THE SECOND CONFESSION. A Nero Wolfe Novel.

First edition, first printing. Signed by the author. Inscribed by the author to his agent. Publisher's original blue cloth with green titles to the upper board and spine, in the Bill English designed dustwrapper. Top edge yellow. An excellent near fine copy, the binding square and firm, with a little mottling to the lower board, and some bumping to the spine tips and extremities. The contents, with just a hint of spotting to the closed text block, are otherwise clean throughout and without previous owners' inscriptions or stamps. Complete with the very good, rubbed, nicked and creased dustwrapper, that has a tiny chip at the head of the lightly faded spine and a touch of spotting to the underside. Not price-clipped ($2.50 to the upper front flap).

Inscribed by the author three weeks before publication in blue ink on the front endpaper "8.17.49 / For Ed / For whom my affection is / steadfast - with or without / a contract - / Rex". The recipient is Edwin Fadiman, who represented Stout's radio, screen and television interests. At the time of publication, Fadiman was in the process of producing a new 'Wolfe' radio drama series, 'The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe' (1950-1), directed by J. Donald Wilson and written by Hugo Award-winning science fiction author Alfred Bester. An earlier series 'The Adventures of Nero Wolfe' (1943-4) had ended after its second run, as a result of differences between Fadiman and producer Himan 'Hi' Brown. As per his wishes, Stout had not been consulted on the scripts, and is said to have avoided listening to Brown's series and 'wincing' at the plots, despite approving of the actors. According to Stout's official biographer John J. McAleer, the focus of Fadiman's new series centred on the characterisations instead of the plots, in keeping with the books. 'The New Aventures' spanned 26 episodes and has since been credited as the series most responsible for popularising Nero Wolfe on the radio, with its success largely attributed to the acting strength of 'Wolfe' voice actor Sydney Greenstreet, who Stout himself considered a "splendid choice" for the role. Radio is featured in the novel through the character of Paul Emerson, a controversial conservative radio commentator with a weekly broadcast, who uses his platform to ridicule Wolfe and his investigation until his employer ends his contract, forcing him off-air for good. The second of three Nero Wolfe novels that feature crime boss Arnold Zeck. [McAleer, John: Rex Stout, A Biography (1977)].