By Agatha Christie
London   John Lane, The Bodley Head
8" by 5.5" [4], 9-296pp
A smart first edition of Agatha Christie's very scarce first published novel. A thrilling work in featuring the first appearance of Christie's much loved Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot.
By Agatha Christie

1921 The Mysterious Affair at Styles

London   John Lane, The Bodley Head
8" by 5.5" [4], 9-296pp
A smart first edition of Agatha Christie's very scarce first published novel. A thrilling work in featuring the first appearance of Christie's much loved Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot.
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: 0.5kgs / : 813F35

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Description

An Important Work, First Edition, Publishers' Original Binding, Very Scarce

The first UK edition, first impression, of Agatha Christie's first published novel, marking the first appearance of iconic detective Hercule Poirot. In the bright publisher's original cloth binding.

Lacking the title page, half title, and front free endpaper.

Written in 1916 during the First World War, and first published in 1920 by John Lane in New York in September 1920, with this very scarce first UK edition published in London in January 1921.

With the image of a fragment of the will to page 67, a map of the house to page 42, a plan of Mrs Inglethorp's Bedroom to page 60, and a facsimile of a document to page 83.

Upon initial publication, this work received enthusiastic reviews, with 'The Times Literary Supplement' stating 'The only fault this story has is that it is almost too ingenious'.

The work marked the start of Christie's illustrious crime fiction career, contributing to her becoming one of the leading authors of the Golden Age of Detective Fiction.

Condition

In the publisher's original pictorial cloth binding. Externally, exceptionally bright. Shelf wear to back strip head and tail, with light rubbing to the cloth of the front joint, resulting in a touch of fraying to the cloth. Front hinge starting, with board a touch tender. Lacking front free endpaper, half title, and title page. Internally, firmly bound. Pages bright, with only one or two light spots. Marks to tails of pages 100-101 and 154-155.

Very Good

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