THE LODGER

First American edition in book form, first printing. Publisher's original red cloth with gilt titles to the upper board and spine, in dustwrapper. A near fine copy, the binding square and firm, the cloth and gilt bright and fresh with just a tiny nick to the cloth at the upper spine. The contents, with a gift inscription dated 'June 12th 1914' to the front endpaper, are otherwise clean throughout. The closed text block edge is a little dusty. Complete with the rare original dustwrapper which is rubbed and nicked to the edges with several short closed tears, some associated creasing and a large chip with loss of the title at the head of the spine. Not price-clipped ($1.25 net to the spine).

The author's best known work, a fictional account of Jack the Ripper's reign of terror in the East End of London's Whitechapel in 1888. First published as a short story in the January 1911 issue of the American illustrated monthly periodical 'McClure's Magazine', and later expanded for publication in serialised form in 'The Daily Telegraph' newspaper in 1913. The first edition of the complete novel in book form was published later the same year in London by Methuen and early the following year in America by Scribners. The subject of multiple adaptations for film, television and radio, notably 'The Lodger' was Alfred Hitchcock's first publicly released film in 1926. Considered both the first and the best fictional adaptation of the Jack the Ripper story, it is a Haycraft-Queen Cornerstone. This is only the second copy we have seen in dustwrapper. (Hubin; Haycraft, Howard: Murder for Pleasure).