Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
FRANCIS DICK. Dead Cert. Michael Joseph, London, 1962.
Price: US$836.08 + 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, [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$5138.68 + 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, 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.
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.