Books: On the Road to Manderley

When the unnamed heroine of Rebecca thought she went back to Manderley again, she was dreaming, of course, about the grief-drenched mansion where she had been so scared and had acted so dumb. But there has nevertheless been a real and steady procession back to Daphne du Maurier's literary landmark by women who know exactly how to conduct themselves. Some of the world's most prosperous authors check in every year either at Manderley or at one of the two other historic homes on the tour: Thornfield Hall, where Jane Eyre was governess, and Wuthering Heights.

Although the book trade often inaccurately lumps...