Marie Corelli

Marie Corelli was one of the bestselling novelists of the late Victorian and Edwardian era, whose books outsold those of many of her more critically acclaimed contemporaries. Born Mary Mackay in 1855, she adopted the pen name Marie Corelli and published her first novel, A Romance of Two Worlds, in 1886. The book combined spirituality, science fiction and romance in a story about a young woman's mystical experiences and her encounters with a healer who uses electric principles to cure disease and illuminate spiritual truths. Corelli's novels were enormously popular with the reading public, though they were often dismissed by literary critics of her day. Her readers included Queen Victoria and the British royal family. She wrote more than twenty-five novels, many of which explored themes of spirituality, morality and the supernatural. Corelli was also a notable public figure who campaigned on social issues and lived in Stratford-upon-Avon for many years. She died in 1924. Her works have been rediscovered by scholars interested in popular Victorian literature and the history of women's writing. The audiobook editions introduce new listeners to one of the most successful authors of the Victorian age.