Search Results: Noir from Murder By The Book

N.Y.: Mysterious Press, 1989. 1st ed. A fine copy of this trade size paperback (no hardcover edition). Part of the Dime Detective Classic series published for the Mysterious Library. First book appearance of these pulp stories. Introduction by Robert Weinberg. 5 novellas, 340+ pages. . First Edition. Pictorial Wrappers. Near Fine. Trade Paperback.

London: UK: Jarrolds, 1947. 1st British Edition (pub. by Crime Club Doubleday in 1944). Very light wear at extremities, cheap paper is age toned and very brittle, else near fine in dust jacket clipped [price of 9/6 net still intact], chipped at head and foot of spine light wear, spoiled at rear panel, else bright jacket. Alarum and Excursion is indeed something new in crime fiction; apart from the unusual story it is one of the earliest noir novels from a woman writer of this period. Gasoline is in short supply as World War II wages on in Europe and the Far East. Ultimate victory requires a reliable source of gasoline. Nick Matheny’s oil company just might have the answer in nicoline, a cheap synthetic fuel. The Nazis would love to get their hands on it while rival oil companies fear it could destroy their industry and bankrupt their companies. On the eve of his flight to Washington with the secret formula, Matheny is attacked, suffering a severe brain injury that leaves him with partial… Read More

NY: Vintage Crime/Black Lizard, 1997. 1st Vintage Crime / Black Lizard Edition October 1997 with complete number line beginning with 1. Oversize trade paperback, Fine. At thirteen Jim Thompson was learning how to smoke cigars and ogle burlesque girls under the tutelage of his profane grandfather. A few years later, he was bellhopping at a hotel in Fort Worth, where he supplemented his income peddling bootleg out of the package room. He shuddered out the DTs as a watchman on a West Texas oil pipeline. He outraged teachers, cheated mobsters, and almost got himself beaten to death by a homicidal sheriff's deputy. And somewhere along the way, Thompson became one of the greatest crime writers America has ever known. In this uproarious autobiographical tale, the author of After Dark, My Sweet and Pop. 1280 tells the story of his chaotic coming of age and reveals just where he acquired his encyclopedic knowledge of human misbehavior. Bad Boy is a bawdy, brawling book of reprobates--and an unfettered… Read More

N.Y.: St. Martins, 1994. 1st ed. with complete number line beginning with 1. Fine in dust jacket, not price clipped, with protective mylar cover. A Black Mask Boys mystery featuring Dashiell Hammett. A BLACK MASK BOYS MYSTERY THRILLER bookplate is laid in, SIGNED by Nolan. Also laid in is Black Mask Murders book mark.. Signed by Author. First Edition. Hard Cover. Fine/Fine. Book.

N.Y.: St. Martins, 1994. 1st ed., with complete number line beginning with 1. Fine in dust jacket, not price clipped, with protective mylar cover. A Black Mask Boys mystery featuring Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler and Erle Stanley Gardner. "Set in Hollywood shortly before the appearance of the Falcon movie, the story finds Hammett asked to deliver a jewel-encrusted ruby to a local mobster. A shootout occurs, and the bad guy gets the icon and the girl for which it was to serve as ransom. Hammett, Gardner, and Chandler work to recover both the jewel and the girl. Nolan mixes as many biographical facts into the narrative as possible, serving up a healthy portion of literary history along with the action. There's gunplay, humor, and just enough realism to humanize Hammett and his cronies..." -- Booklist. First Edition. Hard Cover. Fine/Fine. Book.

NY, NY.: St Martins Press, 1989. Ist. Eition. Advanced Uncorrected Proof. AS NEW. A plain bue cover. "In this top-notch first novel, set in present-day London, Samson Dean, a black journalist, is hired to find Virginia Baker, the college-age daughter of a prominent, white conservative MP. Since Virginia was last seen in the company of a young black man, Dean is uncomfortable with the racial implications of the job; neither does he approve of the MP's politics, but his bank balance leaves him no choice but to accept the assignment. Centering his believable, methodical investigation on identifying who Virginia was with, Dean discovers the man is her half-brother, Roy, and that the two are heavily involved in drugs, extortion and prostitution. The plot is hard-boiled, the mystery unfolding gradually rather than presenting itself full blown for solution. Phillips's dialogue and his protagonist's voice-over ruminations on everything from racial disharmony to foolishness on TV are spot-on,… Read More

Norfolk, VA, U.S.A.: Crippen & Landru, 2004. 1st prtg. Fine unread copy of the trade paperback, still in shrinkwrap. A treasury of riches for Spillane fans. It includes in short-story form two Mike Hammer cases which later appeared as novels; a long lost Hammer story; the transcript of a Mike Hammer playlet; three reproductions of rare comic books featuring Mike's predecessors-- Mike Lance and Mike Danger-- who were also created by Spillane; as well as fourteen articles by Spillane when he himself lived a life of adventure --- diving for sunken treasure, racing sports cars, working in a circus, and chasing hot rod moonshiners. Edited and with an introduction by Spillane experts Max Allan Collins and Lynn F. Meyers Jr.. 1st Prtg. Pictorial Wrappers. New. Trade Paperback.

Norfolk, VA, U.S.A.: Crippen & Landru, 2004. 1st ed. Fine in dust jacket. Out-of-Print. LIMITED EDITION, one of 250 copies SIGNED by SPILLANE and by editors MAX ALLAN COLLINS and LYNN F. MEYERS, JR.. Cover Illustration by Gail Cross. A treasury of riches for Spillane fans. It includes in short-story form two Mike Hammer cases which later appeared as novels; a long lost Hammer story; the transcript of a Mike Hammer playlet; three reproductions of rare comic books featuring Mike's predecessors-- Mike Lance and Mike Danger-- who were also created by Spillane; as well as fourteen articles by Spillane when he himself lived a life of adventure --- diving for sunken treasure, racing sports cars, working in a circus, and chasing hot rod moonshiners. Edited and with an introduction by Spillane experts Max Allan Collins and Lynn F. Meyers Jr. Each copy of the Limited Edition contains an audio CD of three Mike Hammer radio adventures.. Signed by All Contributors. First Edition. Hard Cover.… Read More

New York, New York, U.S.A.: Black Lizard Books, 1987. Trade paperback, light edgewear, tear at rear cover. The authors include Loren D. Estleman, Bill Pronzini, Harry Whittington, William Campbell Gault, Robert J. Randisi, John Lutz, Jim thompson, Harlan Ellison, Dennis Lynds, Max Allan Colins, Barbara Beman, Joe Hensley, James Reasoner, Robert Edmond Alter, Michael Seidman, Clark Howard, Wayne Dundee, Joe Lansdale, Edward Gorman, and Joe Gores. 335p.. Book Club (BCE/BOMC). Pictorial Wrappers. Very Good/No Jacket. Trade Paperback.

Bowling Green: Ohio: Popular Press, 1986. 1st prtg. A fine copy of this oversize trade paperback. Ten stories from the popular pulp "Ten Detective Aces". the detectives that appeared during the height of the magazine, that period from 1932 to 1936, were Hard-boiled, Avengers or a mixture of the two-- a tribute to "Black Mask" and the first great avenger, The Shadow. Includes Norvell Page, G.T. Fleming-Roberts, Emile c. Tepperman ...Illustrated. 180 pages.. 1st Prtg. Pictorial Wrappers. Fine. Trade Paperback.

N.Y.: William Morrow and Co., Inc., 1993. 1st ed., fine in dj. His 2nd book. Southern California noir. First Edition. Hard Cover. Fine/Fine. Book.

NY: Mysterious Press, 1995. 1st ed. Fine in dust jacket with review slip laid in.. First US Edition. Hard Cover. Fine/Fine. Review Copy.

New York, New York, U.S.A.: Otto Penzler Books, 1994. 1st edition with complete number line beginning with 1. Fine in dust jacket (bright yellow) shows very faint soiling else near fine.fine dust jacket, not price clipped, in protective mylar cover. SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR at title page. NOT A REMAINDER as so many of this title seem to be. "Chicago detective Joe Kiley wants revenge. His partner, Nick Bianco, was murdered while investigating the death of a young stripper. Kiley and Bianco both thought the girl's death was connected to a local mobster, but when a janitor at the club where the girl worked confesses to the crime, Bianco's murder becomes even more puzzling. What did he see on his stakeout? At every step, Kiley's investigation is stonewalled from within, forcing him to conclude that the department doesn't want Nick's killer found. He continues to investigate Nick's death with the help of a female officer, who promptly dies in an iffy suicide. Now Kiley has two… Read More

N.Y.: Soho Press Inc, 1989. 1st prtg. Fine, unread copy of his 2nd book. NY. A light-hearted, very funny glimpse into the underworld. First Printing. Pictorial Wrappers. Fine. Book.

New York, New York, U.S.A.: Vintage Crime / Black Lizard, 1988. 3rd prtg. (original 1965). Fine copy of trade paperback. "The greatest find in American crime fiction since Raymond Chandler" --The Sunday Times London). Black flim-flam man Deke O'Hara is no sooner out of Atlanta's state penitentiary than he's back on the streets working the scam of a lifetime. As sponsor of the Back-to-Africa movement he's counting on the big Harlem rally to produce a big collection--for his own private charity. But the take ($87,000) is hijacked by white gunmen and hidden in a bale of cotton that suddenly everyone wants to get his hands on. With Coffin Ed Johnson and Grave Digger Jones on everyone's trail and piecing together the complexity of the scheme it is one of Hime's hardest-hitting and most entertaining thrillers.. Later Edition. Pictorial Wrappers. Fine. Trade Paperback.

New York, NY, U.S.A.: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 1988. 1st edition with complete number line beginning with 1. Top of page edges spotted else Fine in fine dust jacket, one tiny rubbed spot at rear panel of dj, not price clipped, in protective mylar cover. Mustard half-cloth with brown boards and gilt lettering on spine. Blend of science-fiction and hard-boiled noir, featuring Mongo the dwarf. Mongo tells us what happened as a result of his and his brother's role in destroying a project aimed at ending the human race as we know it. His brother Garth was poisoned with a rare chemical and lies, comatose, in a secret government psychiatric facility. Mongo takes it upon himself to apply unorthodox methods that awaken Garth. But Garth is strange and saintly. Soon people are hailing him as the Messiah. Mongo is torn between pride in his brother and suspicion that foreign operatives are involved, not to Garth's benefit.. First Edition. Hard Cover. Fine/Near Fine. Book.

N.Y.: Akashic Books, 2010. 1st printing, so stated. A fine, unread copy. Translated by Mark Kline. Includes brand-new stories by: Naja Marie Aidt, Jonas T. Bengtsson, Helle Helle, Christian Dorph and Simon Pasternak, Susanne Staun, Lene Kaaberbøl and Agnete Friis, Klaus Rifbjerg, Gretelise Holm, Georg Ursin, Kristian Lundberg, Kristina Stoltz, Seyit Öztürk, Benn Q. Holm, and Gunnar Staalesen. "The latest entry in the publisher's series (41 and counting) proves the resilience of, and market for, these locale noirs. Editor Michaëlis, a Danish book critic, is both scholarly and insightful in the introduction and outlines how the stories reflect the greed and ennui of modern Denmark in contrast to the Danish idyll depicted in tourist brochures . . . Although some stories veer from noir orthodoxy, there are fine examples of lyrical writing, noir sensibilities, and insight into the current Danish psyche. Overall, a very impressive anthology." --Library Journal. .… Read More

New York: Canongate Books, 2003. 2nd prtg. A fine, unread copy in dust jacket. The author's first novel initially appeared in the UK as a paperback original, where it won the CWA CREASEY DAGGER AWARD Best First Mystery in 2002. "Yet another talented Scottish author makes a debut with this dark and twisty thriller, boasting a highly unusual hero and a compelling background that shows extensive inside knowledge. The protagonist ("hero" is not quite the word) is Rilke, a promiscuously gay auction dealer working for a struggling Glasgow firm. On an appraisal call one day at the house of Roddy McKindless, a wealthy and recently deceased citizen, he comes across an extensive library of pornography, which includes pictures suggesting a "snuff"-the slaughter of a woman for sexual purposes. Rilke finds himself, to his surprise, engaged in trying to find out who the girl in the picture was, and whether she was really killed. Using his seamy contacts in the city-a pornographer, a… Read More

N.Y.: Popular Library, 1951. 1st pbaperback printing. Popular Library #309. Vintage Paperback. Cover illustration uncredited but probably Rudolph Belarski. reading crease, a few tiny creases fairly minor page edge toning. Still fresh and bright with no chipping or tears. A very attractive collectable copy of a fairly uncommon title in any condition.. A collection of eight stories from a master of the sinister and the macabre. One of the stories "Two Men in a Furnished Room" was gthe basis for the Noir Film "The Guilty" , Directed by John Reinhardt, written by Robert Presnell Sr., and Cornell Woolrich and starring Bonita Granville, Don Castle, and Regis Toomey. Two guys sharing an apartment meet twin girls (both Bonita Granville). One's sweet, the other a major piece of bad news. The nice one is murdered and her boyfriend is accused of the crime. The wrong man/wrong victim plot strikes again. . First Printing. Pictorial Wrappers. Near Fine. Illus. by Belarski, Rudolph (?). Vintage Paperback.

Bowling Green, OH, U.S.A.: Bowling Green State Univ Popular Press, 1983. 1st prtg. near fine. Trade paperback. 6 pulp stories reprinted with original illustrations which show a study of the defective detective revealing just how widely bizarrely the genre wandered during the depression years in America. Introduction: "I'd Kiss You Sweetheart, But My Lips Are Missing" by Gary Hoppenstand and Ray B. Browne; This anthology contains: Madam Murder and the Corpse Brigade by Paul Ernst; The Brain Murders - Peter Quest Mystery by John Kobler; The Devil Beats Death's Drums by Warren Lucas; Brothers From Hell by Grendon Alzee; The Flowering Corpses by Nat Schachner; The River Styx a facsimile reprint editorial and Dead Man-Killer by Edith and Ejler Jacobson.. First Edition. Pictorial Cover. New/No Jacket. Trade Paperback.