Suspense

London: J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd, 1925 Introduction by Richard Curle. First English edition, first printing. Publisher's maroon cloth, titles in gilt to spine, blindstamped publisher's device to front board, and frontispiece by Muirhead Bone; in its original wraparound pictorial dust jacket lettered in blue and red, designed by Thomas Derrick. About fine book, with light offsetting to endpapers and a touch of dimming to spine gilt; very good unclipped dust jacket, with light toning and some very small nicks to spine, two small chips to head of spine, small closed tear to top edge of rear panel, light thumbsoiling to rear panel, lightly nicked corners, and old tape repair to head of spine on jacket verso. With J. M. Dent & Sons 1925 Autumn List pamphlet laid-in. Overall, a very pleasing copy. Suspense takes place in early 1815, during the uncertain days of Napoleon's exile on Elba. Cosmo Latham, an Englishman, comes to Genoa amidst its conspiratorial atmosphere, and falls in love with the daughter of an old family friend, now trapped in an unhappy marriage. Conrad wrote nearly 90,000 words of the novel before passing away on August 3rd, 1924. In his introduction, Richard Curle writes, "...perhaps [the book's] very incompleteness adds to the sense of mystery which enshrouds its pages, giving to this mighty fragment a more august significance than could be found in the pellucid beauty of a finished work of art.". First Edition. Hard Cover. Near Fine.