A KISS BEFORE DYING

First UK edition, first printing. Publisher's original black cloth with titles in white and red to the spine, in the Dennis Beytagh illustrated dustwrapper. A near fine copy, the binding square and firm, the cloth bright and fresh, with some bumping to the head of the spine. The contents, with light offsetting and just a little spotting to the front free endpaper, are otherwise clean throughout and without inscriptions or stamps. The closed text block edge is a little toned. Complete with the lightly rubbed, nicked and toned dustwrapper, that has a small chip at the top of the rear flap fold. Not price-clipped (10s 6d net to the lower front flap). An attractive example.

The author's debut which won the 1954 Edgar Award for Best First Novel. The basis for several film adaptations, the first in 1956 directed by Gerd Oswald, starring Robert Wagner, Jeffrey Hunter, Virginia Leith, Mary Astor and Joanne Woodward; again in 1991 directed by James Dearden, starring Matt Dillon, Sean Young, Max von Sydow, and Diane Ladd. (Hubin).