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Frenchman's Creek  By  cover art

Frenchman's Creek

By: Daphné du Maurier
Narrated by: John Castle
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Publisher's summary

Bored and restless in London's Restoration Court, Lady Dona escapes into the British countryside with her restlessness and thirst for adventure as her only guides.

Eventually Dona lands in remote Navron, looking for peace of mind in its solitary woods and hidden creeks. She finds the passion her spirit craves in the love of a daring French pirate who is being hunted by all of Cornwall.

Together, they embark upon a quest rife with danger and glory, one which bestows upon Dona the ultimate choice: sacrifice her lover to certain death or risk her own life to save him.

©2014 Daphne du Maurier (P)2014 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"Highly personalized adventure, ultra-romantic mood, and skillful storytelling." ( New York Times)

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Editor's Pick

My guilty pleasure turns out to be quality fiction—score!
"I confess: I used to sneak Daphne du Maurier novels into science class. Frenchman’s Creek remains the best education I ever had in Chemistry! Dona St. Columb, a bored patrician wife and mother, fed up with the emptiness of London society, retreats to her Cornish estate to find…pirates in the Creek. And their captain? The poetic, handsome French loner matches Dona’s world-weariness, and together…no, I won’t spoil it. Just download the amazing audiobook, and, trust me, it will fill up the time until Poldark’s next season comes to TV."
Christina H., Audible Editor

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What listeners say about Frenchman's Creek

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Very sexy without the details

I was on the phone to my sister telling her about Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. I told her how I loved the book but felt obliged to fast forward some passages which were too explicit. She recommended Frenchman’s Creek and being familiar with other Du Maurier books I agreed to try it. I loved it and cried at the end. An exciting story full of steamy romance with NO explicit details. I always delight in Daphne’s description of the Cornish coast and this book did not disappoint.
John Castles tone and accent were both excellent for this book especially his rendering of a Frenchman.
He will be added to my list of preferred readers.

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46 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

outstanding performance. Clear, perfect

Voice inflection and accents, genders, local dialects are perfect. It was
like watching a movie in my head. Best reading I have heard.

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41 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A Romantic Adventure

Great period romance from one of my favorite authors. The detail and poetry of the writing along with the measured performance of the narrator create a story which you can't help but visualize and which leaves me feeling as though I had watched a movie rather than listened to a book.

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20 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Just OK

A little difficult for me to relate to heroine. Contemplate leaving spouse/kids for handsome pirate lover...LOL? :) I like the author’s other works, though, (Rebecca, My Cousin Rachel), which is why I chose the selection and it was on sale. Rather abrupt, ambiguous ending.

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15 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Don't get bogged down in the first chapter

This is a good, old-fashioned romance. It was perfect for listening during my yard chores. All-in-all, a delightful romp AFTER the onerous first chapter.

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Mesmerinsingly Romantic

Where does Frenchman's Creek rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Frenchmen's Creek ranks in my top ten Audible books..listened twice in a row.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Frenchman's Creek?

The first line.."When the East wind blows up Helford river... Along with the haunting music and John Castle's voice immediately draws you in to become a part of the story. I hung on every word Daphne Du Maurier wrote..her writing even the dialogues is so poetic!!!

Have you listened to any of John Castle’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

First book I read by John Castle..want to read others by him.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me smile, reflect poignantly, Want to hear again her mesmerizing descriptions. I visualized everything....what a great movie it could make if done true to the novel.

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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My favorite book

I have loved this box since I was a teenager. It is so well written and the narrator adds an amazing element to the story

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Great historical adventure

This book has a dreamy, vivid, and sensuous quality that pulls you into the characters' lives. It's an escapist adventure, but also deeper and more philosophical than most romantic novels. I found I never quite liked the heroine but I respected and identified with her need to have control over her own destiny, and definitely wanted her to succeed. She faces a dilemma women have faced for thousands of years: the choice between family and occupation. Her situation makes the reader sympathetic, but she isn't always the most ethical or responsible person, and the reader is kept in suspense about what her choice will be. Maybe this is what makes her a believable character.

The narrator is excellent and really does justice to all the characters, including the ones with French accents. I think I enjoyed it as an audio book more than I would have as a printed book, because the narration made the characters come alive so well. Anyone who likes historical fiction is likely to enjoy this story.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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One of my favorite stories

Very enjoyable. I loved reading the book, watching the movie and now listening to it. This will be one I revisit on Audible.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Not up to Du Maurier standards

This is Daphne du Maurier's book that I have liked the least.
None of the characters become endearing to the reader, like in every other of her books.
The story is ok, but a bit lacking in my opinion, and the part of the characters is not up there.
She is too flawed and he is better, but not her best.
I'm going on now to My Cousin Rachel and I'm sure I'll do much better.

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6 people found this helpful