Rebecca was written by Daphne du Maurier, and was first published in 1938. It was an instant seller, and du Maurier became a celebrated author of her time.

Plot:
A young woman, who's name is never revealed throughout the story, is working as a companion for a wealthy American, Mrs. Vanhopper, vacationing in Monte Carlo. There she meets Maxim de Winter, and after two weeks of car rides, dinners, and activities, he asks her to marry him. She accepts, and after their honeymoon, goes to live at his family mansion: Manderly.
When she arrives, she realizes how difficult it will be to forget his previous wife, Rebecca, who she has heard so much about. No one seems to be able to forget the young women, who had died in a sailing accident. Especially Mrs. Danvers, the house keeper and Rebecca's personal maid, who tells the newly-wed that she could never replace Rebecca, and that Maxim does not love her. The new Mrs. de Winter is beside herself. She is uncomfortable in every room, she has no control over the house, and Rebecca's shadow stands between her and Maxim. Then, something shocking is revealed about Rebecca's death.

My Review: (Caution:Spoilers)
I absolutely enjoyed reading this book. One of the things I found interesting, was du Maurier's unique writing style. The character's emotions were clearly portrayed, and I was able to feel some of those emotions as I read: shyness, excitement, uneasiness, frustration, and fear. Second, I absolutely loved Maxim and (what's her name:). I also didn't notice until the end, that she and Maxim were so much alike. She is terrified of strangers and new people and is constantly thinking about what other people say about her. Maxim also is the same way: dreading attention from the inquiry, and worrying about the damage of his family's good name. All in all, this is a very good book, and it earns a spot on my 'Top Ten' favorite books list.

Note: This book contains mild language.

The Movie:
There are several adaptations of this book.

1. The first was by Alfred Hitchcock, as his first American film. I have seen this version, and it is pretty good. Hitchcock dwells more on the suspenseful side of the story, so I did miss some of the relationship of Maxim and Mrs. de Winter. Other than that, it was really good! I do recommend that you read the book before you watch the movie.
2. The second starred *sigh* Jeremy Brett as Maxim. Unfortunately only bits and pieces of this film are available on the internet, because of copyright issues. I do think I would like it better than the first, because Jeremy Brett would be able to play the compassionate side of Maxim and the eccentric (crazy) side of him also.
3. The third was made in the 90's and starred Charles Dance as Maxim. From what I understand this was more about Maxim and Mrs. de Winter, and Rebecca was not as big a part as in the other adaptations. And, Rebecca was shown in flashbacks, a small mistake, because you don't have to see her to know she is there. Hitchcock had the camera move as if someone (unseen) was walking. This was just brilliant on Hitchcock's part.