I received the book in an excellent time. It is in good condition. I am excited to read the book and know it will be a good asset to my library. Thank you so much. I will purchase more from you if you have what I need come to auction.

A fascinating look at a wealthy family incompassing several generations. A truly remarkable work of fiction. Du Maurier, in my opinion, was one of the best storytellers of the 20th century. Without being overly philisophical she was brilliant in the way she wove a story together, and was almost poetic in her writing technique. The story is never dull and never predictable. A great read. Probably only available in used bookstores.

Exquisite period view of our living experience. From the "arranged" to the destined, by choice or by consequence maybe we can never be certain. You can feel the wind in your hair standing overlooking the moor with the smell of the damp earth beneath your soul ... the manor faintly lit by the evening light as you return with the dogs at your feet... the taker or the giver. Fate awaits you... a remarkable story of a generation etched in a time gone by. Daphne du Marier at her finest.

When I first read it, I knew it was not your average Barbie Doll Love Story. Why? Because Gartred, the amazing beauty, was far from beautiful on the inside. And the heroine, Honor, was crippled on her wedding day, just before getting married. She wasn't perfect either, but like she said, she got over her new body, it didn't happen over days, or months, but years. And during that time, the man she loved and was to wed, wed another, for money. She wasn't a saint, she felt jealous and happy that the marriage wasn't well. But it was so real and emotional, and the story was written in first-person giving honest and harsh emotions and understanding to why she loved such a despicable man as Richard Grenvile.

This is a bittersweet love story set against the backdrop of the English civil war... I first read this about 20 years ago. Though I was frustrated with the lack of detail, I was so enthralled by the main characters. I ordered it used from Amazon and re-read it yesterday. I was still enthralled and did not want it to end. I re-read passages from it immediately after I finished!

"The King's General" is a beautiful novel, lovingly written by an author who knows what she's presenting. Set in Cornwall (a trademark of the author), it encompasses the era of the English Civil War by telling the tale through the eyes of Honor Harris, one of fictions's most original heroines.

This book was spring water after all of the low grade vintage purple prose I have read lately. Honor is neither beautiful nor rich, but she has strength, gentleness, practicality and wit, all of which serve her better than beauty or money ever could. Her lover, Sir Richard Grenville, is a handsome and proud man who relies on her love and loyalty to get him through the trying times he faces as the commander of Charles I's forces in the West, hence the title.

What makes this story so juicy is its spareness. The prose is delicious in its lack of details, much the same as Larry McMurtry's "Lonesome Dove" or Jennifer Robeson's "Lady of the Forest" are written. Details are revealed through conversation which might normally be told through description if du Maurier were not so deft with her pen. There is mystery, romance, adventure and comedy within the covers, but it is relayed in such a way as to add to the main story, the sure mark of an author with taste and the ability to draw lifelike characters. And there are such characters to be had: Honor, who is strong and gentle at the same time; Richard, reckless and wild; Gartred, beautiful and calculating; Richard's son Dick, sickly and outcast; and the house of secrets called Menabilly, alone and desolate upon the moor.

I came across this book wholly by chance. It is a 1948 paperback that is falling apart, the pages brittle and dog-eared. It is my sincere hope that I will be able to find the story again in a more durable format, but until such time I shall read this lovely novel until it is completely destroyed.

I highly recommend "Jamaica Inn" and "Frenchman's Creek" as companion novels to this one. Du Maurier's history-based novels have stood the test of time as classics and I am proud to give this one such a high rating.

This book was given to my by my uncle when I was 10, for he knew it would appeal to me. It did and still does. I have reread this many times, and was just pulling it out to do it again and thought maybe I would pass on my love for this book.

The original manuscript was done by Arthur Quiller-Couch but never finished, so the great Daphne Dumaurier picked up the baton and carried on to give us a haunting tale of Auld Souls, star-crossed lovers shrouded in the mists of Cornwall. A simply country doctor recognises the signs and moves to keep the doomed lovers apart so the ancient pattern will not be repeated. But the more they try to keep them from each other, the more Fate steps is so prove the pattern cannot be broken.

A stunning gem, one I am surprised is not reprinted more or made in a movie.

Castle Dor's 19th-century Cornwall and its Arthurian mists have kept me coming back since I was a "in love with love" teenager. Like all of DuMaurier's work, it's either the first step -- or surely the determining step if you're already on the path -- to total Anglophilia (the only "philia" I think I care to own up to!).

The original manuscript was started by Arthur Quiller-Couch, and completed with remarkable seamlessness by DuMaurier upon his death. Written from the perspective of a quiet and respected country doctor, it's also an unusual lens for an author known best for her heroines.

A solitary "man of science," Dr. Carfax recognizes the pattern of an ancient and eternal doomed love being replayed in his era, and is pulled into it ... as are we, inevitably, with the coincidence of names and circumstance hinting at one of the greatest tragedies of Morte D'Arthur.

This is a lovely book; haunting, and a guaranteed keeper for devotees of the bittersweet.

Daphne du Maurier was a favorite of the late great Alfred Hitchcock. Most famous, perhaps, for her psychologically intense novels (e.g., REBECCA), her short stories often rose even more to the level of true masterpiece. This book contains six of these, made ever more atmospheric by Michael Foreman's wonderfully unsettling watercolors. It's a perfect combination. Du Maurier's tales are a kind of literary level Twilight Zone. Included in this collection is the all-time classic "The Birds," though the others (every one) are equally as good. If you've never read the original story, "The Birds" offers an additional treat in that we're able to see both du Maurier's own gift of imagination AND Hitchcock's ability to adapt and change a story in creating a film. This book is a treat on both the verbal and non-verbal levels. And, since all great writing is (ironically) about creating an essentially non-verbal experience, this book is a success. Check it out!

My friend said she read this book and hated it. I didn't pay much attention, and probably would never have checked it out. I'm not much a fan of historical dramas. But when another friend said she read it and hated it I became very interested of a sudden. I had to know what was so horrible and depressing about this story.

And I have never regretted reading it.

I will confess. The characters are less than ideal. Sir Richard Grenvile is a self-centred cad; Honour Harris is a vain, spoiled maiden. Gartred is evil to the core, but every story has to have a villain, so that's all right.

But for some reason these characters are real. I've known self-centred cads before and I can easily understand Honour's tireless, devoted devotion to Richard, regardless of what he does or says.

Honour is crippled early in the book and spends the rest in a wheelchair. From this confining angle of vision comes a story of epic proportions, a sort of Cornwallian Gone With the Wind. Set in the 1600's during some civil war (I cannot tell which one, or if it was the only one), it tells the story of surviving invading soldiers and the desolation of the aftermath of war.

This story has it all. Romance, intrigue, births, deaths, tragedies, and the gothic setting of Menabilly. I cannot understand why my two friends hate it so. It was the best, most realistic, most fascinating story that I had read in a long time, and I felt peculiarly alive and inspired when I had finished it.

I told this to my first friend and she backed away from me. She referred to this motion as (I paraphrase) her retreat from a black widow spider. "How can you like that horrible book?" she asked. She and my other friend and I have had many, many debates - I in defense and they against me.

But I am happy to be a black widow spider as long as my web... web of intrigue... can be this book.

I sleep with a copy of Rebecca next to my bed - as a young writer I read it every now and then to remind myself of what I'm aiming for; I consider it a perfectly crafted novel, with beautiful writing, a compelling plot, and a character that I strongly identify with. DuMaurier's autobiography does not touch the time when she was writing Rebecca, but rather her life in London, Paris and in Cornwall, England from ages 3 to 25. If I could choose a life, her's would be the one I'd want. This is a must-read for anyone who feels that they have a gift of the written language (sometimes a burden, mostly a drive to do something REALLY BIG).

This is a novel of mystery as well as intrigue. It is exceptionally written and an alluring read. The narrator, young and naive sets out to a new life she could only dream of. She is recently married to the rich and secretive Maxim de Winter, who owns the Manderly mansion. His former life plagues her and reveals horrific details of Maxim's past. Rebecca, Maxim's late wife, whose shadow the narrator walks in, becomes the one person who can shatter her newly found happiness. Rebecca's death still holds mystery but the truth has its ways of being known. I thought the book to be thrilling and compelling, keeping you at the edge of your seat with each turn of the page. The language is very descriptive and almost poetic. Each character, setting and element significant to the novel is vividly portrayed through her eloquent writings. This novel truly is a joy to read due to the puzzling plot which keeps the reader guessing right up to the very end.

And you thought you had problems. Our never-named narrator marries a millionaire twice her age, and moves back to her husband's estate, Manderley, on the coast of Cornwall, England. Soon her husband's now dead first wife, Rebecca, whose body was never discovered, begins to invisibly invade the newlyweds. If that's not enough, add Mrs. Danvers, the all-seeing housekeeper who yearns to have the original first lady of the house back in charge, and a mysterious man who surprises our narrator at every turn and you've got what you paid for: A terrific page-turning mystery. Rebecca is du Maurier at her very best, which is why, 60 years after its first publication, Rebecca continues to deliver mystery and intrigue to her readers and why annually thousands visit Cornwall, in search of Manderley. You'll read this book more than once and each time you do, you'll appreciate the evocative and intriguing way du Maurier lures you into Manderley's mysterious world.

This book is a wonderful piece of literature, but it's NOT a romance novel. Du Maurier never intended it to be read is such. The main characters are married, but the story does not focus on their courtship or their relationship, rather I would say on the individuals they are. I believe that the narrator's journey from naive, innocent, childhood to aware, mature, adulthood is very important. The fact that she remains nameless throughout the story, or is referred to as Mrs. De Winter, shows how easily she initially gives up her own identity to please others: her employer, her husband, even her own staff. It is only towards the end that she begins to assert herself. This book would probably be better classified as a psychological thriller, since it deals both with the mystery surrounding the death of Rebecca (the 1st Mrs. De Winter) and her continuing impact on those she left behind. Beautifully written.

If you like historical romances and can enjoy one even if it lacks the "sensuality" found in the historical romance novels typically sold today, you'll likely enjoy this story.

Set in the 17th century, this story is basically about a wealthy, bored housewife and mother (Lady St. Columb) who finds herself falling out of love with her husband and wanting a change from the life she is living, or in her mind merely "existing". Although her husband adores her, realizing she needs a break from him and their surroundings, she leaves him "for a visit" to their Cornwall estate. With her kids in tow, she expects nothing more than some peace and quiet. What she finds is a ship moored just off her property, and a mysterious but intriguing man that makes her laugh and feel more alive than she has in a while.

When she later learns that he's a pirate, the damage has been done; her attraction to him is too strong to end their friendship and budding relationship. And to make matters worse, he's equally attracted to her.

What follows is a bittersweet love affair that is hampered by the fact that she's a wife and mother with responsibilities. As if those weren't issues enough to deal with, she's also surrounded by nosey neighbors and other acquaintenances who are quite content to try and mind her business, and eventually through their actions, threaten her happiness and even her life.

While this story lacked the "fire" and excitement I was expecting, it was nonetheless a good read. Don't expect to be plunged into a whirlwind romance with a young, beautiful virgin being chased by the man she happens to captivate in a flurry of action. Expect instead, to find two mature people who know what they want out of life and who develop a relationship based upon mutual attraction and friendship, that simmers and builds slowly. There is some sensuality in the book, but it's subdued by today's standards.

In this story, you will find romance, some action, and an atmosphere that contributes to a feeling of "being there" in 17th century England and experiencing a part of what life would be like for a titled woman, and a pirate. It's an interesting, bittersweet story that had my emotions on a rollercoaster as the two individuals were forced to make hard decisions about their directions in life.

There wasn't much I didn't like about this book but if I had to pick something, it would be that in a few spots the pace was just a tad slow, and the fact that I happen to like the "fiery" (okay, real sensuous) historical romances of today. While a little more fire would have been nice, this book was satisfying nonetheless because the story is well told. I would recommend it.

If you like modern gothic you must read the master ! Daphne du Maurier is a classic!

From back of book:
When wild , daring Lady DOnna suddenly left London and her husband and fled to Navron, her mysterious Cornwall estate, she did not know she had a date with destiny. But Jean Benoit Aubery, the notorious gentleman pirate, had been using Navron as his headquarters. And suddenly they were together- sharing desperate adventure, falling dangerously in love, casting convention to the winds and coutring disaster every moment....

This is by far one of the best romances I have ever read, and I personally think it is Du Maurier's best work. It's a shame it's out of print. I've searched everywhere for another copy of it.

Set in the 1700s, it tells the story of a woman who seeks to escape from her husband and the scandals of life at court. She takes her children and goes to live at a their "country estate" When she arrives, she hears tales of a pirate who has been attacking local manors. By accident, she discovers that the pirate has been harboring his ship in a creek on her property.

They meet and fall in love. The story that follows is one of wholesome, but exciting, romance (no smut!), and adventure.

I've read a lot of Daphne du Maurier's works, including Rebecca, Rule Britannia, and The House on the Strand. I think Frenchman's Creek is her best work.

After seeing the movie (which is, for some reason, not available on video last time I checked) and reading the book, I recently listened to an excellent audiobook version of My Cousin Rachel, narrated by Jonathan Pryce. I actually like this story even more than Du Maurier's better known Rebecca. The novel is told from the standpoint of Philip, a self-centered and inexperienced man of twenty-four. It is a challenge to have a story told by a very flawed narrator, but it makes things more interesting if it's done well, as it is here. Philip was raised by his older cousin Ambrose, who dies shortly after marrying the mysterious Rachel. Rachel comes to the estate, which is soon to be in Philip's possession. He initially blames Rachel for Ambrose's death, but almost immediately falls under her spell. He is soon helplessly in love with her. The rest of the novel is a psychological mystery --is Rachel kind and generous or ruthless and conniving, as Philip first suspected? The genius of My Cousin Rachel is in its two primary characters, Rachel and Philip. The first is the archetypal mysterious, beatiful woman who may be either good or evil. Philip is also a complex and interesting character. Just as the reader becomes exasperated at his naivete and immaturity, we are shown that he is also capable of great love and devotion. His faults, we understand, are due to his background. My Cousin Rachel has a classically English gothic atmosphere (the setting is Cornwall), a la the Bronte novels. It is at once a mystery, a romance and a fascinating psychological study.

My cousin Rachel is a brilliant read! Du Maurier is able to weave a tale with subtle plot twists that leaves the reader to wonder if Rachel was truly good or evil. The foreshadowing is thoughtful and goes nearly undetected. This is the hallmark of an excellent writer!

The style of writing in My Cousin Rachel is fluid and descriptive. In short, it is beautifully written. Although written many years ago, Du Murier's tale here is timeless. One is transported into the emotions and thoughts of the characters. Everyone can identify with the vivid depictions of loyalties, affections and doubts that plague as all in our own minds.

This is my favourite book by Du Maurier and believe me it does not disappoint.

I have read several books by Daphne DuMaurier, and My Cousin Rachel is my favorite. This novel is not light reading, but it is intensely gripping in all of its twists and turns. It is truly a work of art. It has an unusual ending. I don't care for reviews that give the plot away, but I just want to say this; at the end the reader is left to make up his or her own mind as to whether Rachel was good or evil. I chose to come to the conclusion that she was good. Other readers may have reached a different conclusion. My Cousin Rachel is an outstanding piece of literary achievement! The movie was very good although it did not do the book full justice. I thought that Olivia DeHavilland was perfectly cast as Rachel.