A selection of rare books in first and other important editions, with an emphasis on Detective and Thriller Fiction.
Detective Fiction
First edition, inscribed by the author on the frontispiece.
London. Lincoln Williams, 1935
According to the Bear Alley blog the book is listed in the English Catalogue of Books as having appeared in February 1935 and it was listed under the pen-name "Trill". The publisher Lincoln Williams went into administration in July 1935 so the book probably wasn’t reprinted. Trill was a pen name for Harry C. Liebart according to Hubin. Very scarce in a jacket.
Detective Fiction
First edition.
London. Cape, 1930
Contains two short novels both with murder at their core. Rare in dust-jacket.
Weird & Supernatural
Second English edition.
London. Richard Bentley, 1850
A very handsome copy of Calmet's influential work on angels, demons, spirits and vampires, originally published in French in 1746, first appeared in an anonymous English translation in 1759. This translation is taken from the two volume 1751 third edition, a much expanded and revised version, and the last to be corrected by Calmet himself. This is the second English edition and is rarely encountered in original binding.
Detective Fiction
First edition.
London. Robert Hale, 1945
Dorothy Cameron Disney (1903-1992) was an American writer who wrote 9 mystery novels.
Detective Fiction
First edition.
London. Ward Lock, 1936
To a quiet West Country village comes Claude Weir, mystery man after which peace is transformed into horror. A very attractive example from the Golden Age era.
War, Invasion & Spy
First edition.
London. Heinemann, 1939
The basis for the 1945 film Confidential Agent, starring Charles Boyer, Lauren Bacall, Katina Paxinou and Peter Lorre. In the book, the nationality of the agent is not stated; in the film, he is Spanish.
Detective Fiction
First edition.
London. Columbine Publishing Company, [?1940]
This is the correct first issue wrapper and rare as such. Titles published by this publisher are sought after due to their lurid jacket art of which this is a great example
War, Invasion & Spy
First edition.
London. Herbert Jenkins, 1940
Spectacular front panel artwork typical of Herbert Jenkins wrappers of that era. None of this writer's work was published in America and in my experience all of the
UK first editions are difficult to find in jackets.
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. Wright & Brown, 1935 Set in Burma, the story concerns the British manager of the ruby mines of Mogok has been away, attempting to track down a leopard that had been attacking livestock. He returns to discover his stand-in at the office lying dead on the floor, the safe door open and its contents stolen. Very scarce in jacket.