Product Description

I threw the piece of paper on the fire. She saw it burn ...Orphaned at an early age, Philip Ashley is raised by his benevolent older cousin, Ambrose. Resolutely single, Ambrose delights in Philip as his heir, a man who will love his grand home as much as he does himself. But the cosy world the two construct is shattered when Ambrose sets off on a trip to Florence. There he falls in love and marries - and there he dies suddenly. In almost no time at all, the new widow - Philip's cousin Rachel - turns up in England. Despite himself, Philip is drawn to this beautiful, sophisticated, mysterious woman like a moth to the flame. And yet ...might she have had a hand in Ambrose's death?

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #15658 in Books
• Published on: 2003-05-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 304 pages

Review
'In the same category as REBECCA, but an even more consummate piece of storytelling' GUARDIAN 'From the first page ... the reader is back in the moody, brooding atmosphere of Rebecca' NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW

About the Author
Daphne du Maurier (1907-1989) was born in London and educated at home and in Paris. Her books, which are set in Cornwall, have nearly all been bestsellers.

Customer Reviews

From the very first page I was hooked.
If you're looking for a love story, I'm afraid you're not going to find it here. If, however, you're looking for a fast moving plot and plenty of suspense then this is the book for you.

The dark, mysterious atmosphere in My Cousin Rachel is very similar to that of Rebecca. The reader is held in anxious anticipation until the very last page and yet again du Maurier delivers a surprising twist that still leaves you wondering...

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a great page-turner.

Wonderful
After reading Daphne du Maurier's "Rebecca" and "Frenchman's Creek" and enjoying them both immensely, I decided to read "My Cousin Rachel". Within its pages I found a tender and touching story that has given me a significant volume to think about. This novel follows Philip Ashley, a young upper-class man who was brought up by his older cousin Ambrose in (like in the majority of du Maurier's novels) a grand house in Cornwall. As ever, du Maurier's intricately chosen words perfectly let the reader in on Philip's jealousy as Ambrose travels to Florence and marries the woman honoured in the title, Rachel, and his further feelings of anguish and spite towards her when she arrives in Cornwall following the premature death of Ambrose, believing Rachel to be at fault for his cousin's death. However, Philip's instinct gradually ebbs away as he becomes ever more obsessed with Rachel, and du Maurier effectively manages to stir up emotions in the reader as he loses sight of how possessive he becomes. If I had to compare this steady rise in tension from the beginning of the novel with anything, it would probably be the play "A View From the Bridge" by Arthur Miller: although I did not realise this until I had finished the book, everything in the novel seems to build up to the shocking finale.

I would not class "My Cousin Rachel" as a romance, but ultimately it is a heart-wrenching tale of love, longing and tragedy which is intelligently structured and will remain in the reader's thoughts for some time upon completion of the novel.

Classic Page turning Maurier
I read this book after Jamaica Inn and Rebecca and whilst it is not as good as Jamaica Inn is certainly an exciting page turner.

The book is told in the first person by the rather priggish (to start with anyway) Philip Ashley who has been brought up as a member of the Cornish gentry by his elder cousin Ambrose. His devotion to Ambrose and complete disinterest in women allows for a subtle gay undercurrent to run through the books earlier chapters.

However, Ambrose travels to Florence (for health reasons) and there he marries the mysterious Rachel. When he dies unexpextedly Philip blames this woman for his death.

As Ambrose never revised his will Philip is left everything and Rachel soon comes to Cornwall to visit him. Philip does not want to meet her but when he does finds himself warming to her. The reader can see that he is falling in love with her, but Philip does not realise this until he is completely under her spell. Rachel has her detractors but Philip will not listen to them.

With the two of them living alone under the same room their relationship is slow burning but intense. Through Philip we gradually learn more about Rachel but he is unwilling to question any of her actions.

To say anymore would be to ruin the surprise of whether or not she is a black widow or not - or even if it is that simple.

I won't ruin the story for you but you will find yourself reading this book over the cooker, in the bath and during Emmerdale in order to get to the last page.