Bentley (Nicolas) The Tongue-Tied Canary
£95
London, Michael Joseph, 1948.
First edition, first impression. Inscribed presentation copy from the author. 8vo. Original boards. Dust-jacket, priced 8s.6d.
Bentley came to crime fiction with the best possible pedigree: his father was E.C. Bentley, author of Trent’s Last Case, the book that taught the Golden Age detective novel to smile, and inventor of the clerihew besides. The Tongue-Tied Canary is Bentley fils turning from drawing comic thrillers’ jackets to writing one himself, in the light, urbane register the surname made mandatory.
Inscribed: “To Dr Lennard Cutler a poor return for what he gave me – a very serviceable wife from Nicolas Bentley”. Make of that what you will! (We suspect the doctor in question restored Mrs Bentley to good health, rather than anything more sinister.)
In stock
Boards with some bumping to edges, slight softening to head of spine; some edge wear to jacket some chipping to corners and spine ends with some loss to head of spine.
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