Mystery and Detection
Mystery and Detection
We are huge - huge - fans of mysteries of the Golden Age. Think Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham, and Dorothy Sayers. Our mysteries don’t have much gore, but are head-scratching whodunits in the best Golden Age tradition. We have some contemporary authors, too, but not the writers of the grisly genre. Did you know that during the period between the two World Wars, mysteries were de rigueur with the intellectuals of the day? We like to think we are continuing that tradition with our distinguished customers!
Illustrations/Photography by: Norey, Virginia
Published in 1995 by Dell Publishing, New York
ISBN: 0385315147
Edition: First paperback edition
Binding: Paperback
Condition: Fine
Comments: Peter H√∏eg's best selling thriller, set mostly in Copenhagen, centers around the disappearance and death of a native Greenlandic boy in the Danish city, and the investigation conducted by his adult scientist friend Smilla Qaaviqaaq Jaspersen, a Greenlander who can walk between the Indigenous Greenlandic and modern Danish worlds. The New York Times said this book turned out to be, "America's gateway drug to a long-term dependency on Nordic noir." First published in Danish in 1992 and in English in 1993, this is the first paperback edition. This copy is in pristine shape except for very minor shelf wear on the edges of the cover. See our photos.
Seller Inventory #: 0000470
by Fielding, A.
Published in 1934 by A.L. Burt Company, New York, Chicago
Binding: Hardback
Condition: Very Good+
Comments: One of the great mysteries of A. Fielding’s The Cautley Mystery could be…who exactly is A. Fielding? Library of Congress catalog entries for Fielding’s books parenthetically say “A.” is short for “Archibald,” but instead of the one initial, Fielding sometimes published using the name “A.E. Fielding,” The general consensus is that all the variations are pseudonyms. But for whom? In his blog, “The Passing Tramp,” Curtis Evans posits—only slightly tongue in cheek—that it is actually Agatha Christie; more seriously, he is certain that A. Fielding is an English woman of Christie’s class and set. Which could be why Fielding’s works, and the detective in most of her stories, Chief Inspector Pointer, ring some Christie bells with readers.
Fielding produced 25 mysteries between 1924 and 1944, so The Cautley Mystery, published in 1934, comes right in when she (if Fielding was, indeed, a “she”) was at the peak of her powers. It was released three times in America in 1934: once in this edition, once by H.C. Kinsey & Co. Inc. (which A.L. Burt Company acknowledges), and once with a slightly different title, The Cautley Conundrum, for the Crime Club, Ltd. by W. Collins Sons & Co., Ltd., of London. This copy is in excellent condition. The text block is tight and solid and there are no lose or missing pages. Except for a penciled bookseller’s price on the upper corner of the front end paper, there are no marks or writing. Three pages have small fold-down creases but no tears. The cover and spine are unblemished, with hardly any discernible shelf wear. Altogether, this is a very good copy of a little known example of the Golden Age of Detective Fiction. See our photos.
Seller Inventory #: 0000487
Published in 1974 by Detective Book Club, New York
Binding: Hardcover
Condition: Near Fine
Comments: These two volumes, published by the Detective Book Club, each feature two novels: the first contains Len Deighton's Spy Story and Donald E. Westlake's Jimmy the Kid. Deighton is a well-known author of spy novels, and Spy Story was a bestseller. Donald E. Westlake was a prolific writer of crime fiction, known for the cleverness of his writing. (Both Spy Story and Jimmy the Kid were adapted into motion pictures.) The second volume contains George Harmon Coxe's The Inside Man and Brian Garfield's The Threeperson's Hunt. George Harmon Coxe was a crime fiction writer known for the "Flashgun Casey" character, and Brian Garfield was a writer and Pulitzer Prize Finalist. Both volumes have the Detective Book Club seal on the front covers.
Seller Inventory #: 0000330
by Louise Penny
Louise Penny is the best-selling (many times over) author the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache literary mystery series. Her fifteen novels (thus far) have won numerous awards, and Penny has legions of fans. This novella, however, is a little known work of Penny's, written to benefit Canada's literacy programs. I tracked this work down several years ago by going direct to the small publisher in Canada, and for a couple of years, I was the only online seller of this work in the US (....then Amazon caught on). This is a quick read, written with all the beloved characters and the Quebec settings of the series. And is it a trade paperback, not a mass-market paperback - larger, higher quality paper, much nicer reading experience. (See my description of trade paperbacks under the Vanish in an Instant listing.)
Published in 2010 by Grass Roots Press, Canada
Edition: First Edition
Binding: Softcover
Condition: New
Comments: New, unopened.
Published in 2016 by Custom House, Harper Collins, New York, NY
Edition: First U.S. Edition
Binding: Hardcover, new.
Condition: New.
Dust Jacket included. Condition of Dust Jacket: New.
Seller Inventory #: 0000405
Illustrations/Photography by: Richard Parisi, frontispiece
Published in 1995 by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. and Faber and Faber Limited, London
Edition: First edition
Binding: Hardcover
Condition: New, unopened, pristine.
Comments: Signed, limited first edition, Franklin Library. One of the greatest of P. D. James' works, Original Sin, was selected by the Franklin Library for a special, limited edition. Handsome green leather binding, gilt design and lettering. Gilt edges, marbled end papers, ribbon marker all add to its impressive and elegant presentation. James included a two-page special message, or introduction, to this edition, and Parisi has executed a compelling frontispiece. Elegant seasonal gift wrap at no cost, on request. We will confirm preference after purchase. What a gift for any serious mystery fan!
Signed Copy
Seller Inventory #: 0000422
Published in 2004 by Alfaguara, Mexico
Edition: First edition
Binding: Softcover with dust jacket
Condition: Very good. Text block is without markings. Soiled on edges. Small water stain in lower right, as shown in photos.
Dust Jacket included. Condition of Dust Jacket: Very good.
Comments: First edition with scarce dust jacket. Fuentes, a Mexican author, was one of the best novelists of the twentieth century, and as such, he was internationally recognized and the recipient of many awards. This volume is a collection of six "Gothic" tales, or stories of the supernatural. This unusual binding format is a softcover with gateway folds, accompanied by a dust jacket, as issued.
Seller Inventory #: 0000421
Illustrations/Photography by: William Cone
Published in 1988 by The Franklin Library, Franklin Center, PA
Edition: The Franklin Library
Binding: Hardcover
Condition: New. Pristine.
Comments: New, pristine, handsome leatherette-bound edition of this milestone mystery and court-room drama. An instant best-seller and notable critical success, Anatomy of a Murder transcended its origins as a novel - it was adapted for a stage play and was also the basis of Otto Preminger's classic movie starring James Stewart. Robert Traver was the pseudonym for John D. Voelker, a lawyer and Michigan Supreme Court judge. (Voelker was also a well-know fly fisherman and wrote five books in that genre.) With its primary focus on the courtroom, Traver's writing explores questions about the insanity defense and witness coaching, as well as the nature of justice and integrity. Very nicely-done blue leatherette, raised bands, 22k gold on cover lettering and borders, all edges gilt. Elegant gift wrap at no cost, on request. We will confirm preference after purchase.
Seller Inventory #: 0000432
Published in 2016 by Alfred A. Knopf, New York
ISBN: 009780500000000
Edition: First American Edition
Binding: Hardcover
Condition: Fine; pristine.
Dust Jacket included. Condition of Dust Jacket: Near fine; tiny bit of shelf ware, not price-clipped.
Comments: First American edition. A delightful collection of four Christmas-themed mystery short stories by the acclaimed author P. D. James. Of particular interest to mystery collectors, two of the four stories feature a young poet-detective Adam Dalgliesh, her famous and enduring protagonist. In lieu of just another novel, this work would be a welcomed gift for any mystery fan. Perfect size to tuck into a purse or backpack.
Seller Inventory #: 0000437
Published in 1996 by Barnes & Noble Books, New York
ISBN: 0760735581
Binding: Softcover
Condition: We will never give you a blanket, non-specific description of condition. Our copy is near fine, with a bit of shelf ware on the bottom front cover. The text block is clean, bright, and unblemished with no markings of any kind. See photos.
Comments: As Editor Gorman notes, "In this anthology, you'll see all the moods of Ireland on display." Seventeen tales of mystery and intrigue by such noted authors as Peter Tremayne, Edmund Crispin, Sean O'Faolain, and even James Joyce.
Seller Inventory #: 0000452
by Margaret Millar
There are two reasons a mystery buff will want this book: the first is that this is a republication of a mystery classic, dating from 1952, and the second is that this is a trade paperback. A trade paperback is not the small, low quality, mass market book we are so used to in the US. A trade paperback is larger and of higher quality paper, and therefore so much nicer to read and of course, collect. (One of our great pleasures is finding the British trade paperbacks of some of our favorite mystery authors - the UK editions are trade paperbacks and therefore so much more desirable and more pleasurable to read.) Millar is known for the depth of her characters, and we highly recommend Wikipedia's succinct article regarding her writing style and characterization. As mystery buffs ourselves, we are always on the lookout for a good authors in this genre that we may have ...(clutching my pearls here)... overlooked!
Published in 1989 by International Polygonics, Ltd., New York
Edition: First IPL Edition
Binding: Trade paperback
Condition: Fine
Comments: An excellent copy. One very small crinkle at bottom left of cover, as seen in photo. As also seen in the photos, note the larger size and higher quality print, as compared to mass market paperbacks. (See the side by side comparison photo.) A Library of Crime Classics edition, and the least common edition you will find. Copies in excellent condition like this one are typically priced about $25-$45, (always remember, in book condition parlance, "Good" is NOT good), so we have priced ours at $22 so it will go to a good home.
by Dana Stabenow
Marguerite Gavin gives a critically-praised performance in this audio version of the book. Stabenow was born, raised, and lives in Alaska, where the Shugak novels are set. This one has all the elements of a "can't put it down and it's 3:00 am!" mystery, plus her credible narrative of the Alaskan setting. We personally want to own our audio books, but the CD's are getting more difficult to find and so we were glad to come across this one copy. Running time 15.5 hours. Volume 18 of the Kate Shugak novels.
Published in 2011 by MacMillan Audio
Edition: Audiobook
Binding: audio book
Condition: new, still in shrink wrap
Comments: New copies of this audio book are almost impossible to find. Amazon lists it tonight for $788, and that ridiculous auto-pricing amount is reflective of "none to be had."
by Sophie Hannah
Published in 2016 by HarperCollins
ISBN: 00978006000000
Binding: Audiobook
Condition: Used
Comments: Delightful audiobook. Played previously. Sophie Hannah continues Agatha Christie's creation, detective Hercule Poirot in a new story that bears all the marks of a classic English mystery. Kirkus Reviews describes the tale as "every bit as brilliant and improbable as any of Christie's own decorous thunderclaps." Beautifully performed by Julian Rhind-Tutt, this will be a treat for mystery lovers and fans of the original Hercule Poirot stories.
Seller Inventory #: 0000252
Published in 1989 by Avenel Books, New York
ISBN: 0517690438
Edition: First
Binding: Hardcover
Condition: Fine
Dust Jacket included. Condition of Dust Jacket: Very Good
Comments: Agatha Christie's work needs no introduction among mystery lovers: she is the best-selling fiction author of all time, beloved for her tales of mystery and detection. This volume features five of those stories, reset and published together, each taking place in a different faraway location: They Came to Baghdad, Murder in Mesopotamia, The Mystery of the Blue Train, Passenger to Frankfurt, and So Many Steps to Death. From secret meanings with anarchists and Nazis to a mysterious scientific compound in the Atlas Mountains, this volume will keep Christie fans thoroughly engaged and up at night. Gilt lettering on the spine and the un-clipped dust jacket is adorned with a fitting illustration of a dark and mysterious train.
Seller Inventory #: 0000328
Published in 1984 by Little, Brown, Boston
ISBN: 0316328790
Edition: First
Binding: Hardback
Condition: Very good
Dust Jacket included. Condition of Dust Jacket: Good
Comments: First edition of one of Martha Grimes' classic Richard Jury mysteries, with its original book jacket, in a protective mylar cover. There is evidence of an earlier label or check-out card envelope on the front free end paper, and some very slight staining on the page edges, but otherwise the text block is tight and unmarked and the binding is unblemished. Some shelf wear and spine bleaching on the book jacket. See our photos.
Seller Inventory #: 0000468