I WAKE UP SCREAMING

London: Robert Hale, 1943. First British Edition. An intriguing intersection of hard-boiled literature, the Hollywood novel, and film noir. The book was purchased by Twentieth Century-Fox prior to publication in 1941 and the film was released the same year. Today it is not only viewed as a foundational film noir, but also one of the first in which the cinematography and deeply damaged characters were utterly soaked in the noir ethic. The film was released in the UK in 1942 - about a year after the US release - under the title "Hot Spot," and this edition, issued in typically miniscule quantities of 500 or fewer by Robert Hale, advertises itself as the basis for that film. A seriously rare book, perhaps even more so that the US edition; indeed, we were unaware of the existence of the Hale imprint until this copy was located. The Dark Page, Vol.1, p.98-99; Hubin, p.146. First Impression. Octavo (19cm); black textured cloth, with titles and revolver design stamped in red and silver on spine; dustjacket; 216pp. Slight lean, contemporary owners name on front endpaper, with light foxing to text edges; Very Good+. Dustjacket is unclipped (priced 8/6 net), with a triangular chip at lower right corner of front panel (affecting neither titling or artwork), with a few small nicks and closed tears to the extremities, and six small tape mends verso; Very Good.