After Midnight - by Daphne Du Maurier (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

From Daphne du Maurier, "a writer of fearless originality" (The Guardian), comes a collection of her thirteen most mesmerizing tales--including iconic stories such as "The Birds" and "Don't Look Now"--with an introduction by Stephen King.

Daphne du Maurier is best known for Rebecca, "one of the most influential novels of the 20th century" (Sarah Waters) and basis for Alfred Hitchcock's iconic film adaptation. More than thirty-five years after her death, du Maurier is celebrated for her gothic genius and stunning psychological insight by authors such as Ottessa Moshfegh, Maggie O'Farrell, Lucy Foley, Gillian Flynn, Jennifer Egan, and countless others, including Stephen King and Joe Hill.

After Midnight brings together some of du Maurier's darkest, most haunting stories, ranging from sophisticated literary thriller to twisted love story. Alongside classics such as "The Birds" and "Don't Look Now,"--both of which inspired unforgettable films--are gems such as "Monte Verità," a masterpiece about obsession, mysticism, and tragic love, and "The Alibi," a chilling tale of an ordinary man's descent into lies, manipulation, and sinister fantasies that edge dangerously close to reality. In "The Blue Lenses," a woman recovering from eye surgery finds she now perceives those around her as having animal heads corresponding to their true natures. "Not After Midnight" follows a schoolteacher on holiday in Crete who finds a foreboding message from the chalet's previous occupant who drowned while swimming at night. In "The Breakthrough," a scientist conducts experiments to harness the power of death, blurring the line between genius and madness.

Each story in this collection exemplifies du Maurier's exquisite writing and singular insight into human frailty, jealousy, and the macabre. She "makes worlds in which people and even houses are mysterious and mutable; haunted rooms in which disembodied spirits dance at absolute liberty" (Olivia Laing, author of Crudo). Daphne du Maurier is mistress of the sleight of hand and slow-burning menace, often imitated and rarely surpassed.

Stories include:
-"The Blue Lenses"
-"Don't Look Now"
-"The Alibi"
-"The Apple Tree"
-"The Birds"
-"Monte Verita"
-"The Pool"
-"The Doll"
-"Ganymede"
-"Leading Lady"
-"Not After Midnight"
-"Split Second"
-"The Breakthrough"

Review Quotes

Praise for After Midnight

"A marvellously dark, unsettling collection. Tales of nature gone rogue, of morals gone askew, of the blurring of the line between the homely and the uncanny. I loved it." --Sarah Waters, author of Fingersmith

"Daphne du Maurier is the Godmother of Fear. After Midnight is a dark and diabolical collection... If you've never read any of du Maurier's iconic short fiction, brace yourself: this is the perfect place to start." --Alice Slater, author of Death of a Bookseller

"Shadow-drenched and terror-inducing, this is an unputdownable collection that burns with quiet menace. After Midnight promises to never let you sleep again." --Lucy Rose, author of The Lamb

Praise for Daphne du Maurier and her works

"Wickedly readable . . . every woman instinctively wants to read her." --New York Times Book Review

"Du Maurier is a storyteller whose sole aim is to bewitch and beguile." --New York Times

"A writer of fearless originality." --The Guardian

"Daphne du Maurier has no equal." --Sunday Telegraph

"One of the last century's most original literary talents." --Daily Telegraph

"Du Maurier is mistress of the sleight of hand in fiction." --Maggie O'Farrell, author of The Marriage Portrait

"One of the most influential novels of the twentieth century, Rebecca has woven its way into our culture with all the troubling power of myth or dream." --Sarah Waters, author of Tipping the Velvet and The Paying Guests

"I loved that this character, Rebecca, that one never meets, has such a hold on the protagonist--she's a ghost that lives on through everyone in the book. The relationship between these women, one of whom doesn't even exist, was really cool." --Ottessa Moshfegh, author of My Year of Rest and Relaxation

"Rebecca is one of my all-time favorites." --Erin Morgenstern, author of The Night Circus and The Starless Sea

"I'm always inspired by Du Maurier." --Lucy Foley, author of The Guest List and The Paris Apartment

"A great gothic writer." --Kate Mosse, author of Labyrinth

"Rebecca, Jamaica Inn and The Scapegoat made me want to be a writer." --Katy Hays, author of The Cloisters

"Masterful, troubling and wickedly seductive." --Sarah Perry, author of The Essex Serpent and Enlightenment

About the Author

Daphne du Maurier (1907-1989) was an English writer, biographer, and playwright born in London. Her debut novel, The Loving Spirit was published in 1931. Her fifth novel, Rebecca, published in 1938, solidified her as one of the most popular writers of the 20th century. Many of her works were adapted for the screen, including the novels Rebecca, Jamaica Inn, My Cousin Rachel, and the short stories, "Don't Look Now" and "The Birds." Du Maurier grew up and spent much of her life in Cornwall, the setting for many of her books and stories. She was made a Dame of the British Empire in 1969.