Rebecca’s Tale, Sally Beauman – Review

TITLE: Rebecca’s Tale
AUTHOR: Sally Beauman
PUBLICATION DATE: January 30, 2007
PUBLISHER: Harper Paperbacks
PAGES: 464
GENRE: Fiction Mystery

April 1951. It is twenty years since the death of Rebecca, the hauntingly beautiful first wife of Maxim de Winter. Twenty years since the inquest, which passed a verdict of suicide. Twenty years since Manderlay was razed to the ground…but Rebecca’s tale is just beginning. Family friend Colonel Julyan receives an anonymous parcel containing a black notebook with two handwritten words on the first page — Rebecca’s Tale. A young scholar by the name of Terrence Gray has also appeared in town, looking for clues to Rebecca’s life and death. His presence causes a stir in the quiet hamlet, and tongues begin to wag about the close ties Mr. Gray has formed to the Colonel and his single daughter, Ellie.Amid the intrigues of this small coastal town, Ellie, Gray, and the Colonel begin a search for the real Rebecca. Was her death really suicide, or was it murder? – FROM GOODREADS

FROM THE BOOK FAERY REVIEWS…Rebecca’s Tale was written from the point of view of 4 characters; Colonel Julyan, Terrance Gray, Rebecca, then Ellie. I found this mystery to be slow in the beginning and when it did pick up, I became disappointed. I’m not sure exactly what I was expecting but I had hopes of it being better than it was. I kept telling myself, “it will get better, just keep going”. I wanted to toss it into the fireplace and use the book to keep me warm from the coldness I felt. I know, harsh sounding, huh? I just expected more…But then I had just recently read The Thirteenth Tale (which was AWESOME!) so perhaps that’s why?

Just remember…even though I wasn’t thrilled about the book, doesn’t mean it’s not for you. You just might enjoy it!