Agatha Christie. The Secret of Chimneys. John Lane the Bodley Head, London, 1927.

Price: US$2305.55 + shipping

Condition: Very Good

Description: A scarce to see early edition of this lesser known novel by Agatha Christie, in the original colourful dust wrapper. An uncommon to see early edition, this 'popular edition' being published two years after the first.In the original very scarce unclipped dust wrapper, colourfully illustrated by Percy Graves.'The Secret of Chimneys' is a thrilling murder mystery novel, taking place at a house party at Chimneys. This is a fast-paced novel in which a group of guests find themselves stuck at a weekend party at a manor. One of the guests, leaving those remaining scrambling to find out whodunnit before another dies.This novel introduces Superintendent Battle and Lady Eileen "Bundle" Brent. Battle later appeared in 'The Seven Dials Mystery', 'Cards on the Table', 'Murder is Easy', and 'Towards Zero'.Written by the queen of crime fiction, Agatha Christie.Two pages of adverts to the rear. In the original publisher's cloth binding, in the original unclipped dust wrapper. Externally, smart, with light rubbing to the joints and extremities. A few minor marks to the boards, a little heavier to the rear board. Light bumping to the head and tail of the spine and to the extremities. Spine is faded. Front hinge is starting but firm. Prior owner's ink inscription to the recto of the front endpaper. Dust wrapper has been reinforced to the reverse, repairing a few small closed tears. A few neat tape repairs to the reverse. Wraps are very light rubbed with few light handling marks. Spine is age-toned. A small amount of surface loss to the head of the front wraps. Faded ink to the tail of the rear wrap. Flyleaves are closely trimmed, resulting in a small amount of loss of text. Closely trimmed to the head of the wraps. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are very lightly age-toned and clean. Very Good

Seller: Rooke Books PBFA, Bath, United Kingdom

CHRISTIE, Agatha. The Secret Adversary. John Lane The Bodley Head, London, 1927.

Price: US$4928.13 + shipping

Condition: Fine

Description: A very rare early dustwrappered edition of this Agatha Christie secret service thriller featuring Tommy Beresford and Tuppence Cowley.The first edition, priced at 7/6 was published in 1922, followed by the second, a Popular Edition, published at 3/6 in 1924. This is the first printing of the third edition or Cheap Edition, issued at 2/- in 1927. All these 1920s editions are now exceedingly hard to find in their original dustwrappers and most collectors settle for decent copies without the jacket or, indeed, later printings in dustwrappers. This copy is remarkable in that the bright orange cloth is just about perfect. Pages are all evenly tanned. Some offsetting to front endpaper, light ownership name and address plus date : December 1928 and neat round book sellers stamp. 6pp publisher's catalogue to rear. The attractive pictorial dustwrapper is complete and has a 2 in closed, feathered tear, that is almost imperceptible, to the front panel and two minuscule nicks at the head and foot of the spine. Else near fine. Given its popularity and the number of times a book like this would have been read, it's hard to imagine a better extant copy of a near 100- year- old Agatha Christie thriller. Certain to be of interest to all completists of Agatha Christie's work.

Seller: MANOR COLLECTABLES, WOODHALL SPA, LINCS, United Kingdom