The Ransom For London

New York: Lincoln MacVeigh/The Dial Press, 1929. First U.S. Edition. Hardcover. Near Fine/Fine. 8vo., 306pp. Beautiful First US Edition of this classic bibliomystery thriller about the threat of the destruction of London by lethal gas. The Prime Minister, a book collector, who visits rare bookstores to receive instructions from the criminals. Originally published in the UK in 1914, perhaps foreshadowing the horrors that gas attacks would inflict during the First World War. Bound in tan cloth with titles in black. Square, tight and clean throughout save a few spots on the title page but quite trivial. No toning to pages to speak of. Some gentle bumping to spine ends. Small, neat ownership name and date on the front end-paper. Stunning unclipped dust-jacket, ($2.00), has a faint shadow on the top front edge but is remarkably fresh and bright with no chipping, creases or tears. Finding copies with the original wrapper is extremely difficult, particularly in this high grade condition. A simply gorgeous collectable copy. (Hubin, p.145; Penzler, Bibliomysteries, p. 51).