THE BROKEN VASE

First UK edition. Original red cloth with black titles to the spine, in dustwrapper. A very good copy, the binding square and firm with some bumping at the extremities, the cloth slightly faded at the edges. The closed text-block edge is dusty and a little spotted, and there is the very occasional spot to the margins, the contents are otherwise clean throughout and without previous owners' stamps or inscriptions. Complete with the rubbed and nicked, price-clipped dustwrapper which has a couple of short closed tears to the folds, some darkening and spotting to the rear panel and a little rubbing at the extremities. An attractive example of a scarce wartime title.

The third mystery featuring private detective Tecumseh "Tec" Fox, well named because he is shrewd, wise and wily! Set in the same universe as Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe novels. While Fox and Stout never cross paths, both series share some side characters and locations. First published in the US by Farrar and Rinehart the previous year. (Hubin; Curran, John: The Hooded Gunman).