Lady Audley's Secret (original 1862; edition 1998)

I really enjoyed this book. It seemed a bit slow going in places, but the story is worth sticking with. There are lots of twists and turns in the plot, and even though I guessed a few things correctly there were still some other surprises along the way.
Lots of atmospheric descriptions and good characterisation. Excellent story and to be honest, a bit of an emotional rollercoaster ride! ( )

Far fetched, even absurd, plot though apparently based on true story. Character of Lady A especially hard to take. A villain, and mad, but apparently able to switch in and out of madness more or less at will. the doctor's diagnosis is interesting in that he assesses her motivation as entirely rational and her actions as calculated so he can't certify her mad. Also most odd that our hero is more concerned to confront her and get her confession than to actually stop her criminal career and then (along with her besotted husband) goes to considerable lengths to get her nice digs in the loony bin. Comes across rather like an opera plot - but then it's from the era of grand opera.
All of this somewhat silliness is redeemed by Juliet Stevenson's reading which is in the top class. One of my favourite actresses anyway; this reveals new range of impersonations and voice changes that are utterly convincing.

Engaging read. ( )

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. ( )

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. ( )