BLOODEAGLE: AN ARNOLD LANDON NOVEL.

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn. [Complete number line 9 - 1 descending.A title from COLLINS CRIME CLUB imprint/series.] FINE/FINE. No owner inscrptn,and no price-clip to dw/dj.Bright,clean,glossy laminated, colour photographic front panel with capitalised white yellow and pale pinl lettering,b/w lettered orange spine/backstrip with a b/w illustrated Collins Crime Club logo to head of same,white background with assorted other authors' published titles advert to rear panel.Negligible shelf-wear and negligible creasing to dw/dj edges - one small closed tear/nick to rear, upper edge - and no bumped corners.Top edge toned with faint dust flecking,fore-edge with age streak markings; contents bright,tightclean,solid and sound - near pristine - no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corner tips,appears unread - other than my own collation.Publisher;s bright,crisp,uUnblemished, sharp-cornered,original plain red cloth boards with bright,crisp,blocked gilt letters to spine/backstrip and ia similarly bright,crisp,blocked Collins Crime Club logo t6o foot of same.and mmaculate plain white endpapers.UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn,8-220pp [unpaginated] includes 5 chapters with varying numbers of sub-chapters within each,2pp blanks,half-title with story precis and author's other published listed to its verso,a title page,an epigram with blank verso,and to the rear,2pp blanks.
Visually the exterior appearance is acceptable for a book of it's age, and even internally,the book is in an exceptional condition/state of preservation and presentation.It is only the exterior faults described that prevent a higher grading.Despite them,it really is an exceptional example.
When Arnold Landon is ordered to assist at the excavations of the mediaeval site at Birley Thore he is angry,since it means he is forced to break a promise to Jane Wilson to help her in her research.At the site he soon becomes aware of tensions among the excavation team. More seriously,he finds himself involved in an inquiry by Detective Chief Inspector Culpeper into ancient Viking practices - the background to an investigation into a series of murders committed as far apart as France,Switzerland,East Anglia and Northumberland. The horrific nature of these killings is brought home to Arnold when he and Jane discover a member of the excavation team murdered in a similar manner, and he falls foul of Culpeper for what the Chief Inspector sees as interference.While attempting to assist Jane Wilson in her research into Thomas Becket and his supporter William Fitzstephen,and the police in their investigation of the Birley Thore killings, Arnold is drawn deeper into Viking folklore,the role of the berserkers,and the way in which Nordic names can have modern,murderous meanings. Unfortunately for Arnold,his attempts to help end by plunging him into a chilling confrontation with the vengeful killer whom the police call Bloodeagle. Author's 8th Arnold Landon title also uncommon.See also rja2160 for preceding Landon novel/title.
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