The unsung novels of Daphne Du Maurier

[JanisMoplin]

Any fans of these? Not talking about Rebecca, My Cousin Rachel or Jamaica Inn, though I love those as well. But I have been recently reading her lesser known novels and my goodness, they are so wonderful and complex that I would love to do a PhD in them. Such as
The Glassblowers ( historical fiction based on true events)
The King's General ( ditto)
The House on the Strand
The Parasites ( very sad but so lovely)
The Scapegoat
The Flight of the Falcon
Of course her fabulous short stories as well

House on the strand is my absolute and I added it to my reading pile the other day. I really need to check out some of her others as I definitely haven't read all of them.

I loved The House on The Strand. Such an interesting intertwining of world's. And ends with such a punch.

oh the scapegoat was brilliant!

Was that film somersby based on it?

I read her for the first time last year. Predictably I’ve read Rebecca and My Cousin Rachel but also read The Scapegoat. It was good but preferred the first two but still worth a read. I really would like to read more. I did have I’ll Never Be Young Again out the library but never got around to reading it. I have a baby so difficult. Any of hers to avoid?

I read The Loving Spirit, which was her first novel, as a teenager and loved it. Loved Rule Britannia, too, but haven't read any of the others apart from Rebecca. I'll have to give them a go - thanks for the thought!

I realised my local library has several of hers, so I reread The House on The Strand over the weekend. Such a boring title, such a gripping book! My edition had a prologue which explained the book and drew my attention to Daphne's hidden jokes, such as the names of the characters.

Regarding those of hers to avoid, I don't think she has written a bad book but Frenchman's Creek was a bit too Georgette Heyer for me. Not read Rule Britannia or The Loving Spirit.

I don’t get the love for Frenchman’s Creek - I didn’t finish it despite absolutely loving Rebecca and Jamaica Inn. Will definitely try some of her lesser known work.

Read most of these as a teenager and loved them, re-read many of them since and as my English had improved got more out of it.
In fact one of the few I haven't read is Rebecca...

I’m back to defend Frenchman’s Creek 😀

I think Heyer is overrated (based on only one book so prepared to be wrong) but the wit and dialogue of Frenchman’s Creek is up there with anything Austen has written.

I did read somewhere that du Maurier didn’t rate it herself, but, humbly, I suggest she was wrong.

I first read The Loving Spirit when I was a teenager and I just loved it! I have all her books, but re-read Rebecca more than any other.

I just finished The House on the Strand and then stumbled on this thread. I read Rebecca years ago but hadn't read any of her other stuff. Really enjoyed it. Going to look at some more of her work.