Review by Allison Johnston
Published by Oxford World Classics
Mary Elizabeth Braddon was one of the publishing sensations of the 19th century and it is probably for that reason that she sunk into oblivion in the mid-20th Century, when her work was dismissed simply as ‘favourites of the circulating library’ (a warning to you, JK).
This particular novel returned to favour in the 1970s and is now back on reading lists and school curriculums as a prime example of the sensation novel, a genre headed by Wilkie Collins’ Woman in White.
Lady Audley’s Secret is a great murder mystery, engagingly told, covering social and sexual politics. It tells the tale of the beautiful young Lucy Graham who makes an advantageous marriage with the rich owner of Audley Court, the middle-aged Sir Michael Audley. Little is known of Miss Graham’s past until it starts to unravel when George Tallboys returns to England after making his fortune in Australia. George meets up with his old friend Robert Audley and together they discover that in the interim his wife has died. After a visit to Audley Court, George disappears and the languorous and lazy lawyer Robert stirs himself to unravel the mystery.
The novel has been adapted for theatre many times, and the appeal is understandable as the inscrutable Lady Audley covers her tracks with a seemingly impenetrable web of deception. A harsh villain who is far removed from the classic Victorian depiction of womanhood, the role of the female both in relation to society and man is a theme that will intrigue modern readers.
The Oxford World Classics edition includes informative textual notes, chronology and notes. All in all a great read, worth a look.