The Messalina of the Suburbs (Based on a True Story) (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. A post-WWI British legal drama of passion, poison, and the scandal that shocked 1920s EnglandBy E. M. Delafield
Length7h 23m
About this audiobook
The Messalina of the Suburbs reimagines a notorious real-life murder case through the cool, exacting lens of interwar psychological fiction. Delafield examines adultery, fantasy, class aspiration, and public moral judgment within the cramped respectability of suburban England. Her prose is restrained yet sharply ironic, less interested in sensational crime than in the social imagination that turns an unhappy woman into a monster. In the tradition of early twentieth-century domestic realism, the novel exposes how newspapers, courts, and neighbours manufacture guilt. E. M. Delafield, born Edmée Elizabeth Monica de la Pasture, was a perceptive chronicler of women's lives under the pressures of marriage, convention, and respectability. Though best remembered for The Diary of a Provincial Lady, she repeatedly returned to the emotional cost of feminine performance. Her own experience of upper-middle-class expectations, religious education, and social observation equipped her to probe the gap between outward decorum and inward rebellion. This book is recommended to readers interested in feminist literary history, true-crime fiction, and the moral anxieties of postwar Britain. It is a subtle, unsettling novel: not merely about murder, but about interpretation, reputation, and the dangers of being read by society.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
Rating★★★ 3.1 (46)
Includes Goodreads
GenreMystery and Thriller
Length7 hrs 23 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateJul 30, 2015
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1The Messalina of the Suburbs (Based on a True Story) (Annotated)
7Part I (pt. 2)
2Introduction
8PART II (pt. 1)
3Synopsis
9PART II (pt. 2)
4Historical Context
10Analysis
5The Messalina of the Suburbs (Based on a True Story)
11Reflection
Show all chaptersShow less
6Part I (pt. 1)
12Memorable Quotes
The Diary of a Provincial Lady (Illustrated) (Annotated)E. M. Delafield6h 23m4.2 (16.3K)$2 · $0.00
The Collected Works of E. M. Delafield (Illustrated) (Annotated)E. M. Delafield132h 4m$2 · $0.00
THE COLLECTED NOVELS OF E. M. DELAFIELD (6 Titles in One Edition) (Annotated)E. M. Delafield67h 18m$2 · $0.00
The Diary of a Provincial Lady (Unabridged Edition With Original Illustrations): Humorous Classic From the Renowned Author of Thank Heaven Fasting, Faster! Faster! & The Way Things Are (Annotated)E. M. Delafield6h 24m4.1 (11.6K)$2 · $0.00
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E. M. Delafield Premium Collection: 6 Novels in One Volume (Annotated)E. M. Delafield67h 21m3.9 (27)$2 · $0.00
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The Provincial Lady: The Complete SeriesE. M. Delafield25h 54m4.1 (417)$1 · $0.00
The optimistE. M. Delafield8h 20m3.7 (23)$1 · $0.00
The pelicansE. M. Delafield12h 43m3.3 (16)$2 · $0.00
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Collected Works of E. M. Delafield (Illustrated)E. M. Delafield132h4.5 (12)$1 · $0.00
The Collected WorksE. M. Delafield132h 52m4.5 (24)$1 · $0.00
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Deadly Badlands PursuitSharee Stover5h 53m4.6 (361)$12 · $0.00
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Three ComradesErich Maria Remarque15h 50m4.5 (47.3K)$2 · $0.00
AngelAnita Waller10h 30m4.6 (672)$30 · $0.00
The BorderDon Winslow29h 8m4.5 (35.7K)$53 · $0.00
FlashpointCatherine Coulter11h 38m4.5 (11.6K)$29 · $0.00
The Man in the Brown Suit & They Came to BaghdadAgatha Christie15h 43m4.6 (495)$33 · $0.00
Fang Si-Chi's First Love ParadiseYi-Han Lin8h 25m4.5 (4K)$26 · $0.00
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No Woman Left BehindJulie Moffett8h 49m4.5 (3K)$25 · $0.00
CovertJanie Crouch6h 15m4.5 (2K)$12 · $0.00
Cold Case InvestigationNicole Helm5h 30m4.6 (321)$5 · $0.00
The ReunionJana DeLeon6h 31m4.5 (1.6K)$12 · $0.00
Courage Under FireSharon Dunn5h 50m4.5 (730)$24 · $0.00
Decoding the TruthJulie Miller7h 31m4.6 (350)$12 · $0.00
Murder Gone ColdB.J. Daniels5h 50m4.5 (562)$12 · $0.00
Crime and PunishmentFyodor Dostoyevsky23h 14m4.4 (1.3M)$1 · $0.00
Exit FeeBrad Taylor3h 16m4.5 (1.9K)$18 · $0.00
Sworn to ProtectShirlee McCoy5h 7m4.5 (1K)$12 · $0.00
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