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Lady Audley's Secret

By Mary Elizabeth Braddon
Penguin Classics
0.0 (0 reviews)
3.78 goodreads logo

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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Lady Audley's Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon is a Victorian sensation novel that spins a tale of intrigue and mystery set in a genteel English household. It follows the cunning Lady Audley, whose beauty and charm conceal a dark and possibly dangerous past. The story unfolds with suspense and unexpected twists, as hidden truths and personal motivations come to light, captivating readers with its examination of deception and identity.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$3200
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

If you enjoy Victorian mysteries and tales of deception with a strong female protagonist, this gripping novel might captivate you. Set against the backdrop of English society, it skilfully combines intrigue, psychological depth, and unexpected twists that keep readers engrossed from start to finish.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Draws on contemporary theories of insanity to probe mid-Victorian anxieties about the rapid rise of consumer culture.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Lucy Graham is a beautiful but impoverished governess when she meets the wealthy widower Sir Michael Audley, who, instantly besotted, makes her his wife. Their life at Audley Court is happy and uneventful until the arrival of Sir Michael's nephew Robert with his friend George Talboys, who has recently returned from making his fortune in Australia.

When George suddenly vanishes from the house under mysterious circumstances, Robert begins to delve into his friend's past and becomes convinced that Lady Audley may not be as ignorant—or as innocent—as she seems.

As compelling as the sensation novels by Wilkie Collins, Lady Audley's Secret (1862) is a disturbing exploration of the dark side of respectable Victorian society, with one of the great villainesses of nineteenth-century literature.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Lady Audley's Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon has received acclaim for its gripping plot and intriguing character study. Readers often praise the novel's suspense and its exploration of Victorian social norms, highlighting its clever use of mystery elements to challenge traditional gender roles. The book is noted for its engaging narrative and the way it captivates readers with its twists and psychological depth.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780140435849

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 30 April 1998

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Classics

Contributors:

  • Introduction by Jenny Taylor
  • Introduction by Russell Crofts
  • Notes by Jenny Taylor

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 28.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 197.0mm

Weight: 378g

Pages: 512

Collections

Classic Fiction Classic General Fiction Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction Mary Elizabeth Braddon Penguin Black Classics Penguin Books Penguin Classics Penguin Classics: General Fiction

About the Author

Mary E Braddon (1835-1915) began writing at the age of eight but it was not until she won an admirer as an actress that she could settle down to write serial fiction. She became a bestselling 'sensation' author and was read avidly by Tennyson, Dickens and Thackery. She wrote over eighty novels. Jenny Bourne Taylor studied at York and Warwick universities and is currently a Senior Lecturer in English at the University of Sussex. She has published widely.

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  • Lady Audley's Secret
    Lucy Graham, radiantly beautiful, born to poverty, and Sir Michael Audley, an aging aristocratic widower and fabulously wealthy, are married soon after first glance. Life is peaceful at old Audley Court until the arrival of Robert Audley, Sir Michael's nephew, and his friend George Talboys, who is home again after making his fortune in Australia. When George mysteriously disappears, Robert...
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  • The Face in the Glass
    A young girl whose love for her fiancé continues even after her death; a sinister old lady with claw-like hands who cares little for the qualities of her companions provided they are young and full of life; and a haunted mirror that foretells of approaching death for those who gaze into its depths. These are just some of the haunting...
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  • Lady Audley's Secret
    ‘Women are never lazy. They don't know what it is to be quiet. They are Semiramides, and Cleopatras, and Joan of Arcs, Queen Elizabeths, and Catharine the Seconds... To call them the weaker sex is to utter a hideous mockery. They are the stronger sex, the nosier, the more persevering, the most self-assertive sex.’ The beautiful and innocent-seeming Lady Audley...
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