REBECCA by Daphne Du Maurier

I was between-books on reserve at the library, so in scanning the shelves, I came across an old favorite: I can't even remember how long ago I read it- I was probably a teenager.  So I lost myself once again in the beauty, atmosphere, and romance of Manderley, Max De Winter, Mrs. Danvers, and of course Rebecca.

What I love about this novel is the author's craft: she's a master of the mystery novel.  The title of the book is Rebecca, and the story is about her, of course, but she is dead at the time of the novel.  Also the narrator, Max's second wife, never names herself: we only know her as Mrs. De Winter.  Manderley itself is a major [presence in the novel, and it is interesting that the inquest into Rebecca's death, to all intents and purposes, is held at Manderley, not the small court which made the decisions. No wonder this has been named one of the best 100 books of all time!