Lady Audley's Secret
| Written by: | Mary Elizabeth Braddon |
|---|---|
| Central Theme: | |
| Synopsis: | "Braddon's bigamous heroine deserts her child, pushes husband number one down a well, thinks about poisoning husband number two and sets fire to a hotel in which her other male acquaintances are residing" (Elaine Showalter, Literature of Their Own: British Women Novelists from Brontė to Lessing) |
| First published: | 1862 |
Popular 1862 mystery novel written by Mary Elizabeth Braddon.
Tropes used in Lady Audley's Secret include:
- Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Lady Audley turns out to be one.
- Blondes Are Evil
- Blue Eyes: Lady Audley.
- Brilliant but Lazy: Robert Audley.
- Gentleman Detective: Robert Audley again.
- Gold Digger: Lady Audley turns out to be one of these as well.
- Hair of Gold: Subverted.
- Jesus Saves: Robert Audley prays sincerely for the first time in his life when he starts investigating the disappearance of his friend. A connection is made between his taking an interest in spirituality and beginning to overcome his general apathy and laziness.
- Kill It with Fire: Lady Audley attempts to murder her nephew by setting his inn room on fire and locking him inside.
- Kissing Cousins: Alicia has feelings for her cousin Robert. He dosen't feel the same.
- The Ladette: Alicia.
- Mary Sue Classic / Purity Sue: Subverted.
- May-December Romance: Sir Michael is considerably older than Lady Lucy.
- The Ophelia: Lady Audley's mother is stated to have been one. Lady Audley herself is a perfectly sane woman imprisoned in an asylum because it is more convenient for the family to get rid of her in this way than to have to deal with a trial.
- Parental Marriage Veto: George Talboy's father is not pleased about his son's choice in marriage.
- Rich Idiot With No Day Job: Robert is actually a barrister but fits this as we never actually see him doing any work. He mostly just sits around.
- Secret-Chaser: Robert Audley.
- Spirited Young Lady: Alicia Audley.
- Tomboy and Girly Girl: Alicia Audley and her stepmother Lady Audley, respectively.