Women in Horror Month: One for the books with these memorable authors
Women in Horror Month – Courtesy of WIHM
Women in Horror Month is in full swing at 1428 Elm. In honor of my fellow fierce female scribes, I have compiled a short list of horror novelists that are worthy of attention.
Women in Horror Month is a special one for us here at 1428 Elm. That is why I tried to do something a little different this year. Since I am a voracious reader, I have compiled a list of some of the hottest female scribes in the genre to recommend some scary good novels.
The original list appears courtesy of Bustle but I have changed up the selections. Let’s turn the page, shall we?
Top 5 Unforgettable Female Scribes and Their Terrifying Tales
5. Daphne Du Maurier – Rebecca
Women in Horror Month- Daphne du Maurier – Rebecca – Courtesy of Selznick International Pictures
For those of you who are fans of Alfred Hitchcock, Daphne Du Maurier is a very familiar name. That is because he has directed a number of adaptations of her works including Jamaica Inn and The Birds. However, I have decided to spotlight, Rebecca.
This is a haunting tale of a woman (Joan Fontaine) who marries a wealthy man named Maxim de Winter. In Hitchcock’s film, he is played by Sir Laurence Olivier. After their nuptials, he takes his new bride home to their country estate.
She finds out that his deceased wife, Rebecca died in a boating accident the year before. Unfortunately, her presence looms larger than life after her death. Mrs. Danvers, Maxim’s housekeeper immediately starts planting seeds of doubt in his new wife’s head that he is still in love with Rebecca.
What ensues is a complex story with dark twists and turns. Plus, an ending that you didn’t see coming. Du Maurier excelled at keeping her audience on the edge of their seats. This is a book that you can get lost in.
What is interesting to note, there is a very subtle subtext of erotic tension on behalf of Mrs. Danvers. She seems quite taken with Maxim’s wife. This was a novel concept for 1940’s Hollywood at the time. However, Hitchcock picked up on it and you can sense the lust on the housekeeper’s part covertly.