Books

First edition, first printing, of the scarce third Nero Wolfe novel, notably rare in excellent condition with an unrestored dust jacket. The story was serialized in the Saturday Evening Post between February and April 1936 prior to its publication in book form on 9 April. A second printing, distinguished by the lack of the publisher's device on the copyright page, was issued in the following month. Provenance: from the collection of the Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts (1941-2021), with his posthumous bookplate. Octavo. Original blue cloth, spine and front cover lettered in black within a rubber band border, top edge yellow, fore and bottom edges untrimmed. Spine ends bumped and sunned, cloth otherwise vivid; unclipped jacket spine lightly sunned, else bright, shallow chip to spine ends, rubbing and a few nicks to edges: a near-fine copy in like jacket.

The third Nero Wolfe novel by Rex Stout, following the adventures of the legendary detective and his assistant, Archie Goodwin, as they tackle a case linked to a long-standing claim and cryptic clues.