"Hungry man, reach for the book: it is a weapon. "
— Bertolt Brecht
Crime & Thrillers
The Ipcress File.
Pennsylvania: The Franklin Library, 1988. [Cold-War thriller] FRANKLIN LIBRARY EDITION. With two illustrations by Terry Widener [front cover and frontispiece]. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.279; [1], blank; [1], Colophon; [1], blank. Publisher's black cloth hardcovers blocked in gilt, colour plate to upper, brick wall patterned endpapers, all edges gilt. Small..... More
The Ipcress File.
London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1962. [Cold-War thriller] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.224. Publisher's orange cloth in original dust-wrapper (without reviews) designed by Raymond Hawkey. Some dustiness and handling, jacket yellowed to spine and extremities, rubbed at crown. An inexpensive copy of the first state. Author's debut spy novel..... More
Len Deighton's Continental Dossier. A collection of cultural, culinary, historical, spooky, grim and preposterous fact compiled by Victor and Margaret Pettitt.
London: Michael Joseph, 1968. FIRST EDITION. Octavo (22 x 15cm). Publisher's glazed photographic boards with all-over design in colour. Printed on glossy paper stock, folding cloth map at rear. A particularly fine example of an unusual 'sixties reference book, without the heavy fading to the spine that affects this title..... More
Spy Sinker.
New York: Harper and Row / Harper Collins, 1990. [Espionage novel] ADVANCE READING COPY of the FIRST US EDITION. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.332. Bound from uncorrected proofs in photographic softcovers with publication date shown as September 1990. Edges a little spotted else a very good copy. More
SS-GB. Nazi Occupied Britain 1941.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1978. [Spy thriller] UNCORRECTED PROOF COPY of the FIRST EDITION. Octavo (23 x 15cm), pp.250; [2], blank. Bound in salmon-coloured printed wraps, with oversize proof-only dust-wrapper. The jacket artwork is by Raymond Hawkey, who designed the classic 1960s James Bond paperbacks for Pan Books. Rather curiously and..... More
Yesterday's Spy.
New York, NY: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1975. [Spy thriller] FIRST US EDITION, BIOGRAPHER'S COPY. Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp.282. Publisher's hardback cloth binding in pictorial dust-jacket with artwork is by Raymond Hawkey, priced at $7.95. Slight toning to rear panel; near fine. From the library of the writer, media and..... More
Yesterday's Spy.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1975. [Spy thriller] UNCORRECTED PROOF COPY of the FIRST EDITION. Octavo (23 x 15cm), pp.224. Bound in salmon-coloured printed wraps, with oversize proof-only dust-wrapper, which curiously lists the provisional publication date as June 12th 1973. The actual release date was January 1975 (this date being printed on..... More
Vol. CXV, No. 3, November 20 1937. 'Death Rides the Wires', and other stories.
New York: The Red Star News Company, 1937. DETECTIVE FICTION WEEKLY. Magazine format, stapled. A truly exceptional copy of this illustrated detective fiction magazine, with contributions from Sapper (a Bulldog Drummond short story), John K. Butler, Roger Torrey, and many others. A remarkable survival of this 1930s magazine. Paper covers..... More
Vol. IX, No. 5, May 1954. 'Mad Morgan's Murder Sanctum'.
London: Atlas Publishing and Distributing Co., Ltd., 1954. STREET AND SMITH'S DETECTIVE STORY MAGAZINE. Magazine format, stapled. A truly exceptional copy of this illustrated detective fiction magazine, with contributions from William R. Cox, Day Keene, Don James, and others. Spotlessly clean, with paper covers in glorious, vivid colour. Small chip..... More
Vol. III, No. 10, August 1955. 'A Slight Case of Murder'.
London: Atlas Publishing and Distributing Co., 1955. DETECTIVE TALES. Magazine format, stapled. A truly exceptional copy of this illustrated detective fiction magazine, with contributions from William Vance, Arthur J. Burks, Joe Graham, and more. Spotlessly clean, with paper covers in glorious, vivid colour. Appears as new. This gripping collection of..... More
Vol. III, No. 6, April 1955. 'Home Sweet Homicide'.
London: Atlas Publishing and Distributing Co., Ltd., 1955. DETECTIVE TALES. Magazine format, stapled. A truly exceptional copy of this illustrated detective fiction magazine, with contributions from William Campbell Gault, Charles Beckman Jr., Margaret Manners, Frank Gruber, and others. Spotlessly clean, with paper covers in glorious, vivid colour. Appears as new..... More
The Jewel that was Ours. An Inspector Morse Novel
London: Macmillan, 1991. [Thriller] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (25 x 16cm), pp.[8]; 275; [3], blank. Publisher's black cloth, titles in gilt to spine, dust-jacket photographed by Red Saunders with printed price of £14.99. Slight (usual) toning to edges of text block otherwise a near fine copy. The ninth of the the..... More
![Romances from a Detective's Casebook [in] The Strand Magazine. 'The Jewelled Skull'; 'The Story...](/pictures/thumb/50847.jpg?v=1523717622)
Romances from a Detective's Casebook [in] The Strand Magazine. 'The Jewelled Skull'; 'The Story of the Great Cat's-Eye'; 'The Secrets of the Black Brotherhood'; and 'The Chamber of Shadows'
London: George Newnes, July 1892 - November 1892. [Literary Magazine]. FIRST APPEARANCES. Four magazines in their original paper covers. Large Octavo (25 x 17cm), pp.xvi; 112; xvii-xx; pp.xvi; 113-220; xvii-xx; pp.xvi; 221-328; xvii-xx; pp.xvi; 441-548 ; xvii-xxiv. Not including the October issue, which did not contain a Detective's Casebook story..... More
The Exploits of Sherlock Holmes.
London: John Murray, 1954. [Detective fiction] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.x; 313. Publisher's red cloth with gilt titles to spine, in pictorial dustjacket. No inscriptions or price-clipping. Jacket with a few chips and tears. A very good copy. A new series of cases for the consulting detective, including..... More
Sherlock Holmes Versus Jack The Ripper.
London: Victor Gollancz, 1966. [Mystery] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (18 x 12cm), pp.157; [3], blank. Publisher's red cloth with gilt titles to spine, in an unmistakably restrained yellow Gollancz dust-jacket priced at 18s. Fine in near fine jacket. How Holmes might have solved the infamous Whitehall murders. More
Harper's Weekly, Vol. XXXVII, No.1922, [The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - The Naval Treaty pt. 2].
New York, NY: Harper and Brothers, 21st October 1893. FIRST APPEARANCE. The second of two parts, folio. Illustrated by W. H. Hyde. A story later collected in 'The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes'. In publisher's illustrated paper covers, sewn. Hinges very weak; front nearly loose. Large tear to front cover mended..... More
![Harper's Weekly, Vol. XXXVII, No. 1895, [The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - The Gloria Scott]....](/pictures/thumb/48660.jpg?v=1498055242)
Harper's Weekly, Vol. XXXVII, No. 1895, [The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - The Gloria Scott].
New York, NY: Harper and Brothers, 15th April 1893. FIRST US APPEARANCE. One magazine issue, folio. Illustrated by W.H. Hyde. A story later collected in 'The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes'. In publisher's illustrated paper covers; spine sewn. Small contemporary orange ownership sticker to front cover. Hinges very weak, as expected;..... More
Harper's Weekly, Vol. XXXVII, No. 1895. [The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - The Reigate Puzzle (Squires)].
New York, NY: Harper and Brothers, June 17, 1893. FIRST AMERICAN APPEARANCE of this adventure, illustrated by W.H. Hyde, which was later collected in 'The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes'. Single newspaper issue in pictorial wraps (41 x 29cm). Disbound or extracted from a hardcover with associated wear to the spine..... More
Harper's Weekly, Vol. XXXVII, No. 1917. [The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - The Greek Interpreter].
New York, NY: Harper and Brothers, September 16, 1893. FIRST AMERICAN APPEARANCE of this adventure, illustrated by W.H. Hyde, which was later collected in 'The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes'. Single newspaper issue in pictorial wraps (40 x 28cm). Disbound or extracted from a hardcover with associated sewing holes to spine..... More
![Harper's Weekly, Vol. XXXVII, No. 1917. [The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - The Yellow Face]....](/pictures/thumb/50174DoyleHarper'sWeekly.jpg?v=1547505472)
Harper's Weekly, Vol. XXXVII, No. 1917. [The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - The Yellow Face].
New York, NY: Harper and Brothers, February 11, 1893. FIRST AMERICAN APPEARANCE of this adventure, illustrated by W.H. Hyde, which was later collected in 'The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes'. Single newspaper issue in pictorial wraps (41 x 29cm). Disbound or extracted from a hardcover with associated wear to the spine..... More
Harper's Weekly, Vol. XXXVII, No. 1917. [The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - The Musgrave Ritual].
New York, NY: Harper and Brothers, May 13, 1893. FIRST AMERICAN APPEARANCE of this adventure, illustrated by W.H. Hyde, which was later collected in 'The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes'. Single newspaper issue in pictorial wraps (41 x 29cm). Disbound or extracted from a hardcover with associated wear to the spine..... More
The Valley of Fear.
Toronto: Hodder and Stoughton, 1914 [1915]. [Crime Fiction] FIRST AMERICAN EDITION, Canadian Issue. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.320. With seven dichromatic half-tone plates after drawings by Keller, including a frontispiece. Publisher's red cloth with gilt titles to spine and upper board. A little shaken. Light rubbing to boards with a...... More
The Return of Sherlock Holmes.
London: Smith, Elder and Co., 1908. [Sherlock Holmes Short Stories] NEW EDITION, VARIANT BINDING. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.[8]; 403; [1]. Illustrated with a frontispiece and fifteen further plates by Paget. Publisher's blue cloth, simply titled in gilt to spine and upper. Usually seen in the publisher's red cloth, this..... More
The Return of Sherlock Holmes.
London: George Newnes, Ltd., 1905. [Detective mysteries] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.[8]; 403; [1]; [4] publisher's advertisements. Publisher's blue cloth, simply titled in gilt to spine and upper. Illustrated with a frontispiece and fifteen further plates by Paget. Contents very clean, mild toning to edges of text block..... More
The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes.
London: John Murray, 1927. [Detective Fiction] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.320. Original red/pink cloth, lettered in gilt. Some foxing to edges, flyleaves toned, bump to rear board, spine sunned with gilt tarnished. Very good. The last of the original Sherlock Holmes books, being twelve cases for the great..... More