Historical fiction book · Curated
Lady Audley's Secret
Mary Elizabeth Braddon · historical fiction
In June 1857, Sir Michael Audley marries Lucy Graham, a young governess whose past no one near his Essex house can trace. Mary Elizabeth Braddon’s 1862 novel is Victorian mystery historical fiction of Audley Court—and of Robert Audley, who will not accept that his friend George Talboys simply left after a visit to that new wife.
Why read it: A widely searched sensation novel—the Braddon title readers look up by name, and an Essex counterpart to The Woman in White already on the shelf (not Aurora Floyd).
About this historical novel
Lady Audley's Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon is historical fiction set around 1857–1859 in the Victorian / Gilded Age period with key settings including Audley Court, Essex, England. In June 1857, Sir Michael Audley marries Lucy Graham, a young governess whose past no one near his Essex house can trace. Mary Elizabeth Braddon’s 1862 novel is Victorian mystery historical fiction of Audley Court—and of Robert Audley, who will not accept that his friend George Talboys simply left after a visit to that new wife.
On HisFic we tag it under 3. Historical mystery & crime so you can pair it with similar story types. Recurring themes include bigamy, identity, secrets, marriage, and class. A widely searched sensation novel—the Braddon title readers look up by name, and an Essex counterpart to The Woman in White already on the shelf (not Aurora Floyd).
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Plot summary
In June 1857, Sir Michael Audley marries Lucy Graham, a young governess whose past no one near his Essex house can trace. Mary Elizabeth Braddon’s 1862 novel is Victorian mystery historical fiction of Audley Court—and of Robert Audley, who will not accept that his friend George Talboys simply left after a visit to that new wife. A widely searched sensation novel—the Braddon title readers look up by name, and an Essex counterpart to The Woman in White already on the shelf (not Aurora Floyd).
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Regions & places
Britain & Ireland
Audley Court · Essex · England
Themes
- bigamy
- identity
- secrets
- marriage
- class
Tags
mystery · classic