The Law and the Lady

Set in mid-1800s England, Collins’s (The Moonstone; The Woman in White) groundbreaking detective story centers on Valeria and Eustace, who married after a brief courtship, against the recommendations of friends and family. Inquiries into Eustace’s past leave many questions unanswered, and Eustace’s mother’s flat refusal to attend the wedding leads Valeria to suspect that her husband is keeping a secret. When her mother-in-law reveals that Eustace is using a false name, Valeria investigates further, against the express wishes of her husband. She discovers that Eustace was previously married and was accused of murdering his first wife. The decision returned by the Scottish court was “not proved,” suggesting that Eustace was suspected guilty, although there was not enough evidence to prove it. Narrator Lucy Scott captures Valeria’s certainty that Eustace is innocent, relaying her dogged pursuit of evidence to clear his name. Scott provides an excellent range of character voices and accents, but it is her memorable portrayal of persistent Valeria that makes this audio stand out.