Detective Fiction
London, Hammond, Hammond, 1953.
First UK edition. 8vo. Original blue cloth stamped in gilt to spine. Dust-jacket, priced 9s6d.
A superb UK edition of an elusive title, featuring series character Elisha Macomber, a chairman of the Board of Selectmen and an amateur detective on Penberthy Island (reminiscent of Martha's Vineyard). The plot involves a murder during a fishing competition called the Bass Derby.
Detective Fiction
London, Sampson Low, [c.1931].
Early issue. Inscribed presentation copy from the author. 8vo. Original orange cloth. Dust-jacket, referencing this title and Knight's 'The Pawn' [1931] on lower panel, with official price-sticker '5/-' on spine and lower panel.
The author's first book, inscribed by the author to 'Miss Digger', thanking her for help and support. The adventures of Jerry Scant, a gipsy, who unwittingly becomes involved with an international gang of smugglers.
Detective Fiction
London, Sheed & Ward, 1946.
First edition. 8vo. Original grey boards. Dust-jacket, priced 10s 6d.
A religious reflection on the Old Testament, from priest & crime writer Knox, who previously attempted to codify the detective fiction genre through his own ten commandments, Knox's 'Ten Rules for Detective Fiction'. Knox was also the subject of Evelyn Waugh's The Life of Ronald Knox (1959).
Detective Fiction
A Cracksman Novel
London, John Lane The Bodley Head, 1938.
First edition. 8vo. Original yellow cloth. Dust-jacket, correctly priced 3s 6d.
Russian aristocrat exile turns to crime in America, and elsewhere.
Detective Fiction
London, Hodder & Stoughton, 1926.
First edtion, 'file copy'. 8vo. Original blue cloth. Dust-jacket, correctly priced 7/6.
"The Alps - an ex-spy - and Edris!"
An uncommon 'twenties title to find in the original jacket, this the publisher's file copy.
Detective Fiction
London, Hurst & Blackett, 1925.
First edition. Clipped autograph inscription from the author laid onto title-page. 8vo. Original blue cloth. Dust-jacket, priced 7/6.
Note from the author pasted onto title-page, wishing warmest greetings to a friend.
Detective Fiction
London, Hurst & Blackett, [1926].
First edition. Signed presentation copy from the author to a family friend. 8vo. Original blue cloth. Dust-jacket, priced 7/6.
A very good, inscribed first edition of this classic spy story; a mysterious man known as 'X' with a disfigured face who is blackmailing the British government to sabotage the British war effort.
![William Le Queux, The Mystery of Mademoiselle, first UK edition, [1926]](https://lycanthiabooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/84595-300x300.jpg)
Detective Fiction
London, Hodder & Stoughton, [1926].
First UK edition. 8vo. Original blue cloth lettered in black. Dust-jacket, correctly priced 7/6.
A lovely first UK edition of this twenties tale of suspense by Anglo-French author Le Queux.
Detective Fiction
London, The Literary Press, n.d..
First edition thus. 8vo. Original green cloth. Dust-jacket.
What was the secret of Chesterton Square?
Detective Fiction
New York, Macaulay Company, 1922.
First US edition. 8vo. Original dark chocolate pictorial cloth blocked in orange. Dust-jacket.
A lovely first edition in English of this title featuring Arséne Lupin, Leblanc's famous counterpoint to Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. This the issue with the 'Smoke of the.45' at the top of the lower panel advertisements.
Detective Fiction
London, Jonathan Cape, 1956.
First edition. 8vo. Original green boards. Dust-jacket, correctly priced at 13s.6d.
A very good first edition of this murder mystery, featuring series character Miss Hogg and her faithful chum Milly Brown, and a lost manuscript by Emily Brontë... Austin Lee was a prolific author, also writing under the pseudonyms John Austwick and Julian Callender.
Detective Fiction
Lees (Hannah, pseud. Elizabeth Head Fetter) and Lawrence Bachmann. Death in the Doll’s House
London, John Murray, 1944.
First edition. 8vo. Original blue cloth. Dust-jacket, priced 8/6.
Psychological elements in a murder mystery involving a six-year-old child... basis for the 1950 film Shadow on the Wall.
Detective Fiction
London, Rupert Hart-Davis, 1967.
First edition. 8vo. Original purple boards. Dust-jacket, price-clipped.
A very good first edition of the first book by Lemarchand, introducing CDI Tom Pollard and his assistant Sergeant Toye of Scotland Yard.
Detective Fiction
First Crime Circle Edition.
London. Thornton Butterworth, 1935
Fabulous stylistic dustjacket art by Bip Pares.
Detective Fiction
Leonard (Charles L., pseud. Mary Violet Heberden) The 4th Funeral
London, Museum Press, 1951.
First edition. 8vo. Original black cloth with silver lettering and red skull motif to spine. Dust-jacket, priced 9/6.
When a doctor's wife suspects that her husband's supposed suicide is actually murder, Paul Kilgerrin finds his plans for leaving Belem, Brazil, suddenly cancelled. He also believes that it is murder...
Detective Fiction
London, W.H. Allen, 1983.
First UK edition. 8vo. Original boards. Dust-jacket.
We are kept off balance throughout this icy, understand thriller...brilliant (Newsweek review).
Detective Fiction
London, Readers Library Crime Series, n.d. [c.1930].
Readers Library edition. Small 8vo. Original gilt-tooled burgundy cloth. Dust-jacket.
A really nice copy of this edition of The Floating Prison by Phantom of the Opera author Leroux, first published in English in 1922.
Detective Fiction
First edition, ‘7th thousand’.
London, Skeffington, [1932].
Skeffington often used ‘7th thousand’ label on title page to try and show that their titles were in high demand so this is not necessarily a reprint.
A Hubin-listed mystery featuring the author’s serial character, detective-crook Jimmy Traynor.
Detective Fiction
Lorac (E.C.R., pseud. Edith Caroline Rivett) The Theft of the Iron Dogs
London, Collins Crime Club, 1946.
First edition. 8vo. Original orange cloth. Dust-jacket, price-clipped.
A fascinating mystery set against a backdrop of the beautiful Fell country of Lunesdale in Lancashire.
Detective Fiction
London, Hodder & Stoughton, 1950
First edition, first impression. 8vo. Original boards, Dust-jacket.
A near fine example of this the first book by the author using this pseudonym. An uncommon classic of crime fiction, revolving around a sudden death at a cocktail party.
Detective Fiction
London, Hutchinson, 1939.
First UK edition. 8vo. Original cloth. Dust-jacket, correctly priced 7/6.
Apparently derived from a theatrical anecdote given to the author by George du Maurier, building upon the author's literary reputation for combining exciting incidents with psychological interest.
Detective Fiction
London, Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1947.
First edition. 8vo. Original blue cloth. Dust-jacket, correctly priced at 9/-.
A superior example of the courtroom drama subgenre.
Detective Fiction
London, Harrap, 1929.
First edition. 8vo. Original red boards. Dust-jacket.
The first crime fiction work by this prolific author, published as part of Harrap's 'Sealed Mysteries' series. Each member of a small party at a cabaret on the night a murder is committed is suspected and then eliminated through evidence.
Detective Fiction
London, Robert Hale, 1970.
First UK edition. 8vo. Original cloth. Dust-jacket.
Two headlong tales of intrigue, suspense and murder, by a master storyteller. Uncommon.
Detective Fiction
London, Robert Hale, 1972.
First UK edition. 8vo. Original boards. Dust-jacket.
Travis McGee experiences the rough side of Southern hospitality...
Detective Fiction
Macdonald (John Ross, pseud. Kenneth Millar) The Drowning Pool
New York, Knopf, 1950.
First edition (stated on copyright page). 8vo. Original green patterned cloth. Dust-jacket, correctly priced $2.50
The first edition of John Ross Macdonald's second Lew Archer title, preceding the UK edition by two years; subsequently the inspiration for the 1975 Paul Newman film of the same name.
Detective Fiction
London, Collins Crime Club, 1948.
First edition. 8vo. Original orange cloth. Dust-jacket, priced 8s6d.
An interesting collaboration, recounting the misadventures of a Jekyll & Hyde New York socialite.
Detective Fiction
New York, Alfred Knopf, 1958.
First edition. 8vo. Original patterned boards. Dust-jacket, priced $2.95.
An attractive first edition by an author ranked amongst the very best of American crime fiction. Detective Lew Archer is hired by Carl Hallman to investigate his wealthy parents' deaths. Delving into the corrupt world of the Hallman dynasty in Purissima, Archer uncovers political intimidation, treachery, and a family under threat from its own dark past. Uncommon.
Detective Fiction
London, Collins Crime Club, 1965.
First UK edition. 8vo. Original cloth-backed boards. Dust-jacket, priced 16s.
The first UK edition of this example of US hardboiled 'tec fiction, featuring recurring protagonist Lew Archer.
Detective Fiction
London, Thornton Butterworth, [c.1934].. Crime Circle Novels series. 8vo. Original cloth. Dust-jacket, priced 2/6. An attractive edition of this teasingly lycanthropic novel, translated from the original French. The jacket design for the series is by Bip Pares, whose work also graced the jackets for Olaf Stapledon's Star Maker and James Hilton's Mr Chips titles, amongst many others.
Detective Fiction
London, F.V. White & Co., Ltd., 1915.
First edition. 8vo. Original red cloth lettered in black. Dust-jacket, priced 6/.
An uncommon murder mystery, particularly in the original 1915 dust-jacket, a rare survivor.
Detective Fiction
London, Collins Crime Club, 1945.
First edition. 8vo. Original red cloth. Dust-jacket,
The first edition of the Scottish author's first novel, featuring former CID detective David Stanners. Uncommon in the jacket.
Detective Fiction
First edition, second impression first month as first state April 1935.
London. Collins, 1935
Stephen Maddock was a pseudonym used by prolific adventure and crime fiction writer JT Walsh born 1897 to 1952. He had two main series characters under this name: Inspector Slane and Timothy Terrel, the latter of whom appears in Conspirators in Capri. Very scarce in a jacket.
Detective Fiction
First edition.
London, Collins, 1947.
Stephen Maddock was a pseudonym of JM Walsh and used for his more explicitly criminous titles.
Detective Fiction
London, Collins Crime Club, 1943.
First edition. 8vo. Original dark orange cloth. Dust-jacket, price-clipped.
A murder mystery, set in a thermal spa in the author's home country New Zealand.
Detective Fiction
London, Collins Crime Club, 1940.
First edition. 8vo. Original orange cloth. Dust-jacket, price-clipped.
An uncommon first edition, featuring Marsh's series character Chief Detective-Inspector Roderick Alleyn of Scotland Yard.