Rebecca is a 1938 Gothic novel written by English author, Daphne du Maurier.The novel depicts an unnamed young woman who impetuously marries a wealthy widower, before discovering that both he and his household are haunted by the memory of his late first wife, the title character. The novel is remembered especially for the character Mrs. Danvers, the West Country estate Manderley, and its opening line: "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again."