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Dick Francis. Dead Cert- 1st printing. Michael Joseph, 1962.

Price: US$321.14 + shipping

Condition: Good

Description: Scarce 1st printing of the author's 2nd book. DJ has slight loss to front and spine and has extensive tape repairs to the front. Contents are clean but lightly toned.

Seller: BoundlessBookstore, Wallingford, United Kingdom

Francis, Dick. Dead Cert. Michael Joseph Ltd, London, 1962.

Price: US$350.00 + shipping

Condition: Very Good

Description: Dick Francis's first novel. Third impression of first edition. Vg in good dj. Brown boards with gilt lettering. Cocked, spine ends bumped and foxing to edges and endpapers. Dj worn on top and bottom edges, chip to corner on front cover, torn at head of spine. Small stains to front and rear panels. 206pp.

Seller: Page 1 Books - Special Collection Room, Albuquerque, NM, U.S.A.

DICK FRANCIS. DEAD CERT. MICHAEL JOSEPH, LONDON, 1962.

Price: US$617.58 + shipping

Condition: Very Good

Description: FIRST IMPRESSION. HARDBACK IN THE ORIGINAL CLOTH BINDING WITH A LATER DUST JACKET SUPPLIED FROM THE 1972 EDITION & PRICED AT £1.90, HALF TITLE. BOOK MEASURES APPROX 8 x 5 INCHES WITH 206 PAGES. SOME MINOR EDGE WEAR TO JACKET WITH STAINING TO BOTTOM REAR OF JACKET, CLOTH SPINE VERY SLIGHTLY FADED, TWO OWNERS NAMES & PRIVATE OWNERS IMPRESSED STAMP TO FRONT ENDPAPER, ENDPAPERS & HALF TITLE BROWNED. OVERALL THE BOOK IS IN VERY GOOD PLUS CONDITION WITH PAGES FREE OF FOXING & NO LOSS TO JACKET. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE JACKET MAY SHOW SOME REFLECTIONS IN IMAGES FROM THE CLEAR REMOVABLE COVERING. EXTRA POSTAGE COSTS MAY APPLY TO OVERSEAS ORDERS. AL BOOKS POSTED IN STUDY BOOK BOX.

Seller: Elder Books, Ross on Wye, Herefordshire, United Kingdom

Dick Francis. Dead Cert. Michael Joseph, London, 1962.

Price: US$715.09 + shipping

Condition: Very Good

Description: HARDBACK - A near very good book, tightly bound in the publisher's maroon cloth boards with gilt lettering to the spine. The boards are quite clean, but with some light fading to the base of the front panel. Internally, the pages are clean with some spotting to the page block, but the inner text is clean, with the exception to the front and rear paste downs where there is faint red staining to the board and page edges, but free of any previous owner names or inscriptions. The dust wrapper is in good condition with a largish v shaped chip to the corner of the front panel. There is also a large closed tear to the rear panel with some rubbing to a small portion above it. There is shallow chipping to the corners of the front and rear flap folds, with some toning to the spine. There is some red bleeding from the books boards present to the verso of the dust wrapper that does not encroach onto the front panels. The publisher's printed price of 15s.net is present. The dust wrapper does have faults, but both the book and dust wrapper are the correct UK first edition, published by Michael Joseph in 1962.

Seller: West Hull Rare Books - P.B.F.A., Hull, YORKS, United Kingdom

FRANCIS DICK. Dead Cert. Michael Joseph, London, 1962.

Price: US$845.11 + shipping

Description: First UK Edition. Publisher's burgundy boards with silver spine lettering. SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR. Boards beautifully bright and clean this is a near fine copy with the customary offsetting to both sets of end-papers. On the front free end-paper there is a faint previous owner's name and date (Feb 6th 1962") in fountain pen ink. Signed by Dick Francis in a "late" hand: "Frank/ Hi!/ Dick Francis". No Dust Wrapper although this copy is certainly good enough to take one and, indeed, had one until very recently. Photographs/scans available upon request.

Seller: James M Pickard, ABA, ILAB, PBFA., LEICESTER, United Kingdom

Francis, Dick. Dead Cert.. Michael Joseph, London, 1962.

Price: US$1600.00 + shipping

Description: First edition of the author's first novel. Octavo, original cloth. Near fine in a very good dust jacket. Jacket design by Trevor Denning. "A chance encounter with a literary agent led to his writing The Sport of Queens, published the year after he retired. Emboldened by its success (and further motivated by his paltry wages as a journalist), he began writing Dead Cert. Drawing on his experiences as a jockey and his intimate knowledge of the racetrack crowd â€" from aristocratic owners to Cockney stable boys â€" the novel contained all the elements that readers would come to relish from a Dick Francis thriller. There was the pounding excitement of a race, the aura of the gentry at play, the sweaty smells from the stables out back, an appreciation for the regal beauty and unique personality of a thoroughbred â€" and enough sadistic violence to man and beast to satisfy the bloodthirsty" (The New York Times). "Right from the start, with Dead Cert in 1962, the Dick Francis thriller showed a mastery of lean, witty genre prose reminiscent -- sometimes to the point of comic parody -- of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett. It was an American style that many clever people in England had attempted to reproduce without much success, and it was a wonder how a barely educated former jump jockey was able to do the trick with such effortless ease" (The Guardian). Dead Cert was featured in the 2007 book 100 Must-Read Crime Novels and was filmed by Tony Richardson in 1974.

Seller: Raptis Rare Books, Palm Beach, FL, U.S.A.

Francis, Dick. Dead Cert. Michael Joseph, London, 1962.

Price: US$1611.74 + shipping

Condition: Very Good

Description: First edition, first impression, with the correct dust wrapper price of 15s. A very good copy in the dust wrapper, a few nicks at the corners of the spine ends and front folds, with some slight loss, small chip from the lower edge, the dust wrapper is not price clipped. No markings or inscriptions, some toning to the end papers, and some in a few places, confined to the first few leaves and the margins in a few places. A very good copy of the first Dick Francis thriller, a landmark modern first.

Seller: Temple Bar Bookshop, Dublin, DUB, Ireland

FRANCIS, Dick.. Dead Cert.. London: Michael Joseph, 1962, 1962.

Price: US$1950.25 + shipping

Description: First edition, first impression, of the author's first novel. Octavo. Original red cloth, spine lettered in gilt. With dust jacket. A very good copy in the lightly soiled jacket, faint stain at head of front panel, small chips at extremities repaired, chip at foot of spine panel repaired with two letters supplied in facsimile.

Seller: Peter Harrington. ABA/ ILAB., London, United Kingdom

Dick Francis. Dead Cert - SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR BY WAY OF A HARRODS BOOK-PLATE. Michael Joseph, London, 1962.

Price: US$2203.79 + shipping

Condition: Very Good

Description: HARDBACK - A very good book with clean maroon boards. The inner pages are quite clean, with a few small sporadic marks to the inner text, also with a little soiling to the page block. Signed by the author by way of an official Harrods book-plate affixed to the front end-paper. The dust wrapper is in very good overall condition, with chipping to the spine tips, and with a little fading to the spine. There are small areas of rubbing to the rear panel. Correctly priced at 15s.net.

Seller: West Hull Rare Books - P.B.F.A., Hull, YORKS, United Kingdom

FRANCIS, Dick. Dead Cert. Michael Joseph, London, 1962.

Price: US$4500.00 + shipping

Condition: Very Good

Description: First edition. Slight spine slant, foxing on the foredge and endpapers very good in near fine modestly age-toned dustwrapper with a small stain and a tiny nick at the crown. The author's first mystery novel, preceded only by his autobiography of his life as a jockey.

Seller: Between the Covers-Rare Books, Inc. ABAA, Gloucester City, NJ, U.S.A.

FRANCIS, DICK.. DEAD CERT.. Michael Joseph, [1962]., London, 1962.

Price: US$5000.00 + shipping

Description: First edition. Author's first mystery. Signed by the author on the title page. A fine, bright copy in dust jacket with light wear to the spine ends, a tiny closed tear and crease to the bottom edge of the rear cover, and a small closed tear at the top edge of the rear flap fold. Alan York, an amateur jockey, finds himself tangling dangerously with a ruthless gang of crooks. A pretty girl, an intelligent child, a fuel on a horseback and a manhunt across the Sussex countryside are some of the ingredients in this gripping thriller about the shady side of the racing world. The author died on February 14, 2010.

Seller: BUCKINGHAM BOOKS, ABAA, ILAB, IOBA, GREENCASTLE, PA, U.S.A.

FRANCIS DICK. Dead Cert. Michael Joseph, London, 1962.

Price: US$5194.17 + shipping

Description: First UK Edition. Publisher's burgundy boards with silver spine lettering. INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR IN THE MONTH AND YEAR OF PUBLICATION. A VG copy with offsetting/tanning to both sets of end-papers and slightly soft spine tips in like D/W darkened to the spine with a touch of wear at the head and tail. The book is inscribed by the Author to the front free end-paper: "January 1962/ Mrs Goodfellow,/ My very best wishes, &/ may your horses continue to/ enter the winners' enclosure./ Dick Francis". The English Catalogue of Books for 1962 confirms that this book was published on January 8, 1962 so this copy was certainly inscribed in the month of publication. Copies inscribed in this manner (with a "quality" inscription) are exceedingly uncommon and seldom these days appear on the www for sale. The identity of "Mrs Goodfellow" is un-known although there is a famous horse racing tipster at the Daily Mail called "Robin Goodfellow". Perhaps a relation of his? Photographs/scans available upon request.

Seller: James M Pickard, ABA, ILAB, PBFA., LEICESTER, United Kingdom

FRANCIS DICK. Dead Cert. Michael Joseph, London, 1962.

Price: US$5428.20 + shipping

Description: (London: Michael Joseph Ltd 1962). First UK Edition. Publisher's burgundy cloth with gilt lettering to the spine. A fine copy in like D/W with no wear, tears or pieces missing and with NO FADING whatsoever to the spine. Exceedingly scarce in this condition. Certainly the best copy that we have handled for more than 20 years. Photographs/scans available upon request.

Seller: James M Pickard, ABA, ILAB, PBFA., LEICESTER, United Kingdom

Francis, Dick. Dead Cert. Michael Joseph, 1962.

Price: US$7500.00 + shipping

Condition: Fine

Description: First Edition, First Printing SIGNED by Dick Francis on a laid in signature. An attractive dustjacket that has benefitted from some professional restoration. The end result is a stunning dustjacket that is vibrant in color with no chips or tears. The book is in nice shape with some wear the spine and edges. The binding is tight, and the pages are clean, with no writing, marks or bookplates in the book. Overall, a sharp copy of this TRUE FIRST EDITION, in collector's condition. We buy Dick Francis First Editions.

Seller: Magnum Opus Rare Books, Missoula, MT, U.S.A.

Francis, Dick. Dead Cert. Michael Joseph, 1962.

Price: US$12500.00 + shipping

Condition: Fine

Description: First Edition, First Printing SIGNED by Dick Francis. A beautiful dustjacket that is rich in color with light wear to the edges. This original First Printing dustjacket has the price present on the front flap. The book is in excellent condition. The binding is tight, and the boards are crisp with minor wear to the edges. The pages are clean with no writing, marks or bookplates in the book. Overall, a lovely copy of this TRUE FIRST EDITION in collectors condition SIGNED by the author. We buy Francis First Editions.

Seller: Magnum Opus Rare Books, Missoula, MT, U.S.A.

Francis, Dick. Dick Francis Complete Set. Dead Cert, Nerve, For Kicks, Odds Against, Flying Finish, Blood Sport, Forfeit, Enquiry, Rat Race, Bonecrack, Smokescreen, Slay-Ride, Knock Down, High Stakes, In The Frame, Risk, Trial Run, Whip Hand, Reflex, Twice Shy, Banker, The Danger, Proof, Break In, Bolt, Hot Money, The Edge, Straight, Longshot, Comeback, Driving Force, Decider, Wild Horses, Come To Grief, To The Hilt, 10-lb Penalty, Field Of Thirteen, Second Wind Shattered and Under Orders.. Michael Joseph 1962-2006, London, 1962.

Price: US$15000.00 + shipping

Description: First editions of each of the first forty Dick Francis' mystery novels.Octavo, 40 Volumes. All forty volumes are signed by Francis and the first three novels: "Dead Cert", "Nerve", and "For Kicks" are signed with lines transcribed from them by Francis. The Set Consists of: Dead Cert, Nerve, For Kicks, Odds Against, Flying Finish, Blood Sport, Forfeit, Enquiry, Rat Race, Bonecrack, Smokescreen, Slay-Ride, Knock Down, High Stakes, In The Frame, Risk, Trial Run, Whip Hand, Reflex, Twice Shy, Banker, The Danger, Proof, Break In, Bolt, Hot Money, The Edge, Straight, Longshot, Comeback, Driving Force, Decider, Wild Horses, Come To Grief, To The Hilt, 10-lb Penalty, Field Of Thirteen, Second Wind Shattered and Under Orders. An exceptional set each title is fine in near fine to fine dust jackets. He set his first thriller, Dead Cert, published in 1962, in the world of horse racing, establishing a specialized niche for his work. Subsequently he regularly produced a novel a year for the next 38 years, missing only 1998 (during which he published a short-story collection). Although all his books were set against a similar background, his male protagonists held a variety of jobs, including artist (In the Frame and To the Hilt), investigator for the Jockey Club (Slay-Ride and The Edge), pilot (Rat Race and Flying Finish), and wine merchant (Proof). All the novels are narrated by the hero, who in the course of the story learns that he is more resourceful, brave, tricky, than he had thought, and usually finds a certain salvation for himself as well as bestowing it on others. Details of other people's occupations fascinated Francis, and he explores the workings of such fields as photography, accountancy, the gemstone trade, and restaurant service on transcontinental trainsâ€"but always in the interests of the plot. Dysfunctional families were a subject which he also exploited (Reflex, a baleful grandmother; Hot Money, a multi-millionaire father and serial ex-husband; Decider, the related co-owners of a racecourse).

Seller: Raptis Rare Books, Palm Beach, FL, U.S.A.