Deadlier Than the Male
New York: Duell, Sloan and Pearce, 1942. Very Good / Good. Item #10188
New York: Duell, Sloan and Pearce, 1942. Stated First Edition. Octavo; [iv], 277pp. Printed dust jacket with $2.50 price intact; book in bright red cloth with white lettering to spine. Large tear across bottom half of front jacket panel, from tail of spine to middle of front fore-edge, with some associated creasing to affected area and rather clumsly external repair with clear tape. Jacket shows a few other shallow chips and tears, with another strip of tape repair to top front, along with some general toning to back panel and a bit of fading to spine. Boards nudged at spine ends, with light rubbing to corners, but sturdy and bright overall. Very slight cock to spine. Contemporary ownership inscription of R.A. Rogers dated 5/9/42 on front pastedown, obscured by jacket flap. Light toning to front free endpaper, with a small sales ticket for the H.C. Capwell Co. (a historic Oakland department store) at bottom of back pastedown. Prior bookseller's pencil code in gutter of second half title, else pages unmarked. Binding is sound.
Only novel by screenwriter Gunn, and basis for Robert Wise's first Film Noir offering, the 1947 RKO film Born to Kill.
Price: $350.00