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Audiobook edition · 17 h 2 minPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
At Audley Court, a sweet smile and a wealthy marriage hide a past that cannot stay buried.
Lucy Graham rises from governess to mistress of Audley Court, where her husband, Sir Michael Audley, trusts her without question. With golden curls and a gentle manner, she seems the ideal wife. But beneath the quiet life of this old Essex house lie secrets that threaten her carefully guarded place.
When George Talboys vanishes, his friend Robert Audley begins to ask questions. The idle London barrister finds a purpose he never seeks, following clues toward his own family. In Lady Audley's Secret, Mary Elizabeth Braddon brings mystery into a respectable home, where love, money and appearances make the truth difficult to face.
What you’ll discover
- A heroine beyond easy judgment Meet a woman whose charm and fear of poverty complicate every judgment you make.
- An unlikely seeker of truth Follow Robert as concern for his missing friend pulls him away from an idle life.
- Secrets within quiet walls Explore Audley Court, where an orchard, a pond and a lime walk frame growing suspicion.
- The cost of respectability See how money and class shape Lucy's choices and her fear of losing everything.
- The question of madness Consider how the label of madness shapes judgments about women who threaten Victorian expectations.
Who will love it
For readers who enjoy a Victorian mystery with a clever plot, a hidden past and a heroine who is never simple to judge. Fans of Wilkie Collins and Dickens will feel at home.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- A governess rises to Audley Court
- A friend arrives and a man vanishes
- The lazy barrister becomes a detective
- Servants, a fire and a growing threat
- Beauty and the mask of femininity
- Money, class and the fear of falling
- Madness as a label for dangerous women
- A sensation novel and its methods
- What the book has left behind
Who’s who
- Lucy, Lady AudleyA pretty, gentle young governess who becomes mistress of Audley Court and guards her new position with care.
- Sir Michael AudleyA kind, wealthy baronet who loves his young wife deeply and trusts her despite a lingering unease.
- Robert AudleySir Michael's nephew, an idle London barrister who is drawn into a search for his missing friend.
- George TalboysRobert's friend, who returns from Australia with money and hopes to rebuild his life.
- Clara TalboysGeorge's sister, a firm and serious woman who wants to learn what happened to her brother.
- Phoebe MarksLady Audley's maid, who knows more about her mistress than she tells.
- Alicia AudleySir Michael's spirited daughter, who is cool toward her young stepmother.
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Lady Audley's Secret
by Mary Elizabeth Braddon · 1862
At Audley Court, a barrister investigates a friend's disappearance as suspicion gathers around a charming young wife.
Medium level10–20 hours to readEnglish
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In short
A sweet face can hide a great deal. Lady Audley's Secret is a sensation novel by Mary Elizabeth Braddon, first printed in serial form in 1862.
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
A governess rises to Audley Court
Lucy Graham arrives in the district as a governess. She is young, pretty and gentle, and the children, servants and neighbours all love her. Her hair is like a halo of pale gold, and her voice is soft.
Sir Michael Audley, a rich widower in his fifties, falls in love with her. His grown daughter Alicia is not pleased. Lucy accepts his proposal. For a governess with no fortune, it is a huge step up.
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Which edition is right for me
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas of the whole book in about 6 minutes. A good first look, or a refresher.
Details
- First published
- 1862
- Language
- English
- Reading time
- 11 h 5 min
- Level
- Medium level
Cite this edition
Braddon, Mary Elizabeth. Lady Audley's Secret. Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/lady-audley-s-secret.
Braddon, M. E. (2026). Lady Audley's secret. Library of Alexandria. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/lady-audley-s-secret (Original work published 1862)
Braddon, Mary Elizabeth. Lady Audley's Secret. Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/lady-audley-s-secret.
@book{braddon2026lady,
author = {Braddon, Mary Elizabeth},
title = {Lady Audley's Secret},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/lady-audley-s-secret},
note = {First published 1862}
}
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What is Lady Audley's Secret about?
It follows a young governess who marries a rich baronet and becomes Lady Audley, and the barrister nephew who investigates a friend's disappearance. It deals with hidden identity, ambition, and the pressures placed on Victorian women.
What is a sensation novel?
A sensation novel was a type of popular Victorian fiction of the 1860s that set crime, secrets, bigamy and mystery in respectable middle class homes. Wilkie Collins and Mary Braddon were its best known writers.
When was Lady Audley's Secret written?
Braddon wrote it in 1861 and 1862. It first appeared as a magazine serial and then as a three volume book in 1862. It is a work of fiction, not a true story.
The author
Mary Elizabeth Braddon
1835–1915 · English sensation novelist
Mary Elizabeth Braddon (1835–1915) was an English novelist born in London. She wrote The Trail of the Serpent (1860), Lady Audley’s Secret (1862), and Only a Clod (1865). She also wrote short stories. She lived in Richmond, Surrey, for many years and died there in 1915.
More by Mary Elizabeth Braddon
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