Bibliomysteries is always one of our most popular sub-genres, so we hope you find something intriguing on the following list.
Sally
The Mysterious Bookshop
sally@mysteriousbookshop.com
BIBLIOMYSTERIES
Since it has proven to be the most popular list we send out, we’re again offering some books in one of the most interesting sub-genres of the mystery world, "Bibliomysteries," which are books about books. They may be set in bookstores or libraries, they may involve collectors, librarians or authors, or they may involve rare books or manuscripts, but, for all of us who love the world of books, these are among the most satisfying books in the field, both for readers and for the many collectors who have specialized in these titles. If you would like to put together your own collection of bibliomysteries, whether reading copies or fine first editions, please make contact with Otto, who would enjoy working with you.
Anderson, Frederick Irving, "The Jorgenson Plates" contained in The Female of the Species edited by Ellery Queen, Boston, Little, Brown, 1943. Second printing Contains this story with much about the technical aspects of publishing in England and America. The Sophie Lang character served as the basis for three Paramount films, all starring Gertrude Michael: The Notorious Sophie Lang (1934), The Return of Sophie Lang (1936) and Sophie Lang Goes West (1937). Near fine copy. $15.00
Block, Lawrence, The Burglar Who Studied Spinoza, N.Y., Random House, 1980. First edition. Thief and bookstore owner Rhodenbarr becomes involved with a very rare coin and a fence who collects books on Spinoza. Very fine in dust jacket. Review slip laid in. $100.00
Block, Lawrence, The Burglar in the Library, London, No Exit, 1997. First trade edition, preceding the U.S. edition. The first issue with misprint of "settle" for "settled" on first page. This is one a very small number of copies (reputedly 47) misbound with the Scorpion Press title page. Very fine in dust jacket. Signed on the title page. $100.00
Dane, Clemence, and Helen Simpson, Enter Sir John, N.Y., Cosmopolitan, 1928. First edition. A murder in a London theater is solved by means of a neatly rewritten play. Frontispiece. A very good or better copy in the uncommon dust jacket, which has a couple of tiny chips and a bit of sunning to the purple color, as usual. $125.00
Another copy of the first U.S. edition. Very good copy. $35.00
Derleth, August, The Chronicles of Solar Pons, Sauk City, WI, 1965. First edition, limited to 4,000 copies. Contains "The Adventure of the Unique Dickensians," a parody of Vincent Starrett’s great bibliomystery, "The Unique Hamlet. Very fine in dust jacket. $40.00
Dolson, Hildegarde, Please Omit Funeral, Philadelphia, Lippincott, 1976. Book club edition. After a right-wing extremist demonstrates against "dirty" books in the library and burns them, a local author is murdered and she is the prime suspect. Near fine in dust jacket. $8.50
Dunning, John, The Bookman’s Wake, N.Y., Scribner, 1995. Book club edition. Denver rare book bookseller Cliff Janeway is happily buying and selling books when he is asked to pick up a young woman fugitive who may have stolen a priceless copy of Poe’s The Raven. He doesn’t like the job, but can’t resist because of the book. Fine in lightly worn dust jacket. $10.00
Engleman, Paul, Catch a Fallen Angel, N.Y., Mysterious Press, 1986. First edition. When the centerfold model for a magazine disappears before her photos run, suspicion falls on a rival magazine publisher planning his first issue—with the same model. Edges of boards sunned, else very good in dust jacket. $10.00
Fearing, Kenneth, The Big Clock, N.Y., Harcourt, 1946. First edition. A young woman involved with a large publishing company is murdered by a member of the prestigious publishing house. The basis for the outstanding 1948 Paramount film noir directed by John Farrow, with a screenplay by Jonathan Latimer; it starred Ray Millan and Charles Laughton. It was remade by Orion in 1987 as No Way Out. Fine in dust jacket, which has a sunned spine and small chips. Uncommon. $125.00
Fenster, Bob, The Last Page, N.Y., Perseverance Press, 1989. Second printing Trade paperback original. A New York mystery editor is found slumped across her desk with a rejection slip stapled to her sleeve and a bullet hole in her heart. Could a writer have accepted rejection badly? Very fine. $10.00
Fish, Robert L., Kek Huuygens, Smuggler, N.Y., Mysterious Press, 1976. First edition. A collection of clever short stories including one in which the gentleman smuggler manages to help steal the original manuscript of a Bach cantata. One of 1,000 copies. Fine in dust jacket. $10.00
Fuller, Timothy, Harvard Has a Homicide, Boston, Little, Brown, 1936. First edition. The murder of a professor sets off an investigation throughout Harvard, the Hasty Pudding Club and its famous library. Very good or better in price-clipped dust jacket that has a chipped and faded spine. $85.00
Fuller, Timothy, Harvard Has a Homicide, 1936. Reprint. Very good reading copy. $15.00
Fuller, Timothy, Three Thirds of a Ghost, Boston, Little, Brown, 1941. First edition. As Boston’s Bromfield Bookstore celebrates its 150th anniversary, the principal speaker is a mystery writer-turned satirist who somebody doesn’t find funny and a shot rings out at the crowded autograph party. Previous owner’s name inside front cover, bit of wear at base of spine, else near fine in a terrific pictorial dust jacket that shows light wear at the spine ends and corners. Signed by Fuller. $125.00
Furutani, Dale, Death in Little Tokyo, N.Y., St. Martin’s, 1996. First edition. A mystery fan masquerades as a private eye at his local mystery club’s weekend event when a femme fatale turns up. The author’s first book. Very fine in dust jacket. $35.00
Gifford, Thomas, The Glendower Legacy, N.Y., Putnam, 1978. First edition. A Harvard student discovers shocking historical documents about George Washington and is murdered, ultimately leading to a confrontation between the Soviet Union and America. The basis for the 1980 film Dirty Tricks. Fine in dust jacket. $27.50
Harrison, Michael, The Exploits of the Chevalier Dupin, Sauk City, WI, Mycroft & Moran, 1968. First edition. A collection of short stories featuring Poe’s C. Auguste Dupin, including "The Mystery of the Fulton Documents." Very fine in dust jacket. $75.00
Harrison, Michael, Murder in the Rue Royale, London, Stacey, 1972. First U.K. edition of The Exploits of the Chevalier Dupin with four additional stories. Fine in dust jacket, which has two small tears at top of front and rear panels. $60.00
Hart, Carolyn G., Death on Demand, N.Y., Bantam, 1987. First edition. Paperback original. The first mystery in the series about Annie Laurence, the proprietress of the "Death on Demand" mystery bookstore on Broward’s Rock Island, S.C., holds a weekly meeting of mystery writers called "The Sunday Night Regulars" which doesn’t turn out as planned when one of the authors is murdered. Very fine, unread copy. $100.00
Hart, Carolyn G., Something Wicked, N.Y., Bantam, 1988. First edition. Paperback original. An Annie Laurence mystery in which the bookshop owner must deal with the surprising fact that her fiancé Max is accused of murdering the leading man in a summer stock production of Arsenic and Old Lace. Very fine, unread copy. Inscribed and signed. $45.00
Another copy. First edition. Very fine, unread copy. Not signed. $20.00
Hart, Carolyn G., Design for Murder, N.Y., Bantam, 1988. First edition. Paperback original. Annie Laurence, owner of the "Death on Demand" mystery bookstore, is invited to stage a mystery night that ends in murder. Very fine, unread copy. $20.00
Hart, Carolyn G., The Christie Caper, N.Y., Bantam, 1991. First edition. To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Agatha Christie’s birth, Annie Laurence hosts a spectacular mystery convention at her Death on Demand bookshop, only to have it crashed by a literary critic who prefers hard-boiled crime and is writing a biography that will trash the memory of Dame Agatha. How many attenders want to kill him for that? Very fine in dust jacket. A signed bookplate is affixed inside the front cover. $20.00
Another copy. Unsigned. Very fine in dust jacket. $18.00
Hart, Carolyn G., Mint Julep Murder, N.Y., Bantam, 1995. First edition. Annie Darling, owner of the Death on Demand Bookstore, attends the Dixie Book Festival and finds a publisher poisoned. Advance reading copy. Very fine in original wrappers. $7.50
Hess, Joan, Strangled Prose, N.Y., St. Martin’s, 1986. First edition. The first novel about Claire Malloy, who operates the Book Depot, a classy college bookshop located in an old train station. She reluctantly agrees to host a book signing party at her shop for the author of a steamy romance, a roman a clef about escapades of faculty members. Very fine in dust jacket. $100.00
Hess, Joan, Murder at the Murder at the Mimosa Inn, N.Y., St. Martin’s, 1986. A Claire Malloy mystery set at a murder mystery weekend. Very fine in dust jacket. $75.00
Hess, Joan, Dear Miss Demeanor, N.Y., St. Martin’s, 1987. First edition. A Claire Malloy mystery in which her daughter’s principal falls dead from a mouthful of poisoned peach compote. Very fine in dust jacket. $25.00
Hess, Joan, Busy Bodies, N.Y., Dutton, 1995. First edition. Claire Malloy becomes involved with an artist whose front yard showcases a coffin and a nude model, causing so large a crowd and commensurate noise that the local mystery writer can’t finish her book. Advance proof copy. Very fine in original wrappers. $10.00
Hoyt, Richard, The Siskiyou Two-Step, N.Y., Morrow, 1983. First edition. The body of a nude woman floating down an Oregon river is connected to an international plot to steal a manuscript reputedly written by Shakespeare. Very fine in dust jacket. $25.00
Kaminsky, Stuart M., He Done Her Wrong, N.Y., St. Martin’s, 1983. First edition. Hollywood private detective Toby Peters is hired to find Mae West’s stolen diary. Very fine in dust jacket. $35.00
Kenney, Susan, Garden of Menace, N.Y., Scribner, 1983. First edition. A Vassar professor is hired to edit the papers of famed author Lady Viola Montfort-Snow and learns that some people will do anything to prevent her—including murder. A fine fresh copy in dust jacket; advance copy with review slip and publicity letter laid in. $20.00
Kurnitz, Harry, Invasion of Privacy, N.Y., Random House, 1955. First edition. A hot young Hollywood producer acquires the rights to a book by a beautiful woman and, after the film is shot, learns it was based on a true story. Fine in a near fine dust jacket. $17.50
Lewis, Roy Harley, Where Agents Fear to Tread, N.Y., St. Martin’s, 1984. First U.S. edition. A librarian is needed to identify priceless Arabic manuscripts that had been stolen from British museums and libraries, then smuggled back to Pakistan. Very fine in dust jacket. $25.00
Lewis, Roy Harley, Miracles Take a Little Longer, N.Y., St. Martin’s, 1986. First edition. Rare bookseller Matthew Coll answers a late night knock on his door and confronts a figure seemingly out of a Gothic novel. Light glue stains on endpapers, else about fine in dust jacket rubbed at edges. $20.00
Ludlum, Robert, The Chancellor Manuscript, N.Y., Dial, 1977. 4th printing. Peter Chancellor learns of a secret group of men who were involved in killing J. Edgar Hoover and reveals many secrets in the form of a novel. Much information about publishing. Fine in dust jacket. $12.50
MacDonald, Marianne, Road Kill, London, Hodder, 2000. First edition. Antiquarian bookseller Dido Hoare becomes involved in a mystery when her nanny is locked up and her house is burgled. Very fine in dust jacket. Signed. $40.00
MacDonald, Marianne, Blood Lies, London, Hodder, 2001. First edition. Antiquarian bookseller Dido Hoare becomes involved in a mystery in an idyllic Georgian mansion in a picture postcard village. Signed. Very fine in dust jacket. $40.00
McGaughey, Neil, Otherwise Known as Murder, N.Y., Scribner, 1994. First edition. America’s leading authority on mystery fiction takes a pseudonym to attempt his own novel but before he can begin he is asked to find one of the mystery world’s most influential writers and finds murder. Very fine in dust jacket. Signed. $25.00
McGaughey, Neil, A Corpse by Any Other Name, N.Y., Scribner, 1998. First edition. The author known as Stokes Moran decides to divest himself of his more famous identity. Then his wife and literary agent is asked to identify the body of Stokes Moran. Very fine in dust jacket. Signed. $25.00
Monteilhet, Hubert, Murder at the Frankfurt Book Fair, N.Y., Doubleday, 1976. First edition. A novel about the publishing industry involving "a young librarian," "a plump publisher" and "a distinguished professor¼and plagiarist." Non-authorial gift inscription on front endpaper, else fine in dust jacket. $22.50
Moyes, Patricia, A Six-Letter Word for Death, N.Y., Holt, 1983. First U.S. edition. A group of mystery writers decides to ascertain if a real-life detective would be as successful at solving crimes as their protagonists when the game turns deadly. Very fine in dust jacket. $20.00
Neri, Kris, Revenge of the Gypsy Queen, Highland City, FL, Rainbow, 1999. First edition. First edition. Mystery writer Tracy Eaton uses her sleuthing skills to find a kidnapped bride. Praised by Carolyn Hart. Fine in dust jacket. Signed. $20.00
Offord, Lenore Glen, Walking Shadow, N.Y., Simon & Schuster, 1959. First edition. At the Ashland, Oregon, Shakespeare Festival, someone adds a line to one of Shakespeare’s plays, leading to murder. First edition. Very good in dust jacket. $15.00
O’Scollain, Shuggie, The Printer’s Proof, London, Cadds, 2006. First edition (The book states "First Paperback Edition" but there is no record of a hardcover edition ever having been produced). Many over tones of Sherlock Holmes in a case involving England’s printer’s union, notably the NUPBW, which represented the men who did the folding, guillotining (cutting the page edges) and binding of books. Fine trade paperback edition. $19.95
Page, Marco (pseudonym of Harry Kurnitz), Fast Company, N.Y., Dodd, Mead, 1938. First edition. A rare book dealer (said to have been based on Ben Abramson, the first publisher of The Baker Street Journal), is murdered, and the investigation leads through the arcane and fascinating world of rare books. Page co-wrote the screenplay for Fast One, the 1938 MGM film based on the novel; it starred Melvyn Douglas, Florence Rice, Claire Dodd and Louis Calhern. It was filmed again by MGM in 1939 as Fast and Loose, this time with the screenplay credited to Harry Kurnitz; it starred Robert Montgomery and Rosalind Russell. Some wear to the spine, but a very good copy in the scarce dust jacket, which has a chip at the front hinge and light wear to spine ends. $250.00
Peterson, Linda Lee, Edited to Death, Henderson, NV, 21st Century Publishing, 2005. First edition. A writer for San Francisco’s Small Town magazine investigates a murder at the chi-chi publication, taking her from Pacific Heights to a legendary North Beach bookstore. Very fine in dust jacket. $23.00
Bill Pronzini Collection
The Nameless detective series, all feature mention of and musings about his extensive collection of rare pulp magazines. The author is a collector of mystery fiction and pulp magazines, as well as an expert who has written extensively on both subjects and compiled numerous anthologies. Collecting is important to his detective and there are numerous references to the subject. Some titles inevitably place a greater emphasis on rare books, magazines and book stores than others. No attempt has been made to quantify the extent of bibliophilic content in all of the following books.
Pronzini, Bill, Quicksilver, N.Y., St. Martin’s, 1984. First edition. Very fine in dust jacket, which has minuscule wear at base of spine. $20.00
Pronzini, Bill, Nightshades, N.Y., St. Martin’s, 1984. First edition. Very fine in dust jacket. $25.00
Pronzini, Bill, Bones, N.Y., St. Martin’s, 1985. First edition. Very fine in dust jacket, which is lightly rubbed at spine ends. Signed and inscribed: "6-14-85/For Ed & Pat/Hoch/With all/best regards/Bill Pronzini." Nice association from one Grand Master to another. $60.00
Pronzini, Bill, Graveyard Plots, N.Y., St. Martin’s, 1985. First edition. Very fine in dust jacket. $25.00
Pronzini, Bill, Deadfall, N.Y., St. Martin’s, 1986. First edition. Very fine in dust jacket, which has a tiny chip at top of front panel. $25.00
Pronzini, Bill, Small Felonies, N.Y., St. Martin’s, 1988. First edition. A collection containing some Nameless stories and "The Man Who Collected The Shadow." Very fine in dust jacket. Signed and inscribed: "Nov. 1988/For Pat & Ed Hoch/Very Best,/as always/Bill Pronzini." Nice association from one Grand Master to another. $65.00
Pronzini, Bill, Jackpot, N.Y., St. Martin’s, 1990. First edition. Very fine in dust jacket. Signed and inscribed: "March 1990/For Pat & Ed Hoch/Best/Regards,/Always/Bill Pronzini. Nice association from one Grand Master to another. $50.00
Pronzini, Bill, Breakdown, N.Y., Delacorte, 1991. First edition. Very fine in dust jacket. $25.00
Pronzini, Bill, Quarry, N.Y., Delacorte, 1992. First edition. Very fine in dust jacket. $20.00
Pronzini, Bill, Demons, N.Y., Delacorte, 1993. First edition. Very fine in dust jacket with a bit of creasing at top of front panel. Signed and inscribed: "For Ed and Pat/Hoch/With warmest regards, as/ever/Bill Pronzini/’93." $50.00
Pronzini, Bill, Sentinels, N.Y., Carroll & Graf, 1996. First edition. Very fine in dust jacket. Signed and inscribed: "June ‘96/For Ed and Pat Hoch/Warm regards/as always/Bill Pronzini." Nice association from one Grand Master to another. $45.00
Pronzini, Bill, Illusions, N.Y., Carroll & Graf, 1997. First edition. Very fine in dust jacket. Signed and inscribed: "For Ed and Pat Hoch/With Warm regards/as ever/Bill Pronzini/July ’97." Nice association from one Grand Master to another. $45.00
Pronzini, Bill, Boobytrap, N.Y., Carroll & Graf, 1998. First edition. Very fine in dust jacket. $23.00
Pronzini, Bill, Sleuths, Unity, ME, Five Star, 1999. First edition. A collection containing several Nameless stories. Very fine without dust jacket, as issued. $25.00
Reno, Marie, Final Proof, N.Y., Harper, 1976. Book club edition. The editorial director of a major book club is found slumped over a set of galley proofs. Written by a long-time publishing insider. Near fine in dust jacket. $7.50
Schorr, Mark, Red Diamond, Private Eye, N.Y., St. Martin’s, 1983. First edition. Simon Jaffe is a New York cab driver by day, an avid pulp fiction reader and collector by night. Fine in dust jacket. Inscribed and signed. $45.00
Sims, George R., The Despain Papers, Philadelphia, PA, Holmes, 1992. First U.S. and first hardcover edition; trade edition limited to 650 copies. Very fine in lightly rubbed dust jacket. $25.00
Sladek, John (Thomas), Invisible Green, London, Gollancz, 1977. First edition. A locked room mystery in which the victims of various bizarre murder methods are a group of detective story aficionados who call themselves The Seven Unravellers. Very fine in dust jacket. $100.00
Starrett, Vincent, "The Adventure of the Unique Hamlet," contained in 221B: Studies in Sherlock Holmes, N.Y., Macmillan, 1940. The first publication after the very rare privately printed edition of 1920 of what many believe to be the finest Sherlock Holmes pastiche ever written. A very fine, fresh copy in a bright dust jacket with a small chip at head of spine and a piece torn from the front flap, which is price-clipped. $150.00
Starrett, Vincent, The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, N.Y., Otto Penzler. First of this edition. Contains "The Adventure of the Unique Hamlet." Fine in wrappers. $7.95
Straus, Ralph, Pengard Awake, N.Y., Appleton, 1920. First U.S. edition. An English book collector travels to Chicago and meets an antiquarian bookseller in his shop in Chicago and tries to help him cope with a dark mystery. Gift inscription on front endpaper, else a very nice, about fine copy in the scarce dust jacket, which has a few nicks and tears. A classic bibliomystery. $150.00
Strong, Tony, The Poison Tree, London, Doubleday, 1997. First edition. A young woman moves to Oxford to study for her doctorate in detective fiction and learns that her home was once the site of a brutal murder. Soon, strange and frightening events begin. Very fine in dust jacket. $35.00
Symons, Julian, The Colour of Murder, London, Collins, 1957. First edition. A happily married visits the library, where he begins an affair with a pretty young woman, leading to murder. Covers marked, else very good in dust jacket, which is sunned at the spine and has a closed tear. $25.00
Taylor, Phoebe Atwood, Proof of the Pudding, N.Y., Norton, 1945. First edition. This tangential bibliomystery involves primary source material being used to write an unwanted biography. Very fine in price-clipped dust jacket, which has light wear at the top of the spine. $75.00
Trocheck, Kathy Hogan, To Live and Die in Dixie, N.Y., Harper, 1993. First edition. An authentic Civil War diary is fervently pursued by numerous characters, from various university librarians to a lunatic Civil War buff. Very fine in dust jacket. $20.00
Valin, Jonathan, Final Notice, N.Y., Dodd, Mead, 1980. Private detective Harry Stoner is hired to stop a psychopath who has been mutilating books in a Cincinnati library by cutting out parts of the female anatomy from art books before he escalates to the real thing. Very fine in dust jacket. $125.00
Vance, G. Warlock, The Missing Narrative of Neptune, Morristown, N.Y., Scrybe Press, 2008. First edition. Trade paperback original. A private eye novel in which three people die over a stolen 16th-century manuscript. "I mean, really, how hard can it be to find a one-of-a-kind book in Greensboro, N.C.?" Very fine. $15.00
Van Gieson, Judith, The Stolen Blue, Albuquerque, N.M., University of New Mexico, 2000. First edition. Claire Reynier’s job is to buy books for the University of New Mexico’s library, a job she loves. But when a collector invites her to a remote wilderness ranch, her dream job becomes a nightmare. Very fine in dust jacket. Signed. $22.95
Wallace, Edgar, The Door with Seven Locks, N.Y., Doubleday, 1928. A man of evil repute steals a book of biology from a library–not the least of his crimes. Filmed in London by Rialto in 1940 with a screenplay by Norman Lee, Gilbert Gunn and John Argyle; it was directed by Lee and starred Leslie Banks and Lilli Palmer. It was released in the United States by Monogram as Chamber of Horrors. Very good. $15.00
Wren, Lassiter, and Randle McKay, The Baffle Book, N.Y., Doubleday, 1928. Later printing. A collection of solve-them-yourself mysteries, including "The Problem of Napoleon’s Signatures." Fine in dust jacket, which has minor spine wear. $45.00
Wren, Lassiter, and Randle McKay, The Third Baffle Book, N.Y., Doubleday, 1930. First edition. Another collection of solve-them-yourself mysteries, including "The Stolen Endymion." Very good. $15.00
