The Hired Killers.

[Fleming, Ian] WYDEN, Peter (1923-1998).

London: W.H. Allen, 1964. [True Crime] FIRST UK EDITION. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.185; [1], blank. Illustrated with photographs. Publisher's black cloth with titles in gilt to the spine. With the photographic dust-jacket with bold quote by Ian Fleming printed on the front panel. Contents clean, jacket lightly edge worn, frayed/creased at crown, price clipped. Near fine overall. A documentary about guns-for-hire, written by Berlin-born American journalist Peter Weidenreich, who had served with the U.S. Army's Psychological Warfare Division in Europe during World War II. His training at Camp Ritchie placed him among the ranks of the Ritchie Boys, a group of Military Intelligence Officers who used their language skills to obtain intelligence in Europe. He likely crossed paths with British Intelligence Officer Ian Fleming, a fellow linguist who took up many liaison roles for the Admiralty. After the war both men became writers of true crime books, and Fleming contributed a favourable supporting quote for Wyden's insight into the mind of paid assassins. This copy is from the Ian Fleming Bibliographical Archive assembled by Jon Gilbert (pencil signature within). His comprehensive guide to the works of Fleming (2012) won the 16th Breslauer Prize for bibliography. Item #67558

Price: £65.00