Rebecca - by Daphne Du Maurier (Paperback)

About the Book

The novel begins in Monte Carlo, where our heroine is swept off her feet by the dashing widower Maxim de Winter and his sudden proposal of marriage. Orphaned and working as a lady's maid, she can barely believe her luck. It is only when they arrive at his massive country estate that she realizes how large a shadow his late wife will cast over their lives - presenting her with a lingering evil that threatens to destroy their marriage from beyond the grave.

Book Synopsis

The multi million copy bestseller that has enthralled generations of readers. A haunting tale of obsessive love. A mesmerizing psychological thriller.

In Monte Carlo, our unnamed heroine is swept off her feet by the dashing widower Maxim de Winter and his sudden proposal of marriage. Orphaned and working as a lady's maid, she can barely believe her luck.

It is only when they arrive at Manderley, her husband's cavernous estate on the Cornish coast, that she realizes how vast a shadow his late wife, Rebecca, will cast over their lives--introducing a lingering evil that threatens to destroy their love from beyond the grave.

This universally acclaimed novel has remained consistently in print since its original publication in 1938 and has frequently been adapted--for television, radio, the theater, and film. Notable adaptations include the 1940 Alfred Hitchcock film, which received the Academy Award for Best Picture, and the 2020 Netflix film starring Lily James and Armie Hammer.

"Excellent entertainment ... Du Maurier created a scale by which modern women can measure their feelings." --Stephen King, New York Times bestselling of author of You Like It Darker

"One of the most influential novels of the twentieth century, Rebecca has woven its way into the fabric of our culture with all the troubling power of myth or dream." --Sarah Waters, bestselling author of Fingersmith

Review Quotes

"Rebecca is a masterpiece in which du Maurier pulls off several spectacular high-wire acts that many great writers wouldn't attempt."--The Guardian

"A true classic . . . luxuriantly dark"--Beth Underdown, author of THE WITCHFINDER'S SISTER

"As a new generation of readers are introduced to the wicked housekeeper Mrs Danvers and learn Maxim de Winter's terrible secret, this chilling, suspenseful tale is as fresh and readable as it was when it was first written"--The Daily Telegraph

"Daphne du Maurier remains the indisputable queen of the sophisticated literary thriller"--Laura Shepherd-Robinson, author of THE SQUARE OF SEVENS

"I can't think of another novel so achingly consumed by longing for a lost place made precious by all the young heroine went through there"--Emma Donoghue, author of ROOM

"Rebecca is one of my all-time favourites"--Erin Morgenstern, author of THE STARLESS SEA

"Rebecca [was the book that changed me]"--Jessie Burton, author of THE MINIATURIST

"Rebecca is one of the most haunting novels of our time, filled with razor-sharp tension, escalating dread, and a twist that chills to the bone."--Freida McFadden, author of THE HOUSEMAID

"A masterwork."--Houston Post

"A stunning book."--Sarah Perry, author of THE ESSEX SERPENT

"Du Maurier is in a class by herself."--The New York Times

"Excellent entertainment... du Maurier created a scale by which modern women can measure their feelings."--Stephen King

"Excellent. . . . Perfect. . . . Mastery from surprise to surprise."--Christian Science Monitor

"One of the most influential novels of the twentieth century, Rebecca has woven its way into the fabric of our culture with all the troubling power of myth or dream. A stunning book."--Sarah Waters, author of Fingersmith

"The book I've re-read the most as it's perfect in every way. Characters, setting, pacing, plot, themes. A masterclass on how to write a book that reveals more of itself with every reading. It has to be my favourite book of all time"--Araminta Hall, author of OUR KIND OF CRUELTY

"The characters are incredibly vivid, and the twists superb. It's the book every writer wishes they'd written."--Clare Mackintosh, author of I LET YOU GO

"The greatest psychological thriller of all time."--Erin Kelly, author of THE POISON TREE

"The moment I finished this story, I turned to page one and started it over again."--Malorie Blackman, author of the NOUGHTS & CROSSES series

"The perfect story by the perfect storyteller"--Joanna Cannon, author of THE TROUBLE WITH GOATS AND SHEEP

"The relentlessness of a vivid nightmare."--Boston Herald

"Will chill you as much as any thriller. I love it"--Alice Slater, author of DEATH OF A BOOKSELLER

"Addictive and breathtaking. Its blending of melodrama and subtlety is ingenious. The Cornish setting never quite leaves the imagination."--The Independent

"This chilling, suspenseful tale is as fresh and readable as it was when it was first written."--The Daily Telegraph

About the Author

Daphne du Maurier (1907-1989) was born in London. Her first novel appeared in 1931, but it would be her fifth novel, Rebecca, that established her as one of the most popular writers of her day. She spent most of her life in Cornwall, the setting for many of her books, and was made a Dame of the British Empire in 1969.