Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Price: US$35.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: It appears this is NOT the first appearance in book form of Hammett's "The Thin Man," reprinted here after its appearance in the December, 1933 edition of "Redbook" magazine. The introduction to the hard-boiled classic here includes a glossy B&W image of the Knopf dust jacket, reporting "Almost immediately upon publication in book form it shot to the top of the best seller list." Christie's "The Boomerang Clue," on the other hand, first appeared in the November, 1933 issue of Redbook, and it appears this is indeed its first AMERICAN book publication -- the introduction here indicates it's "To be published by Dodd, Mead & Co." In fact, the Dodd Mead edition issued in 1935, though we suspect the Collins Crime Club had indeed published this Christie entry in hardcover in 1934, albeit under the title "Why Didn't They Ask Evans?" Eberhart's "The Figure in the Fog" (Redbook, September, 1933) had also seen book publication by the time this collection issued, albeit under the changed title "The Dark Garden." Interestingly, the title page for "The Boomerang Clue" describes it as "a complete novel"; the title pages for "The Thin Man" and "The Figure in the Fog" do not, and we're fairly sure that means exactly what you'd suspect -- those two have both been "abridged," here. This volume now reduced from $82.
Seller: Cat's Curiosities, Pahrump, NV, U.S.A.
Christie, Agatha. Why Didn't They Ask Evans?. The Crime Club Ltd, 1934.
Price: US$277.19 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: Type: Ex-Library 252pp. A very scarce first edition novel by Agatha Christie - published for the Collins Crime Club. An ex library copy, no longer cased in its original binding. Rebound in orange buckram, library binding with gilt embossed lettering to the spine of the book, along with a library number. The original front and rear end papers are missing, having been replaced. However, the half title page and title page are original withonly one smal library stamp to the reverse of the half title page. Otherwise the pages of the book remains free from library stamps. There are other signs of ex-library to the replaced paste downs but of no real concern as the book will probably be rebound. Finger soiling to the pages and a very little foxing - the pages could benefit from being cleaned. Slight loss to the corner of page 95, no loss to the text, but the numeral is missing. Several corners of the book have been turned. A short edge tear to a couple of other pages, with no loss. Many pages along the inner hinges have been strengthened with some kind of library hinge, which appears to be very similar in composition to a postage stamp hinge, which in no way affects the text. A very scarce book, not without its faults, but that could no doubt be significantly improved with the right kind of professional attention.
Seller: Trumpington Fine Books Limited, Gilmilnscroft, Ayrshire, Scotland, United Kingdom
Agatha Christie. Why Didn't They Ask Evans?. W. Collins Sons & Co. Ltd., London, 1934.
Price: US$314.40 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: Original Blue cloth boards with red title and author to front board and spine. Significant edgewear and slight fraying of cloth to tail of spine. Previous owners inscription to rear of front board. Faint foxing to early pages.Stated copyright 1934 to copyright page with no other printing information. small water stain to bottom right corner of rear board.
Seller: Moriarty's, Grimsby, LINCO, United Kingdom
Agatha Christie. Why Didn't They Ask Evans?. The Crime Club, Collins, London, 1934.
Price: US$577.47 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: An uncommon, early edition of this crime fiction novel by Agatha Christie. 'Why Didn't They Ask Evans' is set in Wales and Hampshire. It follows protagonist Bobby Jones and his friend Lady Frances Derwent as they try to solve the murder of a mysterious man found at Jones' local golf course. The victim's final words were 'Why didn't they ask Evans?'. This work features amateur detectives, which critics saw as a charming change compared to the novels featuring Christie's expert detective Poirot.This copy is an eighth impression, being published six years after the initial printing.In the original 'Uniform Edition' binding, with the original yellow and green dustwrapper unclipped.A bright copy of this stand-alone Christie novel. In the publisher's original cloth binding. With original unclipped dust wrapper. Externally, smart. Bumping to the top right corner of the front board. Slight fading to the head and tail of spine as well as to the extremities. Dust wrapper is sound. Large loss to the tail of the spine. Minor chips to the head of the spine. Former owner's inscription in pencil to the recto of front endpaper 'Keith Arrowsmith Read at Abingdon November 1995'. Rear hinge is strained but firm. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are generally bright. Scattered spotting to pages, heavier to the first and last few pages. Very Good
Seller: Rooke Books PBFA, Bath, United Kingdom
Agatha Christie. Why Didn't They Ask Evans (in fine binding). Collins, 1934.
Price: US$600.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: "Why Didn't They Ask Evans" by Agatha Christie. Collins, Crime Club, 1934 first UK edition first issue. Book in very good condition, rebound in half green leather fine binding, with minor rubbing to spine label, renewed endpapers, minor page foxing. One of the classic 1930s Agatha Christie mysteries.
Seller: Neverland Books, waalre, Netherlands
Christie, Agatha. Why Didn't They Ask Evans. Collins Crime Club, London, 1934.
Price: US$769.96 + shipping
Description: (London: Published for THE CRIME CLUB LTD. by W. Collins Sons & Co Ltd 1934). First UK Edition. Recently rebound in full scarlet morocco with gold lettering to the front board and spine. The spine is slightly faded. Marbled end-papers. Some foxing particularly to the early/late pages of the book which has crept into the text block in places. Photographs/scans available upon request.
Seller: James M Pickard, ABA, ILAB, PBFA., LEICESTER, United Kingdom
Price: US$2499.99 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: AGATHA CHRISTIE - PARKER PYNE INVESTIGATES (published in the U.S. under the title "Mr. Parker Pyne, Detective"), published by UK publisher Collins, copyright 1934, First Printing (states "Copyright, 1934" on copyright page with no references to subsequent printings), lists to "Why Didn't They Ask Evans?" on list of Christie books to left of title page, 4 pages of ads at rear (including ad for Listerdale Mystery), maroon cloth boards with silver gilt lettering to spine, 2nd state original Dust Jacket (identical size and artwork to the 1st state but for the 2/6' net price rather than 7/6 price on spine and the green background color). VERY RARE BOOK - THIS BOOK (ALONG WITH LISTERDALE MYSTERY) WERE (FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON) WERE NOT PUBLISHED BY COLLINS UNDER THE "CRIME CLUB" IMPRINT (SO AS A RESULT THEY WEREN'T ISSUED IN THE STANDARD ORANGE BOARDS W/BLACK LETTERING THAT COLLINS USED IN THE 1930S FOR ITS "CRIME CLUB" IMPRINT BOOKS - INSTEAD THIS BOOK (AND LISTERDALE) WERE PUBLISHED IN MAROON BOARDS WITH SILVER GILT SPINE LETTERING - ALSO (LIKE LISTERDALE) THIS BOOK MUST HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED IN MUCH SMALLER QUANTITIES THAN CHRISTIE'S OTHER BOOKS FROM THE SAME TIME PERIOD AS THIS BOOK IS MUCH RARER THAN HER OTHER BOOKS (LIKE EVANS, DEATH IN CLOUDS, ETC.). Book has two creased page corners, no former owner or used bookstore markings/stamps inside, clean endpapers with no staining or tape residue, no foxing to endpapers, foxing to first few/last few pages, age darkening/foxing/dust soiling to outer page edges, no lettering fading/wear/oxidizing to spine (common defect with these early Collins 1st print books), no wear to board edges, hint of wear to bottom board corners, almost no wear to spine tips, tiny wear spot along right edge on spine, almost none of the usual dust/handling soiling to cloth boards, no spine darkening and just a hint of spine fading. Dust Jacket has shallow chipping/loss to spine tips and spot loss 2/3rd way down on spine, nick losses along top edge on front panel with related closed tear at top left on front panel otherwise no chipping or tearing or creasing, slight wear to front flap crease, slight edge wear, almost no dust soiling to white rear panel, no spine sun fade, no scotch tape marks to flaps, no soiling or staining. Overall a VG+/FINE- book in VG-/VG condition original later state dust jacket (not price clipped) of a rare 1930s era UK Agatha Christie 1st printing IN ORIGINAL DUST JACKET. I have a number of other U.K. and U.S. Agatha Christie 1st printing hardcover books up for sale.
Seller: Far North Collectible Books, Anchorage, AK, U.S.A.