Invitation to Death, Captain A. O. Pollard — 1st Edition

£50.00

Invitation to Death, Captain A. O. Pollard — 1st Edition

Name: Invitation to Death, Captain A. O. Pollard — 1st Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 6364
Price: 50.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Publication: London, Hutchinson & Co. (Publishers), Ltd., [1944].

Formatting: 8vo.

Condition Report: Very Good. The book is tightly bound in its original bright orange cloth, featuring crisp black lettering to the spine and the lower right corner of the front board. The binding remains firm, showing only minor bumping to the spine extremities and corners, alongside a slight lean to the text block. The boards are otherwise clean and free from significant shelf-wear. Internally, the pages exhibit the characteristic, uniform age-toning entirely expected of the 'War Economy Standard' paper, yet they remain bright, clean, and free from heavy blemishes or markings. The striking original dust jacket has survived remarkably well; its colours are vibrant, and the illustrated front panel remains highly presentable. The jacket exhibits some light edge-wear, minor creasing to the extremities, and light rubbing, but stands as an exceptionally attractive example.

Catalogue Note: First edition. A scarce wartime survival, this copy is particularly notable for retaining its striking original illustrated dust jacket. The volume bears the 'Book Production War Economy Standard' emblem on the copyright page, an authentic reflection of the material constraints imposed upon British publishing during the Second World War.

The dust jacket’s front panel incorporates the printed text, "Full length novel on thin war economy paper". This serves as both a fascinating historical artefact and a clever marketing tool of the era.

Complete, jacketed copies of Captain A. O. Pollard’s espionage thrillers from this period have become increasingly uncommon on the open market, making this an appealing acquisition for collectors of mid-century crime and wartime fiction.

Set against the tense, espionage-laden backdrop of wartime Lisbon, Invitation to Death follows the perilous escapades of Bill Summers and Ernest Prichard. As they navigate a shadowy world of cabaret shows teeming with international spies and covert operatives, the two men find themselves rapidly entangled in a deadly game of subterfuge. Written by Captain A. O. Pollard, a decorated Victoria Cross recipient—the novel infuses authentic atmosphere and unrelenting suspense into a quintessential mid-century spy thriller.

Book Condition: Very Good

Book Authors: Captain A. O. Pollard

Book Publisher: Hutchinson & Co. (Publishers), Ltd.

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Fiction

Genre: Thriller & Suspense

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages:

Book Publication Year: 1944

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover

Illustrator: N/A

Book Series: N/A

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.