"Books are a hardbound drug with no danger of overdose. I am the happy victim of books."
— Karl Lagerfeld
The Beetle, A Mystery.
New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, The Knickerbocker Press, 1917. [Supernatural thriller] First impression of this edition (second printings are identified as such on c.p.). Apparently the first edition printed in America following Mansfield's earlier edition using British sheets. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.viii; 338; [6], ads. Bound in publisher's dark blue cloth pictorially blocked in colours, edges trimmed. Contents clean but for small brown stain to gutter of prelims, ink name to endpaper, dated ink initials to top edge, covers clean and bright. Near fine. A fresh copy of an early supernatural mystery novel. One of the best selling novels of the late nineteenth century: The Beetle remained in print for over 60 years, effortlessly outselling its now far better known competition, a certain Dracula, printed the same year, being amongst them. Subsequent literary endeavours by people like Boothby and Rohmer clearly owe a lot to Marsh's really rather high calibre tale of evil oriental interlopers with insidious powers and sinister intentions. Rare in this condition. Item #73667
Price: £675.00
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