RebeccaRebecca
Score Classic
What it's about
A shy, unnamed young woman working as a paid companion in Monte Carlo meets Maxim de Winter, a wealthy, brooding widower, and within weeks she's his wife and the mistress of Manderley, his grand estate in Cornwall. But the house is haunted by the memory of his first wife, the glamorous, adored Rebecca, and by the sinister housekeeper Mrs. Danvers, who worshipped her and resents the new Mrs. de Winter completely.
Why it's worth reading
It's a perfect gothic suspense novel, atmospheric, psychologically sharp and impossible to put down, and its opening line, "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again," is among the most famous ever written. It has sold tens of millions of copies.
You'll love it if you liked
Wuthering Heights
The Woman in White
Gone GirlGood to know
The first chapters are slow and atmospheric before the suspense builds. Don't read the ending's twists in advance.
By the numbers
- Readers86 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller87 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #12 of the 555 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #53 of the 762 classics we rank
- #177 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping, Moving
More by Daphne du Maurier
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The Scapegoat
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Scruples
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Memories of MidnightExplore the best-of lists
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Quick answers
Is Rebecca worth reading?
Yes. It's a perfect gothic suspense novel, atmospheric, psychologically sharp and impossible to put down, and its opening line, "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again," is among the most famous ever written. It ranks #177 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 84.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Rebecca about?
A shy, unnamed young woman working as a paid companion in Monte Carlo meets Maxim de Winter, a wealthy, brooding widower, and within weeks she's his wife and the mistress of Manderley, his grand estate in Cornwall. But the house is haunted by the memory of his first wife, the glamorous, adored Rebecca, and by the sinister housekeeper Mrs. Danvers, who worshipped her and resents the new Mrs. de Winter completely.
How long does it take to read Rebecca?
About 11 hours (428 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Rebecca?
If you liked it, try Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins or Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.