An intriguing mix of fact and fiction - Rated 
Each of Justine Piccadie's books is quite different from her previous ones. Long having been a Daphne du Maurier fan - particularly of "Rebecca" - I was delighted with "Daphne". It operates on three levels - the Brontes, the du Maurier family and the only completely fictional one which is the unnamed PhD student narrator, her disagreeable husband and his former wife. But is the student indeed fictional?
I heard Ms Piccadie give a talk at the British Library, when I was two-thirds of the way through this book, and felt I was picking up clues as to the possible factual basis of the narrator, though I will not give this away to those who haven't yet read the book. And how clever of the author to base the student on du Maurier's portrayal of Max de Winter's second wife! She's a shadowy figure, like the one on whom she's based.
During the questioning after her talk, Justine questioned as to whether biography was ever factual, or whether it was also fictional. And certainly one is left with questions at the end of this novel as to exactly what of the content about the Bronte family and about Daphne du Maurier, her father and her husband was really factually true and what was fiction.
I highly recommend the book.
Inspiring Read - Rated
Inspired by the author's research and Daphne du Maurier obsession with Bramwell Brontë this factual novel is an interesting read. The story is written from the view point of three different people in two different decades. Present day the narrator who is researching du Maurier for her PhD and1957, a year of change for Daphne du Maurier and her correspondence with J A Symington a librarian and former curator of the Brontë Museum. I won't spoil the story but I had no idea of Daphne's connection to the Llewelyn Davies brothers (who inspired J M Barries Peter Pan) and that her husband was a well known career soldier who worked at Buckingham Palace, in fact she came from a fascinating back ground. After reading and loving the book I was fortunate to be able to attend a talk by the author at the British Library where she discussed her own obsession with Daphne, Daphne's and Symington's obsession with Bramwell Brontë. Read, enjoy and be inspired to dig further!
Truly excellent - Rated 
I read this superb book very quickly prior to going to hear Justine Picardie speak at the Oxford Literary Festival. I loved every page of the book - the story was so compelling and indeed for me, eye opening. Although I have read the major Bronte and Du Maurier works this book really has really filled me with so much more intrigue - I cannot wait to read more of their works and for the day that the all important notebook finally gets found!!
Justine was a delight to meet - such an intelligent and incredibly inspiring woman who clearly put so much into this book. None of it went to waste - the book is a fine testament to a very interesting writer.
I am currently reading another of her book -My Mother's Wedding Dress and I would highly recommend this too.
Literary possession - Rated
Novelist Daphne Du Maurier is at a crossroads in her life. She's just turned 50. Her husband, Tommy, is having a nervous breakdown, he's been having an affair for several years, and their marriage has become distant and remote. Daphne becomes absorbed in writing a new book, a biography of Branwell Bronte, brother of the famous Bronte sisters. Daphne has been obsessed with the Brontes since childhood and wants to rehabilitate Branwell's reputation. She corresponds with Alex Symington, a librarian who is an expert on Branwell's manuscripts, but has some secrets of his own. Another strand of the novel is about a young woman researching her PhD on Daphne in present day London. This is the least effective part of the novel. The references to Du Maurier's most famous novel, Rebecca, are not subtle and don't really add much to the book. The story of Du Maurier and her life at Menabilly, the house in Cornwall which inspired Manderley in Rebecca, is absorbing. A novel for anyone who loves reading about writers and their obsessions.
Missed Opportunities - Rated 
The huge shame about this is what could have been a great non-fiction book is turned into a deeply disappointing novel. It hooks alright, but just when you think you might find out a bit more about Du Maurier and Symingtion, and whatever the machinations going on at the 1950s Bronte Society where, you are diverted into what seems to be padding. At the end of the day you're left with the feeling that whilst it promises to be a great read, it lets you down at every turn.
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