"Always read something that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it."
— P.J. O'Rourke

London and Glasgow: Collins' Clear-Type Press c.1910. COLLINS' PENNY LIBRARY Edition, with illustrations by T.H. Robinson and Charles Pears. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.62; [2], advertisements. Colour printed wraps, with adverts to inside covers and rear panel, front cover with illustration by Charles Pears, black and white illustrations within the..... More
London: Hurst & Blackett, no date [1949]. [Humour] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.190 [2]. Publisher's red cloth with black titles to spine. With the dust-jacket illustrated by Kris, priced at 8/6. A large clumsy blue ink ownership to fly-leaf, otherwise an exceptionally clean, bright copy, with just a...... More
London: Orchard, 2016. [Young Adult Novel] SIGNED FIRST UK PAPERBACK EDITION. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.334 [2]. SIGNED by the author in black marker to title page. Publisher's soft covers, priced at £6.99. 'Signed by the Author' sticker to front cover. A fine, as-new copy. Second in the 'Embassy Row'..... More
London: Orchard, 2017. [Young Adult Novel] SIGNED FIRST UK PAPERBACK EDITION. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.335 [1]. SIGNED by the author in black marker to title page. Publisher's soft covers, priced at £6.99. A fine, as-new copy. Third in the 'Embassy Row' series, beginning with 'All Fall Down' (2015)... More
London: Chatto & Windus, the Hogarth Press, 1985. [Short Stories] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.121 [3]. Publisher's black cloth with gilt titles to spine. With the black dust-jacket designed by Don Macpherson. A lightly handled copy in a price-clipped jacket. Near fine. More
London: Chatto & Windus, The Hogarth Press, 1984. [Circus Adventure Novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.295 [1]. Publisher's red cloth with gilt titles to spine. With the dust-jacket illustrated by Barbara Kaiser, priced at £8.95. A lovely crisp, fine copy. More
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1947. FIRST EDITION. Octavo, pp.xiii, 50. With 16 b/w photographic plates detailing some of the highlights of the exhibition. With Foreword and Introduction by Carter and Sadleir. In publisher's black cloth with gilt titles to spine. With original pink pictorial dust jacket. Chipping and closed tears..... More
London, Orion. 2001. FIRST EDITION. Large 8vo. SIGNED by the author. Fine in like dustwrapper. As New. The hardback print run was limited to 1000 copies. Winner of the CWA New Writer's award. Author's debut novel. When journalist India Kane travels from Sydney to the outback town of Cooinda for..... More
London: Geoffrey Bles, 1969. [Crime Satire] FIRST EDITION, REVIEW COPY EX LIBRIS ANTHONY LEJEUNE. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.[8] 213 [1]. With a 'review copy' slip loose to preliminaries, as well as a bookplate detailing provenance. Publisher's brown cloth with gilt titles to spine. With the aubergine dust-jacket designed by..... More
London: Michael Joseph, 1953. First Edition. Octavo, pp. 287. In publisher's blue cloth with gilt titles to spine. With original black and brown dust jacket, featuring black and yellow titles. Slight lean, and even age toning throughout. Jacket somewhat dog-eared to top edge; very good overall. The story of Chester..... More
London: Victor Gollancz, 1936. [Modern Literature] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.448. Publisher's black cloth with gilt titles to spine. A lovely clean copy internally. Moderate wear to covers; gilt dulled and slightly chipped. Very good. The Irish author's third novel, set in Nigeria, and his first real success..... More
London: Michael Joseph, 1944. FIRST EDITION. Octavo. pp. 291. In publisher's orange cloth with silver titles to spine. With original brown dust jacket with green titles. Expected browning to text block; reading lean. Jacket browned to spine; chips to head and tail. Large closed tear to back cover. Front cover..... More
London: Michael Joseph, 1945. [War Poetry] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.28. A single long poem. Publisher's brown cloth with gilt titles to upper. With the plain dust-jacket, titled to both covers. Bookseller's label to front pastedown. Jacket price-clipped, with a little light wear and chipping to edges. Near..... More
London: Puffin Books, 2016. [Teen Novel] SIGNED FIRST EDITION. Octavo (23 x 16cm), pp.[6] 307 [7]. SIGNED by the author in gold to title page. With occasional illustrations by Erin Keen. Publisher's blue and white heart-illustrated paper-covered boards (no titles), with blue endpapers and promotional bookmark loosely inserted. With the..... More
London: Coronet, 2015; 2017; 2018. [Surrealist Fantasy] COMPLETE CORONET EDITION, all First Impressions. Three volumes. Octavo (24 x 16 x 12cm), pp.xii; 500; pp.[12] 462 [6]; pp.[6] 429 [13]. Publisher's white cloth illustrated by Pablo Delcan, each priced at £20. No jackets, as issued. Each volume lightly toned to edges..... More
London: Humphrey Milford, Oxford University Press, 1928. [Illustrated Spanish Literature] FIRST BLISS-ILLUSTRATED EDITION. Small quarto (27 x 21cm), pp.[8] 197 [3]. With occasional wood engraved illustrations by Bliss, some printed in colour. Publisher's salmon quarter cloth with gilt titles to spine and grey paper-covered boards, illustrated in brown to upper..... More
Boston: Houghton, Mifflin, and Company, 1907. First Edition. Two volumes. Octavo (19 x 14cm). Publisher's embossed green cloth, gilt titles to spines, top edges tinted green. Very light rubbing to extremities, signs of label removal to spines. Blind stamp to title page and first page of text of each volume..... More
Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina Press, 1973. [Posthumous anthology] LIMITED FIRST EDITION. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.xviii; 110. With a frontispiece of the author. Number 167 of 499 copies. Publisher's red quarter faux leather with gilt titles to spine and mottled cream paper over boards. Matching cream endpapers; all..... More
Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1964. [Crime stories] FIRST EDITION (stated). Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.394. Publisher's blue cloth in pictorial dust-wrapper designed by Rob Howard, priced at $5.50. Contents and page edges clean, jacket with a little edgewear and a crease to the spine panel, neat tape reinforcement to..... More
New York, NY: Alfred Knopf, 1940. [Crime novel] FIRST EDITION. Small Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.[viii]; 275; [1], blank; [1], 'Note'. Publisher's russet cloth blocked in blue, dark blue top edge. A clean copy of the book with no inscriptions, very faint scuff to pastedown, tiny bookplate to rear pastedown..... More
London: Hamish Hamilton, 1958. [Crime fiction] FIRST UK EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp. 208. Publisher's red cloth in dust jacket priced at 12/6. Some toning and faint ink mark to flyleaf, stain at edge of rear flyleaf, jacket with some chips and tears. Very good indeed. The true first..... More
London: The Fortune Press, no date [1953]. [Topographical Poetry] INSCRIBED FIRST EDITION, EX LIBRIS CLEMENT ATTLEE. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.64. With eight illustrations by Gurney. INSCRIBED in blue ink to fly-leaf: 'To the Rt Hon. C.R. attlee | with the author's compliments. | 2/1/54.' With Attlee's distinctive monogram bookplate..... More
London: Herbert Jenkins, 1965. [Dystopia] FIRST UK EDITION. Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp.191 [1]. Publisher's red cloth with black titles to spine. With the white dust-jacket titled in purple, priced at 15s. A small chip to top edge of the first few leaves, otherwise a nice clean copy internally. Jacket..... More
London: Collins, 1963. [Prison Novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp.255 [1]. Publisher's blue cloth with silver titles to spine. With the blue dust-jacket designed by John Woodcock, priced at 18s. A little light toning to edges. Jacket shows a little light toning and wear. Near fine. More
London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1980. [Crime caper] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.175; [1], advert. Publisher's burgundy cloth in original dust-wrapper designed by Melvyn Gill. Some bumping, jacket nicked at spine, some edgewear, not faded. A very good copy. Short episodes with the gentleman adventurer. Includes the seasonal mystery..... More