My Cousin Rachel

By: Daphne du Maurier

Narrated by: Jonathan Pryce

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.

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.

Despite himself, Philip is drawn to this beautiful, sophisticated, mysterious Rachel like a moth to the flame. And yet . . . might she have had a hand in Ambrose's death?

©2014 Daphne du Maurier (P)2014 Hachette Audio

couldn't stop listening!

typical of Daphne du Maurier.
couldn't stop listening. loved it!
Jonathan Pryce's reading was superb.

Unexpectedly enthralling

For starters, the narration was excellent.
The story was not at all what I expected and something about it kept me very engrossed. It was one of those books that I couldn’t stop thinking about even when I wasn’t listening to it.
The end was not as good as the rest. It seemed a bit hasty after so much buildup.. it was just suddenly over. The author no doubt did it on purpose, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. But I did like the book very much indeed.

Worth my time, just a few frustrations.

A good listen, well performed, just a few minor frustrations I can't list without giving too much away. Except tisana is Italian for tisane, (basically an herbal tea).

was she evil or good? Doubts, suspicions and ...

ambiguity abound!

This is the first book I have read by Daphne du Maurier, and it will not be the last! It is a wonderful, old-school romantic mystery. Her attention to character development is superb. Both Phillip and Rachel are dark, mysterious, and often unlikable characters. They are often jealous, and sometimes greedy. They are smart and they are also stupid. They are very real, and that makes them compelling.

The author also deftly builds tension, and allows the mystery to remain a mystery -- making the reader think one thing and then another and another. The story keeps you guessing right up until the end of the book. In fact, I find myself guessing still, several days later.

Perhaps my favorite quote of the book comes near the beginning, in the first chapter. It sets the tone for the entire book.

"No one will ever guess the burden of blame I carry on my shoulders;" he says, "nor will they know that every day, haunted still by doubt, I ask myself a question which I cannot answer. Was Rachel innocent or guilty? Maybe I shall learn that too, in purgatory."

Even the author said (in a later interview) that she did not know whether Rachel was guilty. It makes for a wonderful read which will stay with you and which will certainly inspire me to listen again very soon.

My Cousin Rachel

During my reading I thought I had unraveled the plot. With utmost satisfaction I was wrong.

Beautifully written and performed

Ms. du Maurier wrote a beautifully crafted story of love and tragedy. I dare say poetic in its prose, just a wonderful book.

Kept me hooked

The story kept me hooked but the ending fizzled out and seemed to leave questions unanswered.

Wonderful!

I enjoyed every minute of it! The narrator was excellent and the story was better than I remembered.

Haunting love story.

One of my favorite stories from my younger days. Wonderful reading. It's a good story about a reclusive young man who gets swept away by a rather scheming woman...or was she?

The best audible book I've listened to so far

Of the 10 or so audible books I've listened to, this is by far the best. There is so much more to Daphne DuMaurier's work than Rebecca, and Jonathan Pryce does justice to it. His voices are perfection.