On a trip to the south of france, the shy heroine of @18@rebecca@19@ falls in love with maxim de winter, a handsome widower. although his proposal comes as a surprise, she happily agrees to marry him. but as they arrive at her husband's home, manderley, a change comes over maxim, and the young bride is filled with dread. friendless in the isolated mansion, she realises that she barely knows him. in every corner of every room is the phantom of his beautiful first wife, rebecca, and the new mrs de winter walks in her shadow.