It’s the birthday of Daphne du Maurier (1907-1989), who is best known and loved for her classic Gothic romance novel Rebecca (1938) but who is also, interestingly, the author of the story “The Birds” (1952) on which Hitchcock based his 1963 film.

Du Maurier was born in London (her father was the famous actor-manager Sir Gerald du Maurier), educated in Paris, and publishing articles and stories by the age of 21. Her first novel, The Loving Spirit (1931), was not only successful but got the attention of British army major Frederick A. M. Browning, who set out to meet her; they married just a few months later.

After writing several more successful novels, including Jamaica Inn (1936), du Maurier wrote Rebecca, the story of a romantic young woman—never named by the author—who marries a widower only to become obsessed with his compelling first wife, Rebecca, whose memory haunts all of the great estate of Manderley. The novel also features Mrs. Danvers, devotee of Rebecca and possibly the evilest housekeeper in English literature. (But still, a housekeeper: how great would that be? You’re welcome to lead me into dark psychological labyrinths if you’re also cleaning my bathrooms twice a week. BRING IT.)

Rebecca was a huge bestseller and continues selling about 4,000 copies a month to this day.

The inspiration for Manderley was an actual 70-room mansion named Menabilly located on the Cornwall coast. Using in part the proceeds from Rebecca, du Maurier and her husband were able to rent and live in Menabilly, moving in with their three children by Christmas of 1943. The house had been empty for 20 years and was in complete disrepair; du Maurier was responsible for its rehabilitation. Du Maurier continued living there alone after her husband’s death in 1965 and only moved out when the owners took possession. She died at her home in the village of Par in Cornwall at the age of 81.

Du Maurier was devoted enough to her husband that she never left him, in spite of having an affair (allegedly) with actress Gertrude Lawrence, whom she met—wait for it—when Lawrence acted in du Maurier’s play September Tide about her unrequited love for Ellen Doubleday, the wife of, yes, du Maurier’s publisher. (I’m just going to say it: that seems like a bad idea.) As for du Maurier’s parenting, it’s possible she wouldn’t have won Mother of the Year: she refused to let her children mix with other children because the thought of socializing with other parents was just insupportable. (Don’t you feel like a brilliant parent now? My little gift to you this Monday.)

Have a cool, damp, green, bird-watching sort of Monday and stay scrupulously honest to the data.