Daphne du Maurier's classic novel of lust, suspicion, and obsession that inspired major motion picture starring Rachel Weisz and Sam Claflin.
Orphaned at an early age, Philip Ashley is raised by his benevolent older cousin, Ambrose. Resolutely single, Ambrose delights in Philip as his heir, and Philip grows to love Ambrose's grand estate as much as he does. But the cozy world the two construct is shattered when Ambrose sets off on a trip to Florence. There he falls in love and marries a mysterious distant cousin named Rachel -- and there he dies suddenly.
Jealous of his marriage, racked by suspicion at the hints in Ambrose's letters, and grief-stricken by his death, Philip prepares to meet his cousin's widow with hatred in his heart. But when she arrives at the estate, Rachel seems to be a different woman from the one described in Ambrose's letters. Beautiful, sophisticated, and magnetic, Philip cannot help but feel drawn to Rachel.
And yet, questions still linger: might she have had a hand in Ambrose's death? And how, exactly, did Ambrose die? As Philip pursues the answers to these questions, he realizes that his own fate could hang in the balance.
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"A superb gothic tale as only du Maurier can compose! Philip Ashley a young bachelor who is to inherit a large estate off the Cornish coast, is saddened that his uncle Ambrose is set to leave for a vacation without him. Months after Ambroses departure, letters arrive that he met and is to marry their beautiful Italian cousin, Rachel, and stay in Italy at her estate. Philip, of course, becomes angry and resentful towards this cousin and it isn't until more letters, disturbing letters, begin arriving that Philip's childish jealousy of Rachel turns into fear, loathing and outright hatred. Ambrose claims that Rachel was slowing making him ill. Shortly after the arrival of these new letters, Ambrose dies of a mysterious illness. The grieving widow eventually makes her way to the Cornish estate, whereupon Philip falls madly in love with the talented, smart, beguiling, and lovely Rachel. He lavishes her with attention and gifts, all the while wondering how he could have ever thought her capable to murdering someone. It isn't until she flatly rejects his advances that he begins to see her as a black widow of sorts. Her knowledge of herbs, the death of two previous husbands, her Italian family "friend" that treats others as inferior fools, and other clues lead Philip to question his own judgement. And while the conclusion is sad, it is the absolute perfect du Maurier ending to a psychologically haunting story. Though none of du Mauriers works come close to the genious of "Rebecca", "My Cousin Rachel" is a definite must-read for fans of her lyrically beautiful gothic masterpieces."
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Linda (5 out of 5 stars)