Devil at Your Elbow, D. M. Devine — 1st Edition

£45.00

Devil at Your Elbow, D. M. Devine — 1st Edition

Name: Devil at Your Elbow, D. M. Devine — 1st Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 4770
Price: 45.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Publication: London, Collins (The Crime Club), 1966

Formatting: 8vo, pp. 224.

Condition Report: Ex-Library (Good). Despite its institutional history, this book remains a highly respectable and structurally sound reading copy. The publisher's original red cloth boards are firm, showing minor handling wear and gentle softening to the spine extremities, while avoiding major bumps. The binding remains tight and square, free of the excessive looseness often associated with library circulation. The text block is robust, featuring a red-dyed top edge, with only mild age-toning and faint spotting to the fore-edge. The book's primary faults are internal, most notably the 'Durham County Library' stamp to the title page and evidence of institutional handling on the preliminary pages. Crucially, the original unclipped dust jacket has survived in remarkable shape under a clear protective sleeve; it remains bright with strong, un-faded lettering, exhibiting only light shelf-wear and minor grubbiness to the white rear panel. It entirely bypasses the severe spine-fading, edge-chipping, and heavy label scarring typical of ex-institutional jackets.

Catalogue Note: This First Edition of Devine’s acclaimed whodunit remains exceptionally well-preserved for a circulating copy. While mid-century crime titles frequently surface in the trade, early first printings by Devine have grown increasingly scarce on the open market, as his tightly plotted, academically rooted mysteries have cultivated a dedicated collector base. Finding an institutional copy that retains such a bright and complete dust jacket, especially one that has avoided the heavy trimming or severe paper loss common to public library stock, makes this a highly desirable placeholder or robust reading copy for the vintage crime enthusiast.

When a ruthless campaign is launched to oust the abrasive Dr. Haxton from his position at Hardgate University, petty academic politics rapidly escalate into a matter of life and death. Accused of embezzling summer school funds, Haxton goes on the offensive, threatening to unearth a hushed-up scandal involving a student's tragic death years prior. The toxic atmosphere soon reaches a boiling point, culminating in a shocking murder that rattles the entire faculty. Weaving the insular traditions of modern university life with masterful suspense, Devine delivers a classic detective story that builds to a wholly fair yet stunning revelation.

Book Condition: Good

Book Authors: D. M. Devine

Book Publisher: Collins (The Crime Club)

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Fiction

Genre: Crime & Mystery

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 224

Book Publication Year: 1966

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover

Illustrator: N/A

Book Series: The Crime Club

Country/region of manufacture: London, United Kingdom

Book Dimensions:

Book Condition Guide

We stock thousands of books in a wide range of conditions. To make things clear and to help you know exactly what to expect, Please refer to these condition categories to understand the condition of the book you will receive.

Condition	Description
New	A brand-new, unread and professionally handled book. Carefully preserved from publication to purchase, these books are offered in the best attainable condition. This grade applies to recently published titles that have not entered long-term storage.
As New	The book is in pristine, original condition as if just published. No signs of use or handling. The dust jacket (if present) is equally flawless. This grade applies to any book that has remained untouched in storage for years.
Fine	The book is close to As New. It remains bright and attractive, but could show minor imperfections to the boards and/or dust jacket (if present). Its pages are typically clean and unmarked.
Near Fine	The book has a number of small flaws, i.e. slight rubbing to the edges, or tiny chips or creases to the dust jacket (if present). Its pages may have faint marks, or creases that are barely perceptible — nothing that detracts from their overall condition.
Very Good	The book maintains its structural integrity, and has no major flaws such as tears to its binding or pages. It may, however, show signs of careful use, handling, or storage — small marks and creases, light foxing. Its dust jacket (if present) remains fully intact, but small tears may be present.
Good	A book that remains intact and readable with complete text pages, but shows moderate signs of wear and use to both the book and dust jacket (if present). It may have noticeable creases, nicks, or stains, and the spine likely shows fading, bumping, and rubbing. There could be writing, underlining, and other marks on some pages, though the majority will be clean and tidy.
Fair	A book with significant wear or damage. The text pages will be complete, but there may be heavy underlining, highlighting and staining throughout, and the book’s endpapers, half-title, and copyright pages could be damaged or missing. The binding could be loose, and the dust jacket (if present) may have notable scuffs or tears. These copies are usually of interest for content, signature(s) or scarcity.
Poor	A heavily worn book whose value lies in its complete and legible text. A poor book will have substantial defects — loose joints or hinges, detached covers, loose and/or missing pages, and could be heavily soiled. A poor book is also known as a reading copy, and although compromised, can hold historical or bibliographic significance.