Civil War. I was surprised by the book's religious content. Biblical language and allusions are sprinkled throughout the novel. I liked the way Braddon built suspense as Robert became more and more suspicious of Lady Audley's behavior. I was slightly disappointed by the ending, and I wish that Braddon had resolved things a little differently. Lady Audley's Secret reads a lot like a Wilkie Collins novel, and it's a book that every fan of historical mysteries needs to read at some point.
    • 4/5
      Really enjoyed this book. It is a typical classic, and the "sensational" matter described is tame by our standards, but still enjoyable.
    • 4/5
      Lady Audley's Secret provided me hours of enjoyment. I only wonder why I haven't read this Victorian novel before. After wading through Wuthering Heights, my choice was not to read another novel of that period right now. That's one of the reasons I was so pleasantly surprised. The novel charms on several dimensions. Mary Braddon uses her powers of description to place you squarely in the middle of Audley Court and the rambling house built and added onto over many generations with its massive and, at times frightening gardens. In addition, she keeps the novel moving with a full gamut of characters from good to bad and in-between. All of this results in a book that's bound to keep you turning pages.Although the mystery of the book is not up to that of Wilkie's best, it still does allow you to ponder exactly what did transpire and how. For anyone a fan of this genre , this book is a must. I still can't believe that I was not lead to read this book years ago. It's a winner by far.
    • 4/5
      For some reason, I wasn't expecting much out of this classic novel, and it sat on my shelves for more than just a few months. However, once I started reading, I couldn't put "Lady Audley's Secret" down.The plot line is this: A beautiful young woman named Lucy has recently married Sir Michael Audley, a rich older man, and comes to stay at the prestigious Audley Court manor. Sir Audley's daughter is jealous of her newfound rival, but everyone else seems fascinated and delighted at the new little mistress.But when Sir Michael's nephew Robert and his friend George Talboys come to stay, strange things begin to happen. Talboys mysteriously disappears one day, and no one seems to have the slightest idea where he has gone.Robert sets out to find him, but the trail that the mystery leads him down becomes increasingly darker and shocking.Written in 1862, this book was much more lightly written and easy to get through than other contemporary books of that time, such as the works of the Bronte sisters. I noticed this at once, and I found it very entertaining. The characters of this book are quite well drawn, and it is, not surprisingly, Lady Audley who is most memorable. She is a perfectly beautiful and charming young woman who would have been, in her time, the ideal lady. That is, from an outsider's point of view. As the story progresses, we see that behind her mask of sweetness, she hides a much darker, terrible nature. Braddon gives us clues of this early on, which are not all that difficult to catch. For example, the unfinished painting of her, in which she is depicted as a "beautiful fiend." It seems that the artist who painted Lucy saw beyond her pretty smile and further into her true nature. It is also mentioned that Lucy does not like happy tunes, but rather "somber and melancholy" music. Despite being extremely interesting, however, I left the story still wanting to see a bit more into Lady Audley's darker side. She is not the main character, but rather the villain, so we do not spend so many scenes with her as the title may suggest. We are able to assume her maliciousness and twisted thoughts, because we learn of her actions. However, I never really 'felt' these crimes enough.I loved the character of Robert Audley, who is a smooth and normally quite lazy barrister. He seemed quite arrogant and irritating in the beginning, and I couldn't help but picture him as Malfoy (from the Harry Potter books - their characters follow me no matter what I read!). However, by the end of the book, he had become a very likable character. If a book must have a main character, it would certainly be Robert, and most of the book follows his actions as he searches for his friend. His relentless loyalty to George Talboys was admirable, and the manner in which he deals with his discoveries is thoughful to his uncle while still seeking justice. The pacing of this book was well done and made it easy to continue reading. Short chapters were normally left off in cliff-hangers, since the story was first published in serial form. I loved the chilly Gothic elements to this book, described just as Gothic passages should be - dark, foreboding, mysterious, with just a touch of strange beauty. The descriptions of the Audley manor were my favorite, and I really got a sense of the setting. What better house for this mystery than a very old, oddly built mansion with secret passageways?If you are one of those people who loves trying to figure out the outcome of a mystery before the detective does - look no further. You will definitely be able to quickly realize the culprit here, as the author makes it quite obvious. However, for this particular story, it worked, and never affected my interest in the plot.Though it is obvious who is responsible for George's disappearance, and why, we are still left wondering about how.In a way, knowing before George knows makes the story even more engaging. I felt as if I had seen the end of a movie and now decided to watch the rest of it. I knew what would happen, but I wanted to see how the characters would make the discovery.This book certainly exceeded my expectations, and I am looking forward to discovering more of Braddon's work.Recommended!
    • 4/5
      This is a delightful Victorian Gothic novel, full of suspense and intrigue. Braddon's book has all of the elements of a good Victorian suspense tale: a country estate inhabited by the landed gentry, a pining lover, and a Victorian lady who is not what she seems. George Talboys arrives home from Australia to discover his wife has died. Robert Audley, seeing his friend mad with grief, brings George to Audley Court, his uncle's country estate. It is at Audley Court that Talboys mysteriously vanishes. As Robert investigates his friend's disappearance, it becomes clear that the prime suspect is the lady of the court, Robert's new aunt, Lady Audley. Beautiful and child-like, the fact that Lady Audley may be a cold-blooded murderer adds a particularly horrifying twist for a Victorian readership. Anyone who thinks that the Victorians couldn't produce a page-turner should have a look at this book. Braddon effectively creates a dark and suspenseful atmosphere. While she relies on particularly Victorian conventions to do this, such as stressing Lady Audley's hyper-femininity, the result is still sufficiently gripping, even for the modern reader.
    • 3/5
      Lady Audley's Secret, first published in 1862, is a sensationalist Victorian thriller and Mary Elizabeth Braddon's most famous novel. Braddon was a contemporary of Wilkie Collins and Charles Dickens, and while Lady Audley's Secret is not quite up to the standard of Collins' best work, it is a respectable addition to the genre of Victorian potboilers. Despite — or perhaps because of — its scandalous content, it was extremely popular when it was published and remains a favorite with many readers today.Robert Audley is a lethargic barrister whose wealthy uncle Sir Michael Audley has recently married a young governess named Lucy Graham. Robert has heard much of the new Lady Audley's beauty and winning ways, and decides to pay his uncle and adult cousin Alicia a visit. He brings his friend George Talboys, who has lately returned from Australia's gold fields only to learn that his wife Helen just died. While they are at Audley Court, George mysteriously disappears. Robert is certain that George was murdered, but why would anyone want to kill the disconsolate widower? Though naturally of an indolent temperament, Robert finds himself spurred into action on behalf of his friend. But as he digs into the past of his new aunt, Robert realizes that there can be no happy ending, even if justice is served.The mystery isn't really what you think... the culprit and the crime are pretty clear from the start, and Braddon takes only the most basic and obligatory precautions to shield the identity of the criminal from the reader as the story unfolds. But there is a twist that I wasn't expecting. I'll just say that the scene in which it is revealed is reminiscent of Collins in a particularly melodramatic mood.Lady Audley is a fairly well-written character, though she lacks the menace of Austen's Lady Susan Vernon. At the end the doctor describes her as having the cunning of madness with the intelligence of sanity, a dangerous combination. I found Braddon's view of women to be somewhat obscure. Several of her female characters in this story are inveterate plotters; some are clever with the luck of impulse and emotion; some are honest and true; some are passionate and compelling. I was struck with Braddon's description of the bitter quarrels between women; at one point Robert muses "how eager these women are to betray one another!" I can see why some critics read a feminist subtext into the story, but it's hard to believe that Braddon herself would condone Lady Audley's actions in the name of women's liberation. And some of the other feminist ideas, that the book is all about caged female sexuality and such, seem a bit eisegetical to me.What is a Victorian novel without its digressions? Braddon is very conscious of hers and adds them in with a flourish. For the most part they were well written in themselves, but somehow didn't mesh seamlessly with the story. They could have been excised from the story with no disruption to the flow of the narrative, and I don't think the same could be said of the digressive flights of similar authors. I'm not advocating their omission, just noting how noticeable they were in the pattern of the story.Lady Audley's Secret is sensational not just for the suspense but also for its inversion of so many Victorian ideals about the angelically beautiful mistress of the home. While I did not love it, I found it fairly enjoyable. I'll probably look for more of Braddon's many novels.
    • 5/5
      Robert Audley, not the most highly motivated individual, finds himself investigating the disappearance of his friend, George Talboys, who is somehow linked to Robert’s aunt, the charming and beautiful – not to mention recent - Lady Audley. Almost universally adored, particularly by her doting husband, Lady Audley has a past that she is desperate to keep from her interfering step-nephew. Robert is an unusual romantic hero, in that he is not the least inclined to be romantic, or to move himself to great emotion or action; until, that is, he finds the puzzle of his friend’s disappearance taking on a sinister aspect. I enjoyed him, and Braddon’s other characters, enormously; her writing ranges from slightly preachy, to tongue-in-cheek, to deliciously wry - which vacillating makes it hard to rate this as ‘perfect’, but I was duly entertained and intrigued. The majority of the plot is too projected to be regarded a ‘mystery’, although we await enough important details to keep us hanging on; the real point was, I think, the scandal and, although I didn’t expect to be much moved by it, I discovered that I was actually upset on Lord Audley’s behalf, and therefore more involved in it than I expected.**spoiler warning on*** If there’s a flaw for me, it’s more era-induced than anything else; for all the importance attached to this novel regarding its highlighting of female roles at the time, there’s all this ‘poor Georging’ in the wake of his disappearance, ignoring the conduct that drove his wife to act on her shallow, greedy instincts - he abandoned her and their son on the spur of the moment, to seek his fortune overseas, without discussing it with her first, or staying in contact afterwards, and all the emphasis is on how noble he was for coming home to her. Given Braddon’s (hopefully) ironic narrative on the subject of femininity, I would have expected a shot or two over the bow of the good ship misogynist on this point, too… or perhaps it was just too subtle for me. **spoiler warning off***This is certainly one of the more entertaining classic-fiction mysteries I’ve read recently, though. The moral distress incited by the scandal may be subdued by societal evolution, but there’s definitely remnant enough to propel the reader along with Robert Audley. I’ll probably look out for more of her novels and stories, although reviews seem to indicate that this is Braddon’s defining work.
    • 4/5
      There are three ways to read this book: directly, as a Victorian sensation novel; historically, as a contemporary account of the language, society and literary tastes of another era; or as a feminist diatribe about the physical and legal oppression of women in the 1850s. I began in the first camp, yet could definitely appreciate the social injustice of the time Mary Braddon was writing about by the end, and thoroughly enjoyed the story!Lady Audley is not a feminist heroine, or even a worthy villainess/black widow figure - compared to Beatrice Lacey in Philippa Gregory's 'Wideacre', or Du Maurier's Rebecca, she's barely even wicked! She is just selfish and cold-hearted, driven not by passion but by greed, and perpetrating the same wrongs that she accuses others of - and even when she raises herself above the poverty she was born into, she is not content. I didn't feel one whit of sympathy for her, or admire her audacity and cunning - perhaps because she was but poorly drawn as an antagonist. I'm sure Braddon was being bitterly ironic in painting the 'poor little woman' as a 'childlike' caricature of the Victorian 'angel in the house', replete with golden hair, wide blue eyes and a laugh like the 'peal of silvery bells', who blames her misdeeds on a fit of womanly hysteria, but not even the contrast of a sociopathic alter ego was enough to hold my interest in her pretty ways and constant rambling soliloquies. I love 'femmes fatales' and bewitching heroines, but Lady Audley is neither.Robert Audley, however, is a gem! He's a delightful if rather slapdash detective, raised out of his normal torpor as a barrister by name and professional flaneur by the disappearance of his friend, George Talboys. Granted, he does become a little wearisome during his monomaniacal quest for justice, and his habit of confiding in Lady Audley as a device to move the action along can be infuriating, but the matching of wits is engrossing to follow, despite the anticlimax of the outcome (I was hoping for a switch of identities, or an escape from punishment, but no - justice is served, and happy endings all round!) Read as it is, 'Lady Audley's Secret' is an entertaining light read (especially when divested of all introductions and footnotes in the attractive and highly readable Pocket Penguin Classics edition), full of the usual tropes of Victorian novels - gothic settings, melodrama, repressed sensuality, madness and death. Robert Audley is a dashing hero, and his cousin Alicia is an ascerbic yet attractive Marian Halcombe foil for his moody obsessions and nice-but-dim personality. There are some lush descriptions of Audley Court and Robert's bachelor pad in the city (stocked with French novels, canaries and stray dogs - make of that what you will), as well as an atmospheric application of storms, dark nights and fire. The social context of the novel is worth considering - wives were basically the possessions of their husbands, with limited respectable alternatives for living independently - but reading the story and not the subtext is much more fun!
    • 4/5
      I thoroughly enjoyed this Victorian mystery by Mary Elizabeth Braddon. It has everything one wants in a mystery - murder, secrets, madness, and twists galore. I loved the character of Robert Audley and found him to be quite charming. It was remarkable how much Ms. Braddon harped on the character of women in this novel in contrast to men, but it is a product of the times it was written in. I highly recommend it.
    • 3/5
      The gorgeous governess Lucy marries the much older and wealthier Sir Michael Audley, much to the dismay of his daughter Alicia. Michael's nephew Robert visits with his recently widowed friend George Talboys, who then mysteriously disappears. I was a little disappointed when I figured out the titular secret in the second chapter, but as I read on I discovered that solving that mystery is not the point of the book. This story is not a whodunit so much as it about the battle of wits between Robert and Lucy, all carefully kept within the bounds of Victorian propriety.I am usually wary of so-called "classics", after so many bleary-eyed attempts in school to discover the symbolism and hidden truths lurking somewhere between the lines, so I was pleasantly surprised to discover Braddon was a writer of thrillers for the general public. The footnotes in this particular edition were especially helpful given the large number of pop culture references. These take away from any timelessness this story might have had, but it was still fun to watch Robert connecting the dots and building up evidence.Robert is an intriguing character as he makes the slow transformation from lazy trust fund kid to passionate mystery solver. Alicia is delightfully obnoxious as well. The ending did not impress me much - it felt too neat, especially the final word on George Talboys's disappearance - but after hundreds of pages of build-up I suppose there wasn't much else to be done. It felt almost as if Braddon had written herself into a corner. All the same, it was a pleasant way to pass the time, if not a terribly memorable story.
    • 4/5
      A wonderful and exciting Victorian mystery and sensation novel, with strong female and male characters. Although the reader guesses what is afoot long before the protagonist, Robert Audley, this does not detract from the enjoyment of reading this book, and there are still plenty of secrets to reveal along the way.
    • 4/5
      This was the first book by M. E. Braddon that I have ever read and it was also the first sensation novel that I have read. It was a very successful novel at the time it was published and I can really see why people wanted to read it. The themes presented in the novel are enthralling and interesting as they show a different side of Victorian domesticity and draw a different portrait of Victorian women / wives / mothers. I really liked the main characters and I was curious to find out how the novel ends. The end did surprise me as I really thought that Lady Audley murdered her first husband. However, it turned out that her first husband did not die. Nevertheless, Lady Audley still receives punishment for the committed deeds and the other characters find happiness. The novel has a happy conclusion for the “good characters” but one can argue if it really is a successful conclusion. When we look at Alicia for example, we can argue if she is really happy marrying someone else, and not the man she is in love with, namely Robert Audley. Furthermore, readers must also consider Lady Audley’s sanity. Was she really a “madwoman” like her mother or just an ambitious woman who was dissatisfied with her low status and committed crimes in order to secure her new gained status? The novel is open for many interpretations; every reader has its own and that’s what I like about the book!
    • 4/5
      Since this is one of those books that to tell too much of the story would ruin it, I'm only giving you the bare bones. Baronet Sir Michael Audley takes himself a young, beautiful (but penniless) wife, but his eighteen year old daughter Alicia is not quite so enthralled with Lucy's charms. Sir Michael's nephew Robert Audley greets his old friend George Talboys on his return from the gold-fields of Australia, but George is anxious to reunite with the wife and child he left behind when he was unable to support them. An unexpected death notice in a local paper sets George's world upside down, although a trip with Robert to Audley Court opens up....... Well I'm not telling more than that, I am not into spoilers. This was a highly entertaining and readable mystery - yes you'll guess some of what's going to happen but trust me the author has a red-herring or two and plenty of twists and turns ahead for the reader. Braddon's style was very light and readable, not as heavy handed as some 19C authors can be and I really enjoyed her descriptions of the settings, particularly the very very old Audley Court and its grounds. This book should appeal to mystery fans as well as those looking for something new in 19C lit and perfect for those days when you're looking for something light, albeit with some substance as well.
    • 4/5
      This is a good one! Lady Audley was quite a delicious villain but her past showed other sides to the making of that role. It also gave some clear pictures of what women were up against in that society. I enjoyed reading this story and definitely will recommend it to others.
    • 4/5
      I really liked this novel! It's an example of sensationalism in Victorian literature, and it's a fun, quick read, unlike certain bricks-masquerading-as-books that Charles Dickens or George Eliot are known to have written. (I am a bit biased, I suppose.)There is a lot that could be said with regards to literary criticism or historical context for Lady Audley's Secret, but I don't think that knowledge is necessary to enjoy this novel. Like other sensationalist novels, this one has a mystery and a terrible crime and it's based loosely (or not so loosely) on actual headlines from the time. In this case, Robert Audley takes it upon himself to uncover his aunt Lady Audley's secrets - why did his friend George Talboys disappear after being with her (did she kill him?), who was she before she was Lucy Audley (was she really Helen Talboys?), and why, if she was Helen Talboys, did she fake her death and abandon her and George Talboys's infant son?
    • 3/5
      This should have been a better book than it was; tried to copy the really good authors like Trollope or Hardy, but it was not up to par with these despite the fact that the story line was good. Read in Maui around 2005 or so.
    • 4/5
      A heroine we don't like too very much. Some may find the treatment of women in this book to be a bit too callous, but I love this book because it is not at all expected of a late 19th century writer.
    • 5/5
      One of the better books I have read
    • 4/5
      I actually really enjoyed this novel, despite the stinky label of 'sensation fiction' that this book has been given. So, what? Sometimes it's good to read just for pleasure.
    • 4/5
      Quite a predictable detective tale, but with some surprising twists at the end that make it worth it. It's an enjoyable little book. It highlights very well the plight of the typical woman in Victorian society, although I sincerely hope (and believe) Lady Audley is an extreme and not a reality.
    • 4/5
      Lady Audley has a mysterious past and this is all about how she's willing to keep it from coming out. It's an interesting read and I really did enjoy how George Talboys uncovers the evidence. It does look at the roles women play in the rigid victorian society and how hard sometimes it must have been to be successful.I'm really not surprised it's regularly reprinted, it's a very interesting read.
    • 4/5
      This book is an amusing mystery / detective story. Braddon keeps the reader guessing who-done-it in this nineteenth century tale of greed and madness. It's a lot of fun and well worth the time to read.