Books

Leroux, Gaston. THE MYSTERY OF THE YELLOW ROOM. London: Arnold, 1909. First English Book Edition, complete with 8pp of ads, preceded by 1907 and 1908 serialized appearances in wrappers in both France's L'Illustration and London's Amalgamated Press. In original publisher's mustard yellow pictorial boards. Acquired from the Otto Penzler collection, this is the publisher's FILE COPY with both a dramatic and compelling label to the upper cover and a bold "File Copy" stamp to the title page. This first book edition is exceedingly uncommon and, as a File Copy, it is likely unique. The top and bottom edges are dusty, the fore-edge and front endpapers show moisture staining as do a few page tips. The spine is cocked, the lower cover a trifle soiled. Despite faults, the volume is in Good to Very Good condition possessing excellent eye appeal. Inner hinges tight. Text block tight. Arnold Bennett called THE MYSTERY OF THE YELLOW ROOM "The most dazzlingly brilliant detective story I have ever read." Further, it's not just a Haycraft-Queen cornerstone: "It remains," noted Haycraft in 1941, "the most brilliant of all 'locked room' mysteries." One year later, Leroux followed this masterpiece of detective fiction with his equally successful PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. Remarkably, two film adaptations were made shortly after THE MYSTERY OF THE YELLOW ROOM's publication. A silent film in French in 1913, and a silent film in America in 1919. It was further filmed in 1930, 1949 and 2003.