Murder a la Richelieu (Signed First Edition)

Garden City: Doubleday, Doran, 1937. First Edition. First Edition. INSCRIBED by the Blackmon to author Peggy Gaddis (Erolie Pearl Gaddis Dern, 1895-1966) on the front endpaper, in the year of publication: "Affectionately, to the Best of Friends / Peggy Gaddis / From the author / Anita Blackmon (Mrs. Harry Pugh Smith) / August 29, 1937."

Blackmon wrote extensively as Mrs. Harry Pugh Smith, with notable titles like "Handmade Rainbows" (1936), "Happy-Go-Lucky" (1938), and thousands of short stories, many of which were published in romance magazines in the 1930s. This is the first of two "Adelaide Adams" mysteries, the other being "There Is No Return" (1938). Her relationship to Peggy Gaddis is so far undocumented, but the two did publish titles under the Arcadia House and William Godwin publishing firms (as well as a number of shared magazine appearances), where it is likely the two crossed paths. This association of the two writers is unique, given the relative obscurity of their prewar publications.

Very Good plus lacking the scarce dust jacket. Slight spine lean and light bumping to the spine ends, light foxing to the top page edges and endpapers, and light fading to the spine.