Diva, Delacorta — 1st English Edition

Name: Diva, Delacorta — 1st English Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 4653
Price: 60.50 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Publication: London, Allen Lane, 1984.

Formatting: 8vo, pp. [viii], 128.

Condition Report: Very Good in a Good+ dust-jacket. The blue publisher's boards remain exceptionally bright with sharp corners and unoxidised gilt lettering to the spine, though there is a gentle forward lean to the text block. As is endemic to UK trade publications of this period, the paper stock is heavily and uniformly toned, though the pages themselves remain entirely unmarked, crisp, and supple. The unclipped dust-jacket (£6.95 net) features the iconic trompe l'œil film artwork but suffers from moderate shelf-wear, most notably a strip of historic, yellowed tape applied to a closed tear at the top edge of the front panel. There is further typical tanning to the jacket margins and spine panel, with light rubbing and minor spotting to the rear panel's extremities, but it remains a highly presentable example of a fragile wrapper.

Catalogue Note: First UK Edition, First Printing. First published in France in 1979, and subsequently in the US in 1983, this 1984 Allen Lane publication marks the first British appearance of Daniel Odier's cult thriller, written under his pseudonym Delacorta.

The dust-jacket cleverly utilises the poster artwork from Jean-Jacques Beineix's sensational 1981 cinéma du look film adaptation, complete with promotional blurbs for 'The Film' on the rear panel. While later paperbacks of Odier's Alba and Gorodish series are ubiquitous, the UK hardback first editions of Diva are notoriously difficult to source on the open market, as a significant portion of the relatively low print run was absorbed directly into the British library system.

Set in the neon-lit, punk-infused underground of 1980s Paris, Diva is a rollicking, stylish thriller that defies the conventions of the traditional roman policier. The narrative weaves a tangled web of obsession and extortion, following a young messenger boy deeply infatuated with an internationally acclaimed opera soprano who adamantly refuses to have her voice recorded. When he inadvertently comes into possession of two stolen cassette tapes, one a secret recording of her singing, the other exposing the corrupt chief of the Paris vice squad, he is plunged into a deadly game of cat-and-mouse. Populated by a bizarre cast of characters, including a Japanese record executive, a Parisian drugs kingpin, and the inimitable, zen-like bohemian duo Gorodish and Alba, Diva is a fast-paced, ingenious adventure full of double-crosses, cunning reversals, and dark humour.

ISBN: 0713916656

Book Condition: Near Fine

Book Authors: Delacorta

Book Publisher: Allen Lane

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Fiction

Genre: Crime & Mystery

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 143

Book Publication Year: 1984

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Cloth

Illustrator: N/A

Book Series: Gorodish and Alba

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.