The Mischief Makers

Written by Elisabeth Gifford
Review by Lizzie Bentham

This is a beautifully told historical novel following the life of Daphne du Maurier, the famous author. It starts in the early 20^th century and finishes in 1970. We follow Daphne growing up in the talented du Maurier family, desperately wanting to be a writer. She is encouraged by J. M. Barrie, the author of Peter Pan, and the guardian of her orphaned cousins. Throughout her life, she experiences love and loss, light and darkness. Her love for Cornwall inspires her novels, but it is Barrie’s mysterious influence on her family that brings the shadows that haunt her mind and her works.

This novel is perfectly paced and draws the reader in. It contains elements of romance and mystery, and there are nods to all of Daphne du Maurier’s literary creations. There are some very evocative descriptions of locations in Cornwall, which help create a melancholy and rich tone to the prose. I personally didn’t know a lot about Daphne du Maurier’s life and her family history, before reading The Mischief Makers. Elisabeth Gifford is such an enthralling storyteller that I was encouraged to read around the subject matter further, which is in itself fascinating.

Once I picked up this book, I found it very hard to put down. I would highly recommend this novel for some cosy Sunday afternoon reading.