Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Agatha Christie. Murder in Mesopotamia A Mercury Mystery. The American Mercury, New York, 1942.
Price: US$32.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Mercury Book, No. 50. Lawrence E. Spivak, Publisher. Copyright, 1935, 1936, by Agatha Christie. Reprinted by special arrangement with Dodd, Mead & Co. No date but circa 1942. Lawrence Spivak took over the American Mercury from H. L. Mencken in 1939. Mercury editions were chosen from recently published mysteries and most often cut to improve pacing, with the permission of the author. Starting to split along edge of spine. Generally Very Good condition. Quite scarce in this edition.
Seller: Ellery Center Books, Greenhurst, NY, U.S.A.
Agatha Christie. Murder in Retrospect. Dodd, Mead, 1942.
Price: US$357.60 + shipping
Description: FACSIMILE DJ. used hardcover copy lacking a dust jacket. book is somewhat shelfworn and corners a bit bumped. covers may be a bit scuffed and outer edge of page block somewhat dusty/discolored with age. pages and binding are clean, straight and tight otherwise. there are no marks to the text. RED BADGE DETECTIVE, BLUE CLOTH.
Seller: Magus Books Seattle, Seattle, WA, U.S.A.
Price: US$375.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: First American edition of another Hercule Poirot mystery! According to Hubin, precedes the UK edition published as "Five Little Pigs". An uncommon title in either edition. A VERY GOOD copy, tight, square and firmly boung. A couple of pages faintly corner creased.Light fade to spine and a couple of "ring" marks to rear board
Seller: THE USUAL SUSPECTS (IOBA), St. Catharines, ON, Canada
Agatha Christie. The Moving Finger. Dodd, Mead & Company, New York, 1942.
Price: US$508.86 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: The scarce first US edition of Agatha Christie's thrilling murder mystery, with publication preceding the UK edition by eleven months. The first US edition of this work, published in July 1942. The first UK edition was not published until June 1943.The true first edition in book form, as the novel was initially serialised in the US in 'Collier's Weekly', from March to May 1942.Featuring Miss Marple in a small role, this detective novel begins with the Burton siblings arriving in Lymstock, Devon, and receiving a letter which accuses their relationship as being that of lovers rather than brother and sister. Soon, a prominent local is found dead with a similar letter alongside them, and a the mystery unfolds.Featuring Miss Marple in a minor role.With ink inscriptions to the front and rear pastedowns, and front free endpaper.An uncommon first edition. In the publisher's original cloth binding. Bumping to back strip head and tail, with boards bright. Minor handling marks to boards. Spotting to fore edge of text block. Ink inscriptions to front and rear pastedowns and front free endpaper. Internally, pages generally firmly bound, with the odd spot to page perimeters. Very Good
Seller: Rooke Books PBFA, Bath, United Kingdom
Christie, Agatha. The Moving Finger.. Dodd, Mead & Company, New York, 1942.
Price: US$1200.00 + shipping
Description: First American edition of Christie's classic murder mystery, which preceded the first English edition by 11 months. Octavo, original publisher's cloth. Very good in a good dust jacket with professional restoration. "Beyond all doubt the puzzle in The Moving Finger is fit for experts. The author is generous with her clues. Anyone ought to be able to read her secret with half an eye â" if the other one-and-a-half did not get in the way. There has rarely been a detective story so likely to create an epidemic of self indulgent kicks" (The Times Literary Supplement). "The Moving Finger has for a jacket design a picture of a finger pointing out one suspect after another and that's the way it is with the reader as chapter after chapter of the mystery story unfolds" (Toronto Daily Star).
Seller: Raptis Rare Books, Palm Beach, FL, U.S.A.
Christie, Agatha. Murder in Retrospect [First American Edition]. Dodd, Mead and Company, 1942.
Price: US$1500.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: First US Edition, released in the UK as Five Little Pigs. Dodd, Mead and Co., 1942; same date on title and copyright pages, no later printings indicated; 234pp. Dust jacket is clipped on all corners, but retains part of the dollar sign on the front flap and the date code 'C.5.42.139C' at bottom edge of rear flap, indicating the correct publication date of May 1942. Binding is tight, sturdy, and square; light wear to edges of blue cloth boards, navy blue titling remains bold; text very good throughout; gift inscription, dated Christmas 1943, on front end page. Dust jacket is edge-worn with several chips and closed tears; moderate amount of rubbing to panels; small red ink-stamps that (incorrectly!) state "Reprint" on front flap and rear panel; jacket arrives wrapped in protective mylar. A presentable copy of this classic Poirot mystery, scarce in the First American Edition with original jacket. Ships from Dinkytown in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Seller: Book House in Dinkytown, IOBA, Minneapolis, MN, U.S.A.