Thirteen Tales of Suspense

After Midnight is a rich collection of thirteen short stories that showcase Daphne du Maurier’s range—from eerie suspense to sharp psychological insight. What impressed me most is how varied these stories are: some feel like gothic tales with her trademark sense of menace, others are quieter character studies, and a few take unexpected turns.

As with any collection, some stories lingered with me more than others. The strongest ones had that unmistakable du Maurier chill—where ordinary settings twist into something unsettling. Others were more reflective, exploring the darker corners of human nature and relationships. After Midnight is a fascinating way to see how she plays with mood, character, and suspense across different forms.

Daphne Du Maurier is the queen of Gothic for me! She is what got me into the genre and why I love Gothic literature so much. Her version of The Birds was so amazing, wish the movie had followed it. After Midnight is a set of her short stories in a collection. This book is perfect for lovers of Daphne Du Maurier or for those who haven't read her before and looking for a great introduction. I'm not a big fan of short story collections but I have never read a short story by her that I haven't loved! This book is perfect for the upcoming Spooktober Season!

Phenomenal collection. She is the queen of gothic literature, I was completely immersed in every story.

I've always had a soft spot for Du Maurier's stories; they are se well done and have all the vibes I'm looking for. From spooky to weird girl fic her stories are top tier. I was absolutely ecstatic to see a new publication keeping her work alive and thriving in the new generations and hopefully many to come as well. Her stories will always be considered the best of the best as far as classic literature goes.

What a treat to read this dark and delightful collection of exquisitely-written stories by Daphne du Maurier, a paragon of the macabre! Her pitch-perfect prose and subtle, incisive insight into human frailties plunge you into the eerie, twisted worlds of her characters. You're never quite certain what is real and what is illusion in these vivid, chilling tales. I'd read several of these stories before, and found them just as unsettling the second time around. Macabre, creepy, and just delicious, this collection will delight du Maurier fans as well as those looking for a little taste of gothic horror.

A new Daphne du Maurier release was not on my 2025 bingo card but I'm not complaining. From one of the queens of gothic tension, this collection of thirteen stories spanned genres, styles, and spooky levels. I especially loved The Birds, which made me want to turn around and watch the Hitchcock film. What an absolutely eerie spin on post-apocalyptic literature that absolutely left me wondering what I would do if faced with a similar sense of being completely cut off from the world. Monte Verita was another standout for me. du Maurier reigns supreme at the unsettling reading experience, and I could picture each of the stories like a movie in my head. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Most of these books were very enjoyable. Several left the reader high and dry with endings that cut off abruptly. I cannot find fault with the writer. I find it interesting that her main character was almost always a man. I also enjoyed the stories that took place in Europe. The writer is obviously well traveled

Being a fan of Daphne du Maurier's writing, I was excited to see a collection of short stories come up on NetGalley as an ARC! Du Maurier has a way of writing that draws you in instantly, even if it's a story you think you've read before. You start it just meaning to read a couple pages and all of a sudden it's an hour later and you've read two short stories when you meant to read just one! It's this dark intriguing factor that captivates and keeps you hostage until you finish the story and when it ends ambiguously, you immediately go on to the next in curiosity! I love it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4 stars for "After Midnight" - a "new" collection of 13 stories by the late Daphne du Maurier, of "Rebecca" fame, and intro'd by the amazing Stephen King. I had not read any of them before and of "The Birds", I will say it was quite different than the film. I have not seen "Don't Look Now" so I enjoyed it as well, as with any collection others were more hit & miss for me. I enjoyed quite a bit of Uncle Stevies intro, though there needs to be a "spoiler alert" on a bit of it, LOL! Anyway, recommend, especially for spooky season - very dark & suspenseful & a bit... unsettling. My sincere thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for my advance readers copy, always appreciate the opportunity to read & review early!

"From Daphne du Maurier, "a writer of fearless originality" (The Guardian), comes a collection of her thirteen most mesmerizing tales - including iconic stories such as "The Birds" and "Don't Look Now" - with an introduction by Stephen King.

Daphne du Maurier is best known for Rebecca, "one of the most influential novels of the 20th century" (Sarah Waters) and basis for Alfred Hitchcock's iconic film adaptation. More than thirty-five years after her death, du Maurier is celebrated for her gothic genius and stunning psychological insight by authors such as Ottessa Moshfegh, Maggie O'Farrell, Lucy Foley, Gillian Flynn, Jennifer Egan, and countless others, including Stephen King and Joe Hill.

After Midnight brings together some of du Maurier's darkest, most haunting stories, ranging from sophisticated literary thriller to twisted love story. Alongside classics such as "The Birds" and "Don't Look Now," - both of which inspired unforgettable films - are gems such as "Monte Verità," a masterpiece about obsession, mysticism, and tragic love, and "The Alibi," a chilling tale of an ordinary man's descent into lies, manipulation, and sinister fantasies that edge dangerously close to reality. In "The Blue Lenses," a woman recovering from eye surgery finds she now perceives those around her as having animal heads corresponding to their true natures. "Not After Midnight" follows a schoolteacher on holiday in Crete who finds a foreboding message from the chalet's previous occupant who drowned while swimming at night. In "The Breakthrough," a scientist conducts experiments to harness the power of death, blurring the line between genius and madness.

Each story in this collection exemplifies du Maurier's exquisite writing and singular insight into human frailty, jealousy, and the macabre. She "makes worlds in which people and even houses are mysterious and mutable; haunted rooms in which disembodied spirits dance at absolute liberty" (Olivia Laing, author of Crudo). Daphne du Maurier is mistress of the sleight of hand and slow-burning menace, often imitated and rarely surpassed.

Stories include:
-"The Blue Lenses"
-"Don't Look Now"
-"The Alibi"
-"The Apple Tree"
-"The Birds"
-"Monte Verita"
-"The Pool"
-"The Doll"
-"Ganymede"
-"Leading Lady"
-"Not After Midnight"
-"Split Second"
-"The Breakthrough""

What's interesting about this collection is that it includes the "Don't Look Now" which is rarely included in short story collections because of it's length and "The Doll" which was recently rediscovered and I don't know if it's been available stateside until now.

After Midnight is a delicious collection of thirteen stories from the talented and twisted Daphne du Maurier. Not all of these stories are newly published—in fact, I have already read many of them before—but they are always worth the read and re-read. It includes cult classics like The Birds which when on to be adapted to film by Hitchcock himself, and Don't Look Now, as well as lesser known stories like The Doll and Split Second. With a thoughtful introduction form Stephen King, this collection is sure to delight readers everywhere; fans of du Maurier and newbies to her work will enjoy it in equal measure. I can't wait for this to hit shelves in September.

Rebecca is a favorite novel of mine so I was excited to read this collection of short stories, and I think any fan will be pleased. They are all very much in the gothic du Maurier mode, and I very much enjoyed the introduction from Stephen King as well.

I love Rebecca and also enjoyed My Cousin Rachel so I was immediately interested in this short story collection. Daphne du Maurier excelled at creating an ominous and suspenseful tone with each of these stories. I enjoyed some more than others, finding a couple of them a little too far out there for my taste. On the whole, I’m glad I read this and can see readers who love creepy tales enjoying this book.

Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this ahead of publication!

After Midnight, Daphne du Maurier’s short story collection is bone chillingly superb. There is a subtlety to the way she builds suspense within her storytelling. Her characters are fleshed out, complicated and brilliant to behold. The plot to her stories are usually intricate and layered complete with what mystery writers call, 'red herrings!' Even if you don't enjoy every short story in After Midnight it will never be for bad writing. I don't know what it will be for but it won't be for that.

Wow. I was hooked to this collection of short stories from the start. Such a great read. Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for allowing me to read ARC.

After Midnight is a haunting collection of short stories from the incomparable Daphne du Maurier. As the author of Rebecca—one of my all-time favorite novels—du Maurier already had my full attention, and I leapt at the chance to wander into these darker corners of her imagination. Each story hums with an eerie unease, the kind that pricks at your skin without ever revealing exactly why. Intriguingly, many are told from a male perspective, which she does flawlessly. Reading them feels like taking a midnight stroll through a shadowy forest—you can’t quite see what’s ahead, but you can feel eyes watching from the trees.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced release copy in exchange for a honest review. These are honestly my favorite short stories I’ve ever read!

There are all stellar classics and deserve to be as revisited - and as beloved and ubiquitous - as Rebecca!

Daphne du Maurier was truly an artist of her time. I love her writing style it is eerie and Gothic very very atmospheric. I enjoyed reading each one of these creepy short stories she wrote. She will continue to be one of my favorite authors.
My favorite stories were The Birds ..that story was different than how I remembered the movie to be.
The Blue Lenses was possibly my favorite.. It was humorous and quirky. Monte Verita was good but a bit drawn out. The Alibi was very good as well...i enjoyed it.
Thanks to Netgalley and Publishers for this ARC.in exchange for my honest review.

Daphne du Maurier has always had an unparalleled gift for weaving the unsettling into the everyday, and After Midnight is a masterclass in that haunting craft. This collection of thirteen chilling tales slips effortlessly between the eerie, the macabre, and the breathtakingly human, each story a slow-burn descent into shadows you didn’t realize were gathering until it’s too late. From the creeping menace of The Birds to the surreal unease of The Blue Lenses, du Maurier’s prose is sharp as a knife’s edge, cutting into the delicate fabric of reality and revealing the darkness beneath. Her characters—whether ordinary men making terrible choices, lovers stumbling into danger, or wanderers lured by strange mysteries—are drawn with such precision that their fears feel like our own.

The beauty of this collection lies in its range: there are stories steeped in supernatural dread, others anchored in psychological tension, and all are layered with the author’s uncanny ability to evoke dread from a single image, gesture, or twist of fate. These are not just ghost stories or thrillers; they are portraits of human vulnerability, jealousy, obsession, and the fragile line between reason and madness. Every page carries the signature du Maurier atmosphere—moody, cinematic, and unshakably tense.

Whether you are discovering her short fiction for the first time or returning to these classics with fresh eyes, After Midnight is an unforgettable reminder of why Daphne du Maurier remains one of the most influential voices in gothic and suspense literature. Each tale lingers like the echo of a whispered warning, urging you to read just one more—long after midnight.

Many, many thanks to NetGalley and Scribner for granting me the opportunity to experience this remarkable collection early. I’m deeply grateful for the chance to revisit du Maurier’s genius in such a stunning edition, and I cannot recommend it highly enough to fans of dark, atmospheric storytelling.

Du Maurier was way ahead of her time. These stories are dark, twisted, and full of ambiguity; definitely not your typical horror. My favorites were The Blue Lenses, The Alibi, The Birds, and Monte Verità. A few others felt unfinished (I’m still confused about Not After Midnight), but the collection as a whole has a really eerie vibe.

Great for a fall or winter book club, especially if you like slow-burn, psychological horror over jump scares. Not perfect, but definitely memorable!