As Sir Michael Audley celebrates his marriage to Lucy Graham, his nephew, the barrister Robert Audley, welcomes his old friend George Talboys back to England, after three years of gold prospecting in Australia. George finds out that his wife Helen has died and that his son is under the care of his father in law. After settling the matter of the boy's guardianship, the Robert and Geroge set off to visit Sir Michael. While at the country manor Audley Court, Lady Audley avoids meeting George, and when the two seek an audience with the new Lady Audley, she makes many excuses to avoid their visit....

The Trail of the Serpent concerns the schemes of the orphan Jabez North to acquire an aristocratic fortune, and the efforts of Richard Marwood, aided by his friends, to prove his innocence in the murder of his uncle. Richard returns to the home of his mother in Slopperton after an absence of seven years. His uncle, Montague Harding, having recently returned from the East Indies after amassing a large fortune, is also staying there. After a brief reconciliation, Richard leaves town by the train on the encouragement of Montague. However, on his train journey away from the town, he is approached...

Wyllard's Weird begins with the death of a young foreign lady, who falls from a train running over a bridge through the Cornish countryside. Her identity is unknown and it is a mystery weather this is an accident, a suicide, or a murder. Julian Wyllard, a rich landowner, tries to clear matters up by employing a London detective, but he only manages to diagnose a murder and he directs suspicion on Wyllard's wife's favorite cousin, Bothwell Grahame, who will not account for why he was on that train when the young woman was killed. Wyllard's wife, in order to clear her cousin's reputation, asks...

Isabel Sleaford is a young woman who fantasies about the books she reads and sees life through the eyes of Bryon and Shelley. She catches the eye of George Gilbert, the young handsome doctor, who notices how Isabel is different from other ladies he knows and falls in love with her. Although they are not the perfect match, him being pragmatic and her being a dreamer, the marriage is concluded. The ill-matched pair soon meets the trouble in paradise which comes up from the inconsistency in their expectations from life. While the doctor is busy with his patients, Isabel becomes bored and lonely....

As a young man Henry Dunbar, heir to the London banking house, was spoiled and arrogant. When he fell into debt he convinced his friend Joseph Wilmot, a clerk with a gift for reproducing handwriting, to help him create forged bonds that he could use to pay off his creditors. When the bank uncovered the fraud Henry blamed Wilmot for everything. His uncle still banished Henry to the firm's Indian office and dismissed Wilmot. Thirty years later, upon his father's death, Henry Dunbar is returning to London in order to inherit the family business. Wilmot, who was never able to get a decent job...

Wyllard's Weird begins with the death of a young foreign lady, who falls from a train running over a bridge through the Cornish countryside. Her identity is unknown and it is a mystery weather this is an accident, a suicide, or a murder. Julian Wyllard, a rich landowner, tries to clear matters up by employing a London detective, but he only manages to diagnose a murder and he directs suspicion on Wyllard's wife's favorite cousin, Bothwell Grahame, who will not account for why he was on that train when the young woman was killed. Wyllard's wife, in order to clear her cousin's reputation, asks...

Sir John Penlyon is a long widowed old man who lives alone with no close family left, after he disowned his daughter for marrying beneath herself. He is spending Christmas with his friend Thomas Danby and his niece Adela who points out that Christmas is quite dull without children and Sir John, otherwise a grim old man, agrees. Hearing that, Danby takes on himself to hire some children in order to bring up the atmosphere in the old house and cheer up his friend. He finds and brings three siblings, sweet and endearing children, who do indeed enliven the holiday. The youngest of them, little...

In Mary Elizabeth Braddon's novel 'Aurora Floyd,' readers are taken on a thrilling journey through the complexities of love, deceit, and societal expectations. Written in the style of a sensational Victorian novel, Braddon weaves a narrative that captivates the reader with its twists and turns. The story is filled with suspense, drama, and moral ambiguity, making it a compelling read for fans of gothic fiction. Set against the backdrop of Victorian England, 'Aurora Floyd' explores themes of gender roles, family dynamics, and the consequences of society's rigid expectations. Through her...

Das Wichtigste im Leben einer Frau sei vor allem anderen "Liebe", so die Autorin. Um diese Theorie zu veranschaulichen, schrieb sie dieses Buch, dessen Handlung in einem alten englischen Schloss spielt. Die Figuren entstammen den höchsten gesellschaftlichen Kreisen. "Stella", ein junges Mädchen, das von Lord Lashmar aus einem brennenden Gebäude gerettet wird und angeblich von äußerst gewöhnlicher Herkunft ist, entpuppt sich als Letzte eines alten spanischen Adelsgeschlechts und Erbin eines großen Vermögens. Lashmar adoptiert sie, und die daraus entstehenden vielen Veränderungen und...