Hungry Hill

An engaging family saga by English writer Daphne du Maurier (1907–1989), whose books have become classics of the gothic tradition in 20th-century literature. A master of subtle psychological portraiture and a virtuoso of intrigue, du Maurier, like no one else, knows how to keep the reader in suspense. It is no wonder that one of her admirers was the filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock, who adapted her works into famous thrillers, including "Rebecca," "The Birds," and "Jamaica Inn." The novel "Hungry Hill" was written in 1943; the book was successful with readers and, like many of du Maurier's works, was soon adapted for the screen. The basis of "Hungry Hill" is a true story of the Irish ancestors of one of Daphne du Maurier's friends. It chronicles the lives of five generations of the Brodrick family, owners of Clonmere Castle, who possessed the copper mines of Hungry Hill. It is a story of their rise and fall. A story of absolute power, wealth, and solitude; strength and helplessness; a story of hatred and love lasting a hundred years.