Mary Elizabeth Braddon: Lady Audley’s Secret & More

A BBC Radio 4 Gothic Drama Collection

By: Mary Elizabeth Braddon

Narrated by: full cast, Hattie Morahan, Perdita Weeks, Charlotte Emmerson, Sam Dale, Stephanie Turner, Jonathan Firth, Alison Pettitt, Tracy-Ann Oberman

Three classic stories from the 'Queen of Sensation Fiction'—plus bonus documentary.

Mary Elizabeth Braddon was one of the most important and influential female novelists of the 19th Century, and the founder (alongside Wilkie Collins) of the popular 'sensation fiction' genre. This collection features her best-known novel, Lady Audley's Secret, a thrilling tale of bigamy, murder and arson that outraged Victorian society on its first release—and was an instant bestseller. Also included are two atmospheric short stories and an edition of Sensational Women exploring her life and work.

Lady Audley's Secret - Lucy Graham gains all the wealth she desires through her marriage to the devoted Sir Michael Audley. But her newfound security is threatened when young lawyer Robert Audley sets out to uncover the truth about her hidden past. Hattie Morahan, Charlotte Emmerson, Alex Wyndham and Sam Dale star in this electrifying dramatisation.

The Cold Embrace - When Josef, a handsome young German artist, betrays his delicate fiancée, her vengeance is eerily appropriate... This chilling adaptation of Mary Elizabeth Braddon's ghostly story stars Stephanie Turner, Jonathan Firth and Alison Pettitt.

Samuel Lowgood's Revenge - An impoverished clerk discovers that his rival in love has defrauded their employer. But what should he do with this knowledge? Barbara Flynn reads Braddon's 1861 tale of jealousy and retribution.

Sensational Women: Mary Braddon - Sarah Dunant takes a look at the notorious sensation author, who was condemned for rotting the moral fibre of a whole generation of young women.

First published 1860 ('The Cold Embrace'), 1861 ('Samuel Lowgood's Revenge'), 1862 (Lady Audley's Secret)

Cast and credits

Written by Mary Elizabeth Braddon

Lady Audley's Secret

Mary Braddon - Hattie Morahan

Lucy, Lady Audley - Charlotte Emmerson

Sir Michael Audley - Sam Dale

Phoebe Marks - Lizzy Watts

Luke Marks - Benjamin Askew

Robert Audley - Alex Wyndham

George Talboys - Joseph Kloska

Alicia Audley - Perdita Weeks

Lieutenant Maldon - Jonathan Tafler

Mr Dawson/Landlord - Paul Rider

Mrs Vincent - Charlotte West-Oram

Tonks - Deborah McAndrew

Dramatised by Theresa Heskins

Directed by Julie Beckett and Fiona Kelcher

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 20 April-1 May 2009

The Cold Embrace

Mary Braddon - Stephanie Turner

Josef - Jonathan Firth

Gertrude - Alison Pettitt

Father - John Hartley

Postmaster - Ioan Meredith

Passenger - Hugh Dickson

Woman - Carolyn Jones

Fisherman - Chris Pavlo

Parisienne - Tracy-Ann Oberman

Dramatised by Christopher Hawes

Produced by Marion Nancarrow

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 26 June 1997

Samuel Lowgood's Revenge

Read by Barbara Flynn

Produced by Rebecca Nicholson

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 18 November 1998

Sensational Women: Mary Braddon

Presented by Sarah Dunant

Extracts read by Sally Beauman

Produced by Lore Windemuth

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 30 October 1996

©2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Poorly Edited

I own many BBC radio dramas and the majority of them are beautifully edited but this collection, despite a wonderful script and excellent acting, is extremely poorly edited. I usually love the background sound effects and music used in the BBC radio dramatizations, they add much to my ability to picture the scene, but Lady Audley's Secret was poorly mixed, frequently the sound effects and music overpowered the actors' voices, making them unintelligible to the listener. But even more frustrating was that a few minutes into the the fourth episode, in the middle of a character's sentence, a BBC announcer abruptly starts speaking about a program discussing inequality in UK schools, after a few seconds it switches back to the radio drama (again mid sentence), it was very startling and annoying and I am surprised and disappointed that the BBC wasn't more careful. This is one BBC radio drama collection that I will be returning.