Diva, Delacorta — 1st English Edition

Publication: London, Allen Lane, 1984.

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

Condition Report: Near Fine. The book presents superbly in its original blue cloth binding, which remains remarkably tight, square, and free from any discernible lean. The boards are immaculate, showcasing unoxidised silver-gilt lettering to the spine that remains exceptionally bright. Internally, the text block is crisp and sound, with clean, bright pages entirely free from foxing, moisture damage, or previous ownership inscriptions. The original dust jacket remains unclipped with the £6.95 net price intact; it displays only trivial edge-wear and faint superficial rubbing to the extremities, retaining its striking, glossy visual appeal without any significant chipping or tears. A highly collectible, exceptionally well-preserved copy.

Catalogue Note: First English Edition, first impression. Originally published in France in 1979 under the pseudonym Delacorta (the pen name of Swiss author Daniel Odier), this edition represents the first UK hardback release by Allen Lane, utilizing the 1983 English translation by Lowell Bair.

The novel gained immense cult status following Jean-Jacques Beineix’s sensational 1981 film adaptation, a production that pioneered the stylish French cinéma du look movement. The dust jacket of this edition notably capitalizes on that cinematic success, featuring striking wrap-around film-tie-in artwork and prominent critical acclaim for both the book and the film.

Copies of this first English printing in such robust, clean condition, completely devoid of institutional stamps or previous owner markings, are becoming increasingly scarce on the open market, making this an excellent acquisition for collectors of modern European crime and cult fiction.

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 humor.