Books

New York: Harper & Brothers, Publishers, 1941. First American Edition. The English author's sixth novel, centered around a domestic servant who takes a position at a remote country house, where she encounters a murderer on the loose, who is strangling young girls. Basis for Robert Siodmak's 1946 film noir The Spiral Staircase, starring Dorothy McGuire, George Brent, and Ethel Barrymore. Hubin, p.423; The Dark Page, Vol.1, pp.264-65. First Printing. Octavo (19.75cm); burgundy cloth, blocked and titled in pale yellow on spine; dustjacket; viii,9-319,[1]pp. Base of spine gently nudged, else a fresh, very Near Fine copy. Dustjacket is unclipped (priced $2.00), showing some light wear to extremities, several tiny tears, and a shallow chip to upper right corner of front panel, not affecting text or design; Very Good+ or better, with the sensitive spine colors entirely unfaded.