Reader discussion: Lady Audley's Secret

Public reader discussion about Lady Audley's Secret in the WeRead Catalog by M. E. Braddon.

Lady Audley’s Secret Chapter 22

By Superuser

Ugh, starting with Harcount Talboy—does anyone else know someone like that? Like, I’m reading and thinking, “wait… could I be dealing with a person like him?” 😅 Also, Robert’s traveling and it’s icy cold in the morning. It’s freezing here too, so I’m hoping everyone else is warmer. And honestly, I keep wondering when he’s going to show up and interrupt somebody’s breakfast again. So… how did their meeting go? And did Clara Talboys seem familiar to me before this chapter, or am I only meeting her now?

Lady Audley’s Secret Chapter 7

By Superuser

Have the chapters all had titles the whole time, or have I just missed that somehow? Discussion Prompts: - No more Australia travel ads, I swear. The guys are back from their little trip to Russia. So what was that trip even for? Maybe it’ll matter later. George is starting to see what happens when you’re not around to parent. - We’re being kept waiting on that meeting between her ladyship and George. I’m still not really following the plots and little scams everyone else seems sure about! “I don't find that you often catch anything, but it's very pleasant.” What do you think of “sport” the way Robert talks about it? - I’m not going to copy the whole paragraph, but wow, that little bit after Robert decides to keep the letter is such a tease. Please, with great enthusiasm, do whatever you’re best at and were made for, dear friends: make wild guesses! - I was about to ask what people think about Lucy, Lady Audley, as she’s being described, but the author is not exactly being kind to her. Or maybe I’m reading too much into it and it’s just meant to show how young and silly she seems? (Also, another almost-meeting for George and Lucy!) - Lucy and Phoebe are up to something! I’m guessing it has something to do with hearing the name “George Talboys” in the carriage? And now they’ve hurried off, which makes me think Robert and George won’t be getting their big talk over dinner. - Anything else worth talking about in this chapter? Links Project Gutenberg Standard Ebooks Librivox Audiobook Today's Last Line: This door once locked cut off all access to my lady's apartments.

Lady Audley's Secret: Chapter 5

By Superuser

I was really struck by how George handled Helen’s death—there’s so much hurt in the way he reacts, especially that she never mentioned him before she died. And it feels like Robert, even though he’s usually kind of not very energetic, actually steps up for his friend when it counts, which I guess makes me wonder if I’d do the same in a crisis. Also, I’m still confused about the whole identity thing. Helen has a grave in Ventnor, and the landlady actually nursed her, so that makes it seem less and less like she could be Lady Audley, right? But then George has that lock of her hair, and it’s too smooth and straight—no waves—so now I’m thinking maybe something shady is going on?

Lady Audley’s Secret: Chapter 34

By Superuser

I’m not totally sure what to make of it all, but it feels like Robert got out of the fire by moving to another room, and maybe Phoebe and Luke made it too? For Lady Audley, the whole secret reveal and then admitting she killed George but saying it was because she was mad—did anyone else read that as her just trying to justify it, or did it actually make sense? Also, how did you feel about what she said about George and what Sir Michael did in response?

Lady Audley’s Secret Chapter 25

By Superuser

Robert’s in a total slump right now—just bored and kind of aimless. I really didn’t think he’d stall out on trying to figure out what’s going on with George like this. Did you? Also, it feels kind of stereotypical that someone gets sick to push the story forward… but hey, at least we got some real movement. Alicia isn’t being so sharp and distant with Robert anymore, so he’s actually back in action. What did you expect from his trip to Audley Manor? And I’m not sure Lady Audley’s going to have an easy time with him. Robert’s definitely watching her closely and trying to get her to react, even if his “interrogation” is pretty mild. Do you think it’s working? I also laughed at the whole tea thing—apparently men just can’t appreciate tea. It’s not a huge plot point, but I’m still weirdly bothered.

Well known then, not so much now.

By PalePaperFox

Can anyone point me to some Victorian gothic books or short stories that were big back then, but don’t seem that well known today? I’ve already got the obvious classics and the really popular stuff.

[JULY Book Report] - What did you finish this month?

By pervertStar

Hey everyone—end of the month is here, so it’s time for book reports!! Doesn’t matter if you read one book or a ton, we’re just happy you’re here. This thread is for celebrating any reading, trading opinions, tossing more stuff onto the TBR, and seeing what everyone else is thinking about books they’ve got on their radar. So what did you finish in July, and how did you feel about it?

Lady Audley’s Secret Chapter 40

By Superuser

Clara drops the news and Mr. Talboys is way more upbeat about his son than I expected—did anyone else feel that too? Also, wait, Bob’s a lawyer and he’s basically gotten a criminal smuggled out of the country… oops. Do you really approve of Clara and Robert together, or does it feel too weird? And that “tourist” line about going from one end of Australia to the other is so relatable, like they don’t quite get how huge the place is. What’s the dumbest tourist mistake you’ve made? I did get a laugh at the whole “Australian experiences” bit too—like climbing and survival stuff right away, and nowadays it’s probably customs grilling you about fruit in your bag (biosecurity can be intense). Was George set up for this moment, or did it catch you by surprise?

Lady Audley’s Secret: Chapter 11

By Superuser

I’m still not totally caught up yet, so if you have any prompts, go ahead and toss them in. Also, is there anything else you want to talk about?

Lady Audley's Secret: Chapter 4

By Superuser

So we’re finally meeting Robert Audley, and honestly he seems pretty decent, but I’m not totally sure yet. Also… a fictional Victorian guy who isn’t into his cousin? That feels suspiciously unlikely, right? And how does Tallboy just literally bump into Robert like that—too convenient. Everyone always seems to know everyone in these books, so it’s like… why do they keep ending up marrying their cousins anyway? Robert visits Audley Court a lot since he knows her husband, so maybe he knows her too. In that case, is Lady Audley basically in trouble? Also RIP Helen Talboys, but if Lady Audley really is Helen and she faked her death, what would make her do that?

Lady Audley’s Secret Chapter 38

By Superuser

Not sure what I think yet, but I got the vibe that Robert’s feeling pretty guilty about what’s going on, and especially that he’s worried about Sir Michael. What would you even tell him in that situation? Also, the letters—are they making things clearer or just adding more confusion? And now the fire’s back in the spotlight again… the bit with Luke caught me off guard a little. And of course it ends like a total cliffhanger—so what do you all think is going to happen next?

Lady Audley's Secret

By CloverKey58536

Just wrapped up #ladyaudleyssecret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon and I’m giving it 3/4 stars. I’d definitely recommend it, and yeah, I think I’d read it again. The part about the house and pastures is so vivid, like you can picture it, even though the whole “you shouldn’t be there unless you’re going to the Court” vibe is a little odd. Next up on my list: #americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

Book Nomination Thread

By Sleepy_Ticket

Looks like it’s that time again to start throwing out nominations for the next read. Just a reminder that the club sticks to public domain books so everyone can get a free copy if they want one and nobody gets left out. This is in contest mode, so anyone can nominate as long as it fits the rules below. If you want to nominate something, just leave a comment with the title and author. You can also add a quick blurb or say why you want it. If someone already suggested the book you wanted, just upvote that one instead. Same goes for any other picks you like, though the votes are hidden from everyone except the mods and the comments will show up in random order. Please actually read the rules before posting. Rules: - The book has to be public domain. Since this is a classic book club, that makes it easy to tell what counts, and it also means people can find a free copy if they want. - Nothing from the “year of” subs that are dedicated to one specific book. Those reset every January 1st. The books are: *War and Peace - r/ayearofwarandpeace *Les Miserables - r/AYearOfLesMiserables *The Count of Monte Cristo - r/AReadingOfMonteCristo *Middlemarch - r/ayearofmiddlemarch *Don Quixote - r/yearofdonquixote *Anna Karenina - r/ayearofannakarenina - It has to be by a different author than the one we’re reading now. So since Milton is the current author, nothing by him will count for the next pick, though his other books can be used again after this vote. - Don’t nominate anything from the Discussion Archive in the sidebar. Check that link first to see what we’ve already done. There are also a few Project Gutenberg lists if you want ideas: Sorted by popularity Frequently viewed or downloaded Reddit polls only let us have six options max, so the top picks from this thread will move to a Finalists Thread poll where we’ll vote on just those books. The winner there gets read next. We want everyone to have time to nominate, vote, and still find a copy of the next book. Nominations stay open for a week, then voting on the finalists lasts a week, and after that readers get two weeks to track down the winning book. Altogether the whole process takes 4 weeks. We read one chapter each weekday, so that’s 5 chapters a week and 20 chapters in 4 weeks, which is why we have the contingency rule. If the winning finalist is 20 chapters or less, then we also read the second-place book after it, so we don’t have to shorten the schedule. We’ll announce the winner once the Finalists poll is done.

Lady Audley’s Secret: Chapter 18

By Superuser

I’m curious what you all think about Lady Audley coming to see Robert at the inn and apologizing—did that surprise you, or did it feel like the story was setting up something bigger? Also, how do you feel about Robert’s plan to run an ad in the Sydney and Melbourne papers to get George to reach out to him? And I can’t tell if Lady Audley’s really just interested in finding George, or if she’s way too wrapped up in it for that. Plus, she’s headed to London… is it to mess with the letters Robert keeps talking about, or is it something else entirely?

Lady Audley's Secret: Chapter 3

By Superuser

That description of Audley Court—like it’s just quiet in a creepy, deathly way—kinda makes my stomach drop a little. And Phoebe Marks being so pale all the time, I don’t know, it fits the vibe, but it also makes me wonder what she’s really like under the surface. Poor Luke, too. He gets stuck with all this weirdness, and that whole “bull-necked” ox comparison for him is honestly a bit mean. I also feel like Phoebe is totally into Lady Audley and the nicer life, while Luke is more on edge, like he doesn’t trust any of it. And when Luke brings up that murder happened “here in old times,” I can’t help thinking the place might be haunted—or at least full of secrets. Then there’s the blackmail stuff… seriously, blackmail feels awful. I’m not sure what to think about Phoebe taking the baby’s shoe and lock of hair, but it definitely doesn’t seem harmless. Also, that ending line—Luke being offered the public house instead of the diamond bracelet—left me feeling like things are about to get even more complicated.

Lady Audley’s Secret: Chapter 31

By Superuser

I’m kind of stuck on Lady Audley’s whole situation at the start of this chapter. She keeps wondering if Robert is just going to keep going until he’s basically dead—so is another attempt on him coming soon? Also, she seems to think Phoebe is just as selfish and cold as she is. I don’t know if I buy that. And Clara asking for money to cover her rent felt awkward, but also like… understandable. On top of that, does Robert naming Mrs. Barkamb in his letter put her in real danger? I’m not sure, but it makes me uneasy.

Lady Audley’s Secret Chapter 6

By Superuser

Okay, new week already! Last time ended kind of on a cliffhanger, so I’m back to see what happens next. I’m not sure about George and Mr. Maldon’s meeting—what did you all think about their vibe? Also, is Robert right that George is scared of him? Then George runs into his son and, honestly, it goes about how you’d expect. I keep thinking about the question Robert asks—has anyone ever walked up to a stranger and basically said “will you love me?” How did that even work out? George also wants to bolt back to Australia, which… I get it, it’s nice here. But was anyone surprised how strongly he feels it, or how quickly he just gives up his son again? Oh, and then it’s suddenly Russia—so what did you think of Alicia’s letter? Are there any hints in it that really stand out? Anything else worth bringing up from this chapter?

Lady Audley’s Secret: Chapter 20

By Superuser

“Whatever the mystery is, it just keeps getting darker and more tangled the farther I go, and I can’t really turn back—it feels like something else is pushing me toward where my friend is supposed to be buried, even though I don’t even know the spot.” Also, I was kinda unsure about a few things: Robert talking about Alicia like she’d genuinely try to make him happy—was anyone else surprised by that? And what’s everyone think about how the servant girls made that dramatic exit to go tell Papa? The Pretty Lady’s been seeing Georgey too—if that’s Lady Audley, does it make her seem more sympathetic? I’m also not sure where Mrs. Plowson fits in all of this, and I keep feeling like the plot is kind of wandering toward the conclusion everyone already expects.

Our Next Reading - Book Nomination Thread

By DogGolden

Hey Classic Book Club folks—looks like it’s time to pick what we’re reading next. We’re doing it in two steps. First is nominations, where everyone can throw out a book they want the group to read. This thread is in contest mode, so just drop a comment with the title. You can add why you picked it and a quick summary if you want. For anything already suggested, you can upvote it, and also upvote any other books you’d rather see. Just heads up: upvotes aren’t visible to everyone here in contest mode (only mods see them), and the nominee comments show up in random order. A few rules for what’s allowed: - Has to be public domain. As a rough guide, everything published before 1927 is considered public domain in the US. Project Gutenberg is an easy place to check. - No books from the “year of” subs for specific titles (they restarted Jan 1). Those are: War and Peace, Les Misérables, Middlemarch, The Count of Monte Cristo, Don Quixote, Anna Karenina. - Different author than the one we’re currently reading (we’re doing Charlotte Brontë right now, so her other works won’t be eligible until after this vote). - Also no books from the discussion archive in the sidebar—please check what we’ve already done. The top picks from nominations go to a finalists thread with a poll (max six options). The six most upvoted books become finalists, and then whoever wins that poll is what we’ll read next here. Timing (may shift a bit depending on your time zone): - May 19–26: nominations - May 27–June 3: finalists We’ll announce the six finalists on May 26. That’s it—thanks, and go nominate!

Lady Audley’s Secret: Chapter 13

By Superuser

I’m still not caught up yet, so if you want to talk about stuff, feel free to bring your own prompts. Also, is there anything else you want to discuss?