Aurora Floyd (1862-3) and Braddon's earlier novel Lady Audley's Secret established her as one of the ruling triumvirate of the popular and notorious "sensation novelists." Like Lady Audley, Aurora is a beautiful young woman bigamously married and threatened with exposure by a blackmailer. In this, the only critical edition of a popular "sensation novel," P.D. Edward's introduction evaluates its leading place among "bigamy-novels" and Braddon's treatment of the power struggle between the sexes, as well as considering the similarities between the author and her heroine.