Posts Tagged ‘Mystery’
Sunday, December 26th, 2021
I have several Magill’s literary survey sets, and picked up these at Armadillocon:
Magill, Frank, editor. Critical Survey of Mystery and Detective Fiction Authors. Salem Press, 1988. First edition hardbacks, a four volume set, reasonably clean Ex-Library copies, with slight signs of sticker removal from spine and a few bits of interior writing or marker crossout, but no pocket removal, sans dust jackets, as issued. Four volumes covering just about every important mystery writer up to that time (no Joe R. Lansdale, though, as this was right before the first Hap & Leonard novel). Bought for (I think) $20 from Scott Cupp at Armadillocon.
Tags:Books, Mystery, reference works
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Tuesday, December 21st, 2021
Four more signed first editions:
Simmons, Dan. Lovedeath. Subterranean Press, 2013. First limited edition a PC copy of 250 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Mylar-protected dust jacket. Formerly Subterranean Press founder William Shafer’s copy. Supplements a copy of the Warner Books first edition inscribed to me. Bought from Camelot Books for $52.50.
Spiner, Brent with Jeanne Darst. Fan Fiction: A Mem-Noir Inspired By True Events. St. Martin’s Press, 2021. First edition hardback, a Fine copy, signed by Spiner. Mystery by Spiner, starring Spiner, revolving around a box he received during the filming of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Bought for $22.39 from The Mysterious Bookshop.
Wellman, Manly Wade. Rebel Boast. Henry Holt and Company, 1956. First edition hardback, a Very Good+ copy from which the FFE has been excised and a cracked front hinge, otherwise nice, in a Very Good+ dust jacket with a few 3/4″ closed tears along the top edge that have been mended (fairly skillfully) with blindside tape, signed by Wellman. Non-fiction about a group of Confederate soldiers that fought the entirety of the Civil War. “First at Bethel — Last at Appomattox.” Bought for $15 off eBay.
Wolfe, Gene. Home Fires. Tor, 2011. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with black remainder dot to top page block and slight bumping at head in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Wolfe. Supplements an unsigned first and a copy of the PS Publishing signed, limited edition.
Tags:Books, Brent Spiner, Civil War, Dan Simmons, Gene Wolfe, Horror, Manly Wade Wellman, Mystery, Science Fiction, Star Trek
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Monday, November 29th, 2021
Picked up from Armadillocon last month.
Lansdale, Joe R. Cold in July with Savage Season. Mark V. Ziesing, 1989/1990. First hardback edition and first edition hardbacks, Fine- (Cold in July)/Near Fine+ (Savage Season) with faint spotting at head, heel and on pageblock, in Fine dust wrappers, and a Fine- slipcase with a touch of wear, each inscribed to late Texas writer Carrier Richerson. While these are the trade hardbacks, one thing Ziesing did for this and the Waldrop set was offer the trade editions in overrun slipcases (something to check for if you’re buying a set). Supplements a PC limited set I got for helping transcribe Cold in July for Ziesing. Isajenko, World Lansdelean A011b and A013a. Bought at Armadillocon for $32.
The blotching on Cold in July is just dust jacket protector reflections.
Tags:Books, Joe R. Lansdale, Mark V. Ziesing, Mystery, small press publishers
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Thursday, November 18th, 2021
Two more SST Lansdale limiteds came out a while back, and I’m just now getting around to listing them.
Lansdale, Joe R. Hap and Leonard: Of Mice and Minestrone. Short Scary Tales (SST) Publications, 2021. First hardback edition and first limited edition (the Tachyon trade paperback, which I also have, precedes), #101 of 400 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Linked Hap and Leonard short stories.
(Lansdale, Joe R.) Fred Isajanko. The World Lansdalean: The Authorized Joe R. Lansdale Bibliography. Short Scary Tales (SST) Publications, 2021. First edition hardback, #101 of 1000 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine slipcase. Bibliography of Lansdale’s work, that also includes bonus Lansdale fiction in the back. I have not checked to verify that all of my edit suggestions on the ARC made it into the final edition.
I will have copies of both these available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
Tags:bibliography, Books, Horror, Joe R. Lansdale, Limited Editions, Mystery, Short Scary Tales (SST) Publications, small press publishers
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Thursday, September 30th, 2021
Still another Lansdale lettered edition bought from that same private collector:
Lansdale, Joe R. The Bottoms. Subterranean Press, 2000. First edition hardback, letter R of 26 signed, lettered copies, a Fine leatherbound copy in a Fine dust jacket and Fine traycase with full color illustration mounted inside front lid. The Subterranean edition was the true first edition, preceding the Mysterious Press edition by several months. Edgar Award winner for Best Novel. Bought for $300 from a private collector, which is just twice list price for the regular numbered edition.
The plastic illustration protector shows both glare and the shadow of my hands holding the iPhone to get the photo. (Also some glare off the dust jacket protector on the book itself.)
Tags:Books, Horror, Joe R. Lansdale, Limited Editions, Mystery, small press publishers, Subterranean Press
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Thursday, September 23rd, 2021
Here’s the first of several Lansdale items I obtained from a fellow collector who was selling off his collection:
Lansdale, Joe R. Waltz of Shadows. Subterranean Press, 1999. First edition hardback, letter R of 52 signed, lettered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine- traycase with a few small, shallow, random indentations. The Lost Lansdale Volume One. Chalker/Owings (2002), page 855. Unnoted by Chalker/Owings (or my proof copy of The World Lansdalian), this edition is bound in a very attractive, deep purple cloth rather than the light blue of the trade edition. Bought for $190 ($5 less than cover).
Tags:Books, Horror, Joe R. Lansdale, Limited Editions, Mystery, small press publishers, Subterranean Press
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Wednesday, July 28th, 2021
Another book in the Borderlands Little Book series:
Child, Lee. A Little Gold Book of Unconsidered Trifles. Borderlands Press, 2021. First edition hardback, #498 of 600 signed and numbered copies, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. Mixture of fiction and non-fiction by the best-selling author of the Jack Reacher series, some original to this volume, including a piece from Esquire. Bought from the publisher at the usual discount. Right on the verge of selling out, and may be out of print by the time you read this.
I will have copies of this available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog (currently in progress).
Tags:Books, Borderlands Press, Horror, Lee Child, Mystery, small press publishers
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Wednesday, February 24th, 2021
Did you know that Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Michael Didra published a book on Arthur Conan Doyle? Neither did I until I saw a signed first available from The Mysterious Bookshop for cover price.
Dirda, Michael. On Conan Doyle. Princeton University Press, 2012. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, with publisher’s information card laid in. Critical book on Arthur Conan Doyle, covering both Sherlock Holmes and his other works. Bought at a dealer discount.
Dirda is an astute literary critic who also covers science, and I’m passingly acquainted with him. (He’s also bought the occasional book from me.)
Tags:Arthur Conan Doyle, Books, Mystery, Sherlock Holmes
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Monday, December 7th, 2020
Another addition to my Kuttner/Moore collection:
Kuttner, Henry and C.L. Moore (as Lewis Padgett). The Day He Died. Duell, Sloan and Pierce, 1947. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with a little bit of bend at head and heel in a Near Fine+ dust jacket with small chip at heel and associated 1/2″ closed tear, plus a trace of wear at points. Mystery. I saw a less attractive copy in an online auction go for considerably more than I was willing to spend, so I bought this (the nicest copy online) from a notable SF dealer for $220.
See also: The Brass Ring.
Tags:Books, C. L. Moore, Henry Kuttner, Mystery, Science Fiction
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Wednesday, September 9th, 2020
Three signed hardback firsts editions, of various types:
De Palma, Brian and Susan Lehman. Are Snakes Necessary? Hard-Case Crime, 2020. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by both authors. Bought from The Mysterious Bookstore at a dealer discount.
Holkins, Jerry and Mike Krahulik. Penny Arcade 6: The Halls Below. Del Rey, 2010. First edition hardback, #885 of 1000 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy with inset color cover illustration, sans dust jacket, as issued. Collection of Penny Arcade cartoons. Bought from the Penny Arcade store for $30.
Russell, Mary Doria. Doc. Random House, 2011. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Russell. Western novel about Doc Holliday Bought from The Mysterious Bookstore for $10.
Tags:Books, Brian De Palma, Horror, Mary Doria Russell, Mystery, Penny Arcade, Science Fiction, signatures, Susan Lehman, Western
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