Donovan Dick Muddock James Edward Preston (12 results)

Paper. Condition: Good. First Edition. A Rare Original Handwritten and Signed Letter Base by Crime Writer James Edward Preston Muddock whose Pseudonym was Dick Donovan. Undated. James Edward Preston Muddock also known as "Joyce Emmerson Preston Muddock" and "Dick Donovan" 1843 - 1934, was a prolific British journalist and author of mystery and horror fiction. For a time his detective stories were as popular as those of Arthur Conan Doyle. Between 1889 and 1922 he published nearly 300 detective and mystery stories. Most of Muddock's stories featured his continuing character Dick Donovan, The Glasgow Detective, named for one of the 18th Century Bow Street Runners. The character was so popular that later stories were published under this pen name. Muddock also wrote true crime stories, horror, and 37 novels, most as "Dick Donovan". His stories were used by The Strand Magazine in months when there were no Sherlock Holmes stories available. Size is 185mm x 90mm. Condition is good. Light folding crease. More images can be taken upon request. Ref18816. Signed by Author(s).…

Hardcover. Condition: Good. 1st Edition. First UK edition, with 1909 to the title page and no later date, Pp. 320. Original red boards, light staining to the boards, gilt lettering to front panel and spine, tight binding. New front end page, pages clean, spotting to edges and a sprinkle within. A good example of a very uncommon title.…

First edition. Octavo, pp. [1-5] 6 [7] 8-312 + 32-page publisher's catalogue dated "October, 1902" inserted at rear, original pictorial blue cloth, front panel stamped in red, white and black, spine panel stamped in gold, publisher's monogram stamped in blind on rear panel, bottom edge untrimmed. A historical romance in which a witch's curse appears to be fulfilled. [Reference: Wilson, Shadows in the Attic, p. 193. Not in Bleiler (1948; 1978) or Reginald (1979; 1992)]. Front hinge cracked, end papers browned, inked name to front free end paper,foxing throughout, corners soft, spine edges rubbed, a good, sound copy. (31100).…

Small octavo, pp. [1-8] 1-304 + [1-2: chromolithograph/ad leaf] and 32-page publisher's catalogue dated "Jan. 1898" inserted at rear, publisher's pictorial white boards printed in tan and black, ads on endpapers. Later edition. Most of the stories are cases of the celebrated Russian detective related to fellow detective Dick Donovan. The last story, "The Clue of the Dead Hand," features detective Peter Brodie who investigates a murder and a simultaneous mysterious disappearance in Scotland at Corbie Hall, "a strange, weird sort of place . [with] an eeriness about it that was calculated to make one shudder." This story belongs as much in the (rationalized) ghost story genre as the detective story. It also involves a case of male impersonation. Glover and Greene, Victorian Detective Fiction 111. Queen, The Detective Short Story, p. 34. Hubin (1994), p. 240. Topp, Victorian Yellowbacks & Paperbacks, 1849-1905 III, p. 253. Boards worn at edges, a very good copy. An uncommon yellowback. (#171208).…

Cloth. Condition: Good. First Edition. 304, 8, 32 pp. Original publisher's cloth with silver lettering & decoration to front cover & spine. Covers marked. Corners and spine ends worn. Patterned endpapers. Publisher's lists at rear. Binding firm. Uncommon. Good condition. 8vo.

Condition: Very Good. First edition hard back binding in publisher's original Oxford blue cloth covered boards, elaborately blocked and lettered silver decoration to the spine and front cover, publisher's green and cream leaf patterned end papers. 8vo. 7½'' x 5¼''. Contains (xvi), 304, 8, 32 pp ads dated May 1897. Ink name verso front free end paper 'S. Gardner - August 1898', minor rubbing across the spine ends and in Very Good bright condition. Member of the P.B.F.A. DETECTIVE | CRIME FICTION.…

Octavo, pp. [1-5] 6 [7] 8-312 + 30-page publisher's catalogue dated "March, 1903" inserted at rear, original pictorial blue cloth, front panel stamped in red, orange, white and black, spine panel stamped in gold, publisher's monogram stamped in blind on rear panel, bottom edge untrimmed. First edition. A historical romance in which a witch's curse appears to be fulfilled. Wilson, Shadows in the Attic, p. 193. Not in Bleiler (1948; 1978) or Reginald (1979; 1992). Cloth worn at spine ends and corner tips, cloth runned along outer joints, a very good copy. (#170612).…

First edition. Octavo, pp. [1-6] 1-304 + 8-page undated publisher's catalogue and 32-page catalogue dated "Feb. 1897" inserted at rear, original decorated dark blue cloth, front and spine panels stamped in silver, all edges untrimmed. Most of the stories are cases of the celebrated Russian detective related to fellow detective Dick Donovan. The last story, "The Clue of the Dead Hand," features detective Peter Brodie who investigates a murder and a simultaneous mysterious disappearance in Scotland at Corbie Hall, "a strange, weird sort of place . [with] an eeriness about it that was calculated to make one shudder." This story belongs as much in the (rationalized) ghost story genre as the detective story. It also involves a case of male impersonation. [Reference: Glover and Greene, Victorian Detective Fiction 111. Queen, The Detective Short Story, p. 34. Hubin (1994), p. 240]. Several small stains to front and rear cover, an attractive, nearly fine copy (28924).…

First Edition. [Crime fiction] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.vi; 345 [1]. With numerous halftone plates throughout, including a frontispiece. Publisher's green cloth, designs and titles in gilt and dark brown to upper board and spine. Top edge gilt. Interior clean but for some light, infrequent spotting - mostly to preliminaries. Endpapers gently toned. Textblock edges spotted. Patch of light discolouration to lower board. Mild edgewear. Very good. A romance based on the life of the fascinating Eugene Vidocq - a criminal who later became a police official. …

First edition. Octavo, pp. [1-4] [1-3] 4-284 + 32 page publisher's catalog dated "July 1888" inserted at rear. original red cloth, front stamped in gray and black, spine stamped in gold and black, rear stamped in black, floral end papers. Collects thirteen "Dick Donovan" stories. The author's first collection of stories. A prolific author he wrote 184 stories featuring Donovan. [Reference: Hubin, p. 240. Queen's Quorum 14. Queen, The Detective Short Story p. 32. Not in Glover and Greene, Victorian Detective Fiction]. Off setting to end papers, front hinge cracked, small embossed bookseller stamp to upper right corner of title page, wear to cloth at corners and spine ends, some bubbling of cloth to front cover, spine tanned, stains to rear cover. A good copy, now housed in a custom tray case. A scarce book. (30721).…

Octavo, pp. [1-8] [1] 2-325 [326: blank] [327: publisher's device] [328: blank] + 32-page catalogue dated "Sept. 1899" inserted at rear, original pictorial burgundy cloth, front panel stamped in tan, white and black, spine panel stamped in gold, fore and bottom edges untrimmed. First edition. "Wonderfully lurid sensational horror stories, in full-blooded manner of Victorian melodrama; story titles such as 'The Corpse Light,' 'The Cave of Blood,' and 'A Night of Horror' say it all." - Robert Knowlton. Ashley, Who's Who in Horror and Fantasy Fiction, p. 68. Barron (ed), Horror Literature 2-70. Sullivan (ed), The Penguin Encyclopedia of Horror and the Supernatural, p. 130. Tymn (ed), Horror Literature 3-66. Wilson, Shadows in the Attic, p. 192. Bleiler (1978), p. 62. Reginald 10482. Large owner's name penciled on the front paste-down, early owner's name and date in ink on title page. Cloth worn at corner tips, spine ends and along outer joints and bottom edges, about a quarter of the rear cover stained with some offset on rear endpapers, the text block is clean, a sound reading copy. (#170955). …

Octavo, pp. [1-8] [1] 2-325 [326: blank] [327: publisher's device] [328: blank] + 32-page catalogue dated "Sept. 1899" inserted at rear, original pictorial burgundy cloth, front panel stamped in tan, white and black, spine panel stamped in gold, fore and bottom edges untrimmed. First edition. "Wonderfully lurid sensational horror stories, in full-blooded manner of Victorian melodrama; story titles such as 'The Corpse Light,' 'The Cave of Blood,' and 'A Night of Horror' say it all." - Robert Knowlton. Ashley, Who's Who in Horror and Fantasy Fiction, p. 68. Barron (ed), Horror Literature 2-70. Sullivan (ed), The Penguin Encyclopedia of Horror and the Supernatural, p. 130. Tymn (ed), Horror Literature 3-66. Wilson, Shadows in the Attic, p. 192. Bleiler (1978), p. 62. Reginald 10482. Bookseller blind stamp (W. H. Smith) at upper corner of front free endpaper. Cloth rubbed at corner tips, spine ends and along outer joints, two small spots on rear cover, offsetting to endpapers, partial hairline crack along upper part of inner front hinge, some moderate foxing, a very good copy of a scarce book. (#134545). …