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A review by thesubmariner
Daphne du Maurier's Classics of the Macabre by Daphne du Maurier
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is a best of the three most popular collection of short stories from Daphne du Maurier. Not quite a 5-star rating, but who knows I maybe change my mind one day when I reread these stories.
These two stories can also be found in Don't Look Now and Other Stories collection.
Don't Look Now - novelette by Daphne du Maurier (1970) 5*
Couple John and Laura are on holiday in Venice. Their son Johnnie is in preparatory school while their
daughter Christine died from meningitis not too long ago. They are taking this trip to try to cope with the death of their daughter, but one evening while dining in the hotel twin sisters are eyeing the couple especially John. One is blind and has psychic abilities. Add to all of that a mysterious pixie hooded figure of a girl and a murder roaming on the streets of Venice and you got a thriller.
Not After Midnight - novelette by Daphne du Maurier (1971) 4-5*
Timothy Grey is a preparatory school headmaster and loves to paint in his spare time. That’s the reason why it is at holiday on Crete. While looking for some peace and quiet he runs into an American couple Stoll. As an archeologist I am biased for every story of an archeological wreck or site. Great ending.
These two stories can also be found in The Birds: and Other Stories collection.
The Apple Tree - novelette by Daphne du Maurier (1952) 4-5*
We follow a man who recently lost his wife Midge after 25 years of marriage. In his garden there are two apple trees, one old and one young one. Through the story we understand his relationship with his wife and yes, the metaphor is kind of obvious, but the execution is excellent.
The Birds - novelette by Daphne du Maurier 4*
This is a good story, but personally I was never intrigued by it, not even as a child when I saw the Hitchcock film on the shelf in the VHS rental store and to this day never saw the film to this day. Apparently, this story was just the basis for the film and is way different then it.
These two stories can also be found in The Breaking Point collection.
The Blue Lenses - novelette by Daphne du Maurier (1959) 4-5*
Mrs. Marda West goes to eye surgery where she is put with blue lenses that post surgery makes her see zoomorphic heads on the hospital staff. I loved the ending.
The Alibi - novelette by Daphne du Maurier (1959) 4-5*
Mr. Fenton is trying to escape his dull life with his wife. He gets ideas of the delusion of grandeur of him being a puppet master with the ability to have other people fate in his hands. After going alone for a walk one Sunday he goes to a house where he sees a woman (Madame Kaufman) with her son and wishes to strangle them both. He rents a room from Madame Kaufman and pretends to be a painter, but doesn’t kill them as he thought he would. Madame Kaufman is very kind and Fenton starts to live a double life under a fake name Mr. Sims spending a few hours a day using the apartment as a studio. He lives like this for six months and paints her infant boy. For six months everything he paints he throws in the Thames river, but one night a copper sees him and finds drawings of a small boy. Cops show up at his address and his wife Edna is in shock when he comes clean. Previously that night Fenton told Madame Kaufman that soon he will be done with his painting which she took very ill. The ending is very dark and kind of bizarre.
These two stories can also be found in Don't Look Now and Other Stories collection.
Don't Look Now - novelette by Daphne du Maurier (1970) 5*
Couple John and Laura are on holiday in Venice. Their son Johnnie is in preparatory school while their
daughter Christine died from meningitis not too long ago. They are taking this trip to try to cope with the death of their daughter, but one evening while dining in the hotel twin sisters are eyeing the couple especially John. One is blind and has psychic abilities. Add to all of that a mysterious pixie hooded figure of a girl and a murder roaming on the streets of Venice and you got a thriller.
Not After Midnight - novelette by Daphne du Maurier (1971) 4-5*
Timothy Grey is a preparatory school headmaster and loves to paint in his spare time. That’s the reason why it is at holiday on Crete. While looking for some peace and quiet he runs into an American couple Stoll. As an archeologist I am biased for every story of an archeological wreck or site. Great ending.
These two stories can also be found in The Birds: and Other Stories collection.
The Apple Tree - novelette by Daphne du Maurier (1952) 4-5*
We follow a man who recently lost his wife Midge after 25 years of marriage. In his garden there are two apple trees, one old and one young one. Through the story we understand his relationship with his wife and yes, the metaphor is kind of obvious, but the execution is excellent.
The Birds - novelette by Daphne du Maurier 4*
This is a good story, but personally I was never intrigued by it, not even as a child when I saw the Hitchcock film on the shelf in the VHS rental store and to this day never saw the film to this day. Apparently, this story was just the basis for the film and is way different then it.
These two stories can also be found in The Breaking Point collection.
The Blue Lenses - novelette by Daphne du Maurier (1959) 4-5*
Mrs. Marda West goes to eye surgery where she is put with blue lenses that post surgery makes her see zoomorphic heads on the hospital staff. I loved the ending.
The Alibi - novelette by Daphne du Maurier (1959) 4-5*
Mr. Fenton is trying to escape his dull life with his wife. He gets ideas of the delusion of grandeur of him being a puppet master with the ability to have other people fate in his hands. After going alone for a walk one Sunday he goes to a house where he sees a woman (Madame Kaufman) with her son and wishes to strangle them both. He rents a room from Madame Kaufman and pretends to be a painter, but doesn’t kill them as he thought he would. Madame Kaufman is very kind and Fenton starts to live a double life under a fake name Mr. Sims spending a few hours a day using the apartment as a studio. He lives like this for six months and paints her infant boy. For six months everything he paints he throws in the Thames river, but one night a copper sees him and finds drawings of a small boy. Cops show up at his address and his wife Edna is in shock when he comes clean. Previously that night Fenton told Madame Kaufman that soon he will be done with his painting which she took very ill. The ending is very dark and kind of bizarre.