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Incredibly good! Full review to follow. Going on my top 10 list today. Wow!!!

My Review: (May 30, 2017)
This is now my favorite Daphne book so far. It does come quite close to Rebecca, which was my fave DM. book until this one. Like Rebecca, it is a mystery-romance and first published in 1951. I read this as a buddy read and enjoyed the discussion, which likely enhanced my reading pleasure. I can hardly wait to see the movie June 9, 2017. A little wiki note I found interesting is that the story has it's origins in a portrait of Rachel Carew at Anthony House in Cornwall, which du Maurier saw and took inspiration.

Philip Ashley is the narrator of the novel. He is a young and sheltered young man of 24. He is orphaned at age 7 and raised by his uncle Ambrose on the Coast of Cornwall. The setting is primarily on a large estate owned by Ambrose in Cornwall. Philip looks up to and greatly admires his uncle. They are quite close. Philip has one female friend, Louise. Other than that he has not really been around women and is a novice in their ways.

Ambrose has to travel due to health reasons and writes home that not only has he met a distant cousin of theirs in Florence, but, he actually has married her and has no plans to return to the estate in Cornwall. Philip is none too happy to hear of this news and is restless and discontent. He is jealous of Ambrose's new wife and suspects something is not right. We begin to wonder that too. Philip gets other correspondence that causes him to believe that Rachel is actually plotting against Ambrose. Then, Ambrose dies! Philip believes Rachel has murdered him. Rachel goes to visit her dead husband's estate and Philip. She is so beautiful, charming and kind....and as much as Philip wants to hate her and distrust her..even seek revenge against her ..he finds himself becoming quite infatuated with her, falling under her spell. She is all he thinks about and while there is a significant age gap, he becomes smitten with her.

I don't really want to give away anymore of the plot. Most know it...but, if not I wouldn't want to ruin it. I did go into it knowing the ending because I had seen an old black and white 1952 movie version of the book by Henry Koster. I truly enjoyed the way the novel played out. The suspense, the nail biting, the slow burn, the insanity at times, the cat and mouse game, the mysterious charm of Rachel. Did she do it???? I listened to the audio book and the actor who narrated it was superb. I highly recommend the audio version. I do own an old used bookstore copy..which I may read some day. It's suspense at it's best. I loved everything about it.

The ending is super clever and we had a great discussion about it. I wish I could say more...but, I'd better hold off. If you have not read this, you are in for a treat. It is Daphne at her best. And I have not read a better gothic. This book is pure pleasure to me. I think Rachel Weisz is going to be amazing as Rachel in the upcoming movie.