Murder for Pleasure: The Life and Times of the Detective Story, Howard Haycraft

£65.00

Murder for Pleasure: The Life and Times of the Detective Story, Howard Haycraft

Name: Murder for Pleasure: The Life and Times of the Detective Story, Howard Haycraft
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 4573
Price: 65.00 GBP
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Murder for Pleasure: The Life and Times of the Detective Story, Howard Haycraft — First Edition

Publication London, Peter Davies, 1942

Formatting 8vo, pp. xxvii, [i], 347.

Condition Report Very Good. Bound in the publisher's original red cloth, the volume remains structurally firm and square, presenting tight hinges and an unworn text block. The boards exhibit only minor bumping to the extremities and slight fading at the spine tips corresponding to areas of minor loss on the dust jacket. Internally, the book is highly commendable; the pages are bright, crisp, and entirely free of previous ownership inscriptions, with any negligible toning strictly confined to the extreme page margins and preliminary leaves. The scarce original dust jacket is unclipped, retaining the original '10s 6d net' price on the front flap. It shows moderate edge-wear, minor chipping to the head and tail of the spine, and some general age-toning to the spine and rear panel, yet it remains largely complete and highly presentable for a wartime production.

Catalogue Note This is the scarce First UK Edition of Howard Haycraft’s seminal study, published a year after the American true first. It features a specially contributed introduction by Nicholas Blake (the pseudonym of Poet Laureate Cecil Day-Lewis) and includes a photographic frontispiece alongside other illustrations.

Wartime paper shortages and strict production standards meant that survival of this 1942 edition in its original dust jacket is increasingly uncommon on the open market. Loosely inserted into this copy is a fascinating vintage newspaper clipping from November 1977, an article titled “Why Mousetrap catches us all” by Christopher Booker, offering a charming piece of associative ephemera for the crime fiction enthusiast.

Murder for Pleasure stands as a monumental and erudite early study of the detective story, tracing the genre's evolution from Edgar Allan Poe up to the modern masters of the golden age. This comprehensive work explores the psychology, history, and structural rules of detective fiction, asserting its significance as a defining literary phenomenon of democratic societies. It remains an essential and highly readable reference for any dedicated aficionado of classic crime literature.

Book Condition: Very Good

Book Authors: Howard Haycraft

Book Publisher: Peter Davies

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Non-Fiction

Genre: Criticism & Essays

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 347

Book Publication Year: 1942

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.