The ScapegoatThe Scapegoat
Score Classic
What it's about
John, a lonely English academic on holiday in France, meets a stranger in a station café who looks exactly like him: Jean de Gué, a French count. They get drunk together, and John wakes up to find that Jean has taken his clothes and his life and vanished. John is mistaken for Jean and taken home to a family he doesn't know, a failing glassworks and a tangle of secrets.
Why it's worth reading
It spent 14 weeks at #1 on the New York Times list. It's a suspenseful, psychological novel from the author of Rebecca.
You'll love it if you liked
Rebecca
The Magus
The Woman in WhiteGood to know
It's slow-building. The ending is ambiguous.
By the numbers
- Readers46 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller46 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
- #295 of the 555 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #506 of the 762 classics we rank
- #1764 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping, Adventurous
More by Daphne du Maurier
Rebecca
My Cousin Rachel
Frenchman's Creek
The House on the StrandIf you like this, read next
The Godfather
The Pillars of the Earth
In Cold Blood
Crime and Punishment
The Name of the Rose
Advise and Consent.Explore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is The Scapegoat worth reading?
Yes. It spent 14 weeks at #1 on the New York Times list. It ranks #1,764 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 65.9 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Scapegoat about?
John, a lonely English academic on holiday in France, meets a stranger in a station café who looks exactly like him: Jean de Gué, a French count. They get drunk together, and John wakes up to find that Jean has taken his clothes and his life and vanished. John is mistaken for Jean and taken home to a family he doesn't know, a failing glassworks and a tangle of secrets.
How long does it take to read The Scapegoat?
About 7 hours (279 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Scapegoat?
If you liked it, try Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, The Magus by John Fowles or The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins.