Best Selling Books by Daphne du Maurier

The Restoration Court knows Lady Dona St Columb to be ripe for any folly, any outrage that will alter the tedium of her days. But there is another, secret Dona who longs for freedom, honest love - and sweetness, even if it is spiced with danger. To escape the shallowness of court life, Dona retreats to Navron, her husband''s remote Cornish estate. There, she seeks peace in its solitary woods and hidden creeks. But she finds instead a daring pirate, hunted by all Cornwall, a Frenchman who, like Dona, would gamble his life for a moment''s joy. Together, they embark upon a quest rife with danger and glory, one which bestows upon Dona the ultimate choice: sacrifice her lover to certain death or risk her own life to save him.

FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF REBECCA ''A writer of fearless originality'' GUARDIAN ''Du Maurier is in a class by herself'' NEW YORK TIMES ''A landmark book on a much-neglected figure, containing ground-breaking research'' LISA JARDINE A fascinating historical figure, Anthony Bacon was a contemporary of the brilliant band of gallants who clustered round the court of Elizabeth I and he was closely connected with the Queen''s favourite, the Earl of Essex. He also worked as an agent for Sir Francis Walsingham, the Queen''s spymaster, living in France where he became acquainted with Henri IV and the famous essayist Michel de Montaigne. It was in France that du Maurier discovered a secret that, if disclosed during Bacon''s lifetime, could have put an end to his political career . . . Du Maurier did much to shed light on matters that had long puzzled historians. This biography is also a strange and fascinating tale.

Pursued by the twin demons of drink and madness, Branwell Bronte created a private world that was indeed infernal. As a bold and gifted child, his promise seemed boundless to the three adoring sisters over whom his rule was complete. But as an adult, the precocious flame of genius distorted and burned low. With neither the strength nor the resources to counter rejection, unable to sell his paintings or publish his books, Branwell became a spectre in the Bronte story, in pathetic contrast with the astonishing achievements of Charlotte, Emily and Anne. This is the biography of the shadowy figure of the "unknown" Bronte. "Miss du Maurier has brought to the art of the biography the narrative urgency which gives such animation to her storytelling."-New York Times Book Review

As a bold and gifted child, Branwell Brontë''s promise seemed boundless to the three adoring sisters over whom his rule was complete. But as an adult, the precocious flame of genius flickered and burned low. With neither the strength nor the resources to counter rejection, unable to sell his paintings or publish his books, Branwell became a specter in the Brontë story, in pathetic contrast with the remarkable achievements of Charlotte, Anne, and Emily. Daphne du Maurier concentrates all her biographer''s skill on the shadowy figure of Branwell Brontë, and no reader could fail to be intensely moved by Branwell''s final retreat into laudanum, alcohol, and death. Dame Daphne du Maurier wrote more than 25 acclaimed novels, short stories, and plays, including Rebecca and The House on the Strand. She was also a passionate and skillful biographer.

The only hardcover edition of the beloved, internationally best-selling gothic mystery. EVERYMAN''S LIBRARY CONTEMPORARY CLASSICS. The unassuming young heroine of Rebecca finds her life changed overnight when she meets Maxim de Winter, a handsome and wealthy widower whose sudden proposal of marriage takes her by surprise. Rescuing her from an overbearing employer, de Winter whisks her off to Manderley, his isolated estate on the windswept Cornish coast--but there things take a chilling turn. Max seems haunted by the memory of his glamorous first wife, Rebecca, whose legacy is lovingly tended by the sinister housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers. As the second Mrs. de Winter finds herself increasingly burdened by the shadow of her mysterious predecessor, she becomes determined to uncover the dark secrets that threaten her happiness, no matter the cost.

This is Daphne du Maurier''s personal memoir, the story of how enchanted Cornwall formed her as a writer -- how the spirit of Cornwall awakened in her a response so imaginative that it transformed ordinary perception into the inspired perception of a master story-teller. Enchanted, mysterious, unexplored, this is Cornwall as seen through the eyes of the best-selling author of Rebecca, Frenchman''s Creek and Jamaica Inn -- tales which have passed into Cornish folk-lore. In Frenchman''s Creek, it is the Helford river and the primaeval enchantment of the creek itself which inspires her; in Jamaica Inn, the hard, diabolic "beauty" of Bodmin Moor. In Castle Dor, landscape speaks to her of ancient Cornish myths and legends -- an extraordinary perception, source of that sinister otherworldliness that held spellbound millions who read The Birds and Don''t Look Now. Completed shortly before Dame du Maurier''s death in 1989, Enchanted Cornwall is the story of a magical relationship between a person and the spirit of a place. It will have special significance for millions who have enjoyed her books and want to know more about this very private writer. But it is a book for everyone to enjoy: her readers, those who have enjoyed her films, and travellers to Cornwall -- whether making their journey in person or just in mind. - Jacket flap.

Letters written to her friend, Malet, describe Du Maurier''s family, life in Cornwall, and views on writing