Modern Literature
and other stories
[London], Hurst & Blackett, [1927].
First edition. 8vo. Original orange cloth. Dust-jacket, priced 7/6.
A very good first edition of these light-hearted, often comical tales. Scarce in jacket.
Weird & Supernatural
London, Hurst & Blackett, [1926].
First edition. 8vo. Original red cloth lettered in black and blocked in blind.
A scarce collection, not in listed in Shadows in the Attic nor Locke's Spectrum of Fantasy 1 to 3.
A Romance of England under the Blitz
London [&c.], Hurst & Blackett, [1942].
First edition. 8vo. Original orange cloth. Dust-jacket, priced 8/6.
Attractive jacket artwork on this war-time first edition.
Detective Fiction
A Series of Reminiscences and Adventures in Many Lands
London, Hurst & Blackett, [1926].
First edition. Large 8vo. Plates. Original red cloth lettered & ruled in black. Dust-jacket, early issue, with '1st Cheap Edition' and 2/6 to the spine.
An excellent copy of this compilation of nine stories by Ashton-Wolfe, drawing upon his years immersed in the world of crime, first as an assistant to Alphonse Bertillon, the great advocate of criminal anthropometrics, in Paris, then as an interpreter in the British law courts. The striking jacket artwork is by Hookway Cowles.
Modern Literature
Knight (Alanna, pseud. Gladys Allan Cleet) The Legend of the Loch
London, Hurst & Blackett, 1969.
First edition. 8vo. Original red boards, gilt number '09 099480 9' stamped to lower board. Dust-jacket, priced 20s/£1.
The author's first book, weird & supernatural overtones. Winner of the 1968 Netta Muskett award by the Romantic Novelists' Association. An excellent 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.
Modern Literature
London, Hurst & Blackett, [1905].
First edition thus. 8vo. Original green cloth decorated in gilt.
Contains three separate supernatural/fantasy novelettes, "The Seventh Dream," "The Doctor's Secret," and "The Turkish Baths."
Modern Literature
London, Hurst & Blackett, 1918.
First edition. 8vo. Original cloth. Dust-jacket, priced 5/ and stating '20th thousand'.
A later title, but a characteristically passionate & emotive novel by the author of the notorious The Quick or the Dead? (1888). Scarce in such an early issue dust-jacket.
Detective Fiction
London, Hurst & Blackett, 1929.
First edition. 8vo. Original black cloth with orange inlays. Dust-jacket, correctly priced at 7/6.
'A complete and detailed account of the amazing criminal activities of this sinister Chinaman". (jacket blurb...). Unusual to find in the original jacket and in such reasonable condition.
Detective Fiction
London, Hurst & Blackett, [1927].
First UK edition. 8vo. Original cloth. Dust-jacket correctly priced at 7/6 on spine.
Basis for a 1931 American Oscar winning pre-code film that tells the story of an alcoholic defence attorney in San Francisco who must defend his daughter's ex-boyfriend on a charge of murdering the mobster she had started a relationship with, whom he had previously achieved an acquittal for on a murder charge. Starred Norma Shearer, Leslie Howard, Lionel Barrymore, and Clark Gable
A very rare book into film title especially in such exceptional condition. Adela Nora Rogers St. Johns (1894-1988) was an American journalist, novelist, and screenwriter. She wrote a number of screenplays for silent movies but is best remembered for her groundbreaking exploits as "The World's Greatest Girl Reporter" during the 1920s and 1930s.
Detective Fiction
London, Hurst & Blackett, [1937].
First UK edition. 8vo. Original black cloth lettered in red. Dust-jacket, correctly priced 7/6 and with Colonial Issue price sticker to spine.
Striking jacket artwork and very good condition make this UK first a compelling copy for collectors of the Peter Clancy novels.
Detective Fiction
London, Hurst & Blackett, [1949].
First UK edition. 8vo. Original boards. Dust-jacket, price-clipped.
A great first UK edition of this biblio yarn inspired by the notorious literary forger Thomas J. Wise, by a prolific US author.