Books

First edition. 8vo. Original blue cloth lettered in gilt and with publisher's and author's device in black. Dust-jacket, priced 7/6 to spine. A great copy, benefitting from some professional conservational work to the jacket, of the author's spy stories, based largely on his own undercover experiences in Europe & Russia. It is believed that initially there were 31 stories but 14 had to be destroyed on Churchill's orders as they were in breach of the Official Secrets Act. Many authors of spy fiction have acknowledged the importance and merit of this work over the years, including John Le Carr�, Graham Greene, Eric Ambler, Julian Symons and Raymond Chandler. Cloth a little rubbed at extremities; jacket with restoration to spine ends and edges, in affect a very good example.

A collection of interconnected stories based on Maugham's experiences as a British spy during World War I. The stories delve into the subtleties and complexities of espionage and are considered some of the earliest works of fiction in the spy genre.