A RIGHT TO DIE. A Nero Wolfe Novel.

First edition, first printing. Signed by the author. Inscribed presentation copy. Publisher's original quarter blue cloth and sky blue paper-covered boards, with dark blue titles to the upper board and spine, in the Bill English designed dustwrapper. Top edge dark blue. With one black and white illustration. An excellent near fine copy, the binding square and firm, lightly rubbed to the extremities, with a little bumping and slight fading to the extreme spine tips. The contents are clean throughout, and without previous owner's inscriptions or stamps. Complete with the very good or better, rubbed, nicked and creased dustwrapper, which has a single closed tear with associated creasing to the upper corner of the lightly faded spine. Not price-clipped ($3.50 to the upper front flap).

Inscribed by the author in blue ink on the front endpaper "10.28.64 / To / Nick and Peggy - / with love - / Rex". The recipients are Hungarian-born American photographer and former Olympic fencer, Nickolas Muray (1892-1965) and his fourth wife Margaret (Peggy) Schwab, an amateur pilot. Hailed as one of the greatest fencers in American history and the master of the three-colour carbon print in commercial photography, Muray's professional successes, while highly impressive, have been somewhat eclipsed in the public eye by his prolific ten-year love affair and enduring friendship with Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. His colour photographs of Kahlo remain the most iconic and recognisable images of the artist, second only to her painted self-portraits. The twenty-seventh Nero Wolfe novel. Published 22 October 1964. The UK first edition, published by Collins, The Crime Club, followed in April 1965. (Hubin).