Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier - My Favourite Book

I love reading, and will read anything from Shakespeare to the back of a cereal packet. However, one book stands out as my all time favourite.

That novel is the mystery romantic thriller Rebecca, by the late English author Dame Daphne du Maurier.

I first read Rebecca as a child, and while not understanding all the intricacies of relationships and conflict within its pages, I was entranced by the lead character, whose first name is never revealed. How I indentified with her! I cringed beside her in her shyness, my heart soared when she felt joy, and I followed every aspect of her thought processes with a comprehension which can only come from a personal experience of insecurity.

Only as an adult did I realise that Ms du Maurier had captured, with utmost perfection, a character who lies close beneath the surface of us all.

Rebecca is a haunting, provocative tale, heavy with atmosphere, modern in its social commentary, and cunning in its twists.

Throughout my life, it has remained my favourite book, and if I close my eyes, even now I can imagine myself walking up the long driveway to Manderlay.