GRAVE MISTAKE.**

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn.VG/VG.No owner inscrptn but price-clip to dw/dj.Bright,crisp,clean,glossy, montage'd colour photographic illustrated front+ spine/backstrip of dw/dj with author's black-lettered name and white capitalised title-lettering to front panel of dw/dj,colour lettering repeated to a lightly sunned spine/backstrip,a bright,crisp,clean white background with author's contemporary b/w portrait photograph to rear panel of dw/dj; with negligible shelf-wear,bumping,creasing to edges and corners. Minimal chipping with reciprocal paper loss to both head+foot of spine/backstrip,a small closed tear at head of front spine/backstrip's gutter's fold/crease,an approx. 1" inverted triangular loss to rear's top edge in the vicinity of the rear head of spine/backstrip's gutter's fold/crease and all corner tips minisculely rubbed with reciprocal paper loss – but no other nicks, tears or splits present.Top edges lightly toned but reasonably bright and clean,without foxing/spotting, fore-edges although lightly toned have random, sporadic,indeterminate dark splash stains with some bleeding through to internal edges of front free endpaper+half-title and rear free endpapers particularly.Contents generally bright and tight,solid and sound – no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corners – near pristine,would appear unread,apart from my own collation.Publisher's bright,crisp,clean, sharp-cornered,original,plain red cloth boards with bright,crisp,blocked gilt lettering to spine/backstrip and immaculate/clean endpapers.UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn,12-278pp [paginated] includes IX (9) chapters; plus [unpaginated] half-title with story precis and publisher's advert for author's other titles to its verso, title page,a dedication with blank verso,a contents list/table with a blank verso,a Cast of characters,and to the rear,2pp blanks.
Visually the exterior appearance is acceptable,and even internally,the book is also in an acceptable condition.It is only the exterior faults described that prevent a better grading.Described hard but fairly and honestly - hence priced accordingly.
Ngaio Marsh's thirtieth (of 33) novel to feature Roderick Alleyn. Policeman hero of Chief Inspector (later Chief Superintendent - as in this novel) of the C.I.D. (Criminal Investigation Department),Scotland Yard, Metropolitan Police (London).
The plot concerns the supposed suicide of a wealthy widow in a chic rest spa,and involves a rare,and famous,postage stamp. Set in and around the fictional village of Upper Quintern in England's Weald of Kent,it is the last of Marsh's cosy English village mysteries. With two husbands dead,a daughter marrying the wrong man and a debilitating disease,it is no wonder that Sybil Foster took her own life.But Chief Superintendent Roderick Alleyn doesn't believe she was the type to kill herself - and he thinks someone else has made a very grave mistake.
New Zealand-born author,considered along with Agatha Christie, Margery Allingham and Dorothy L. Sayers,one of the four Queens of Crime,during the 'Golden Age of Detective Fiction'. Please contact seller,for correct shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas customers - BEFORE ordering through the order page!
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