Seven for a Secret, Mary Webb

Name: Seven for a Secret, Mary Webb
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 6889
Price: 20.70 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Publication: London, Jonathan Cape, 1932

Formatting: 8vo, pp. 253.

Condition Report: Very Good. The original green cloth binding remains bright and well-preserved beneath a clear protective sleeve, showing only minor shelf-wear and light bumping to the spine extremities. The gilt lettering and ornate blind-stamped central motif on the front board remain sharp, striking, and unoxidised. Internally, the binding is tight, square, and structurally sound. The text block is predominantly clean, exhibiting the standard mild age-toning expected of 1930s paper stock alongside occasional light spotting to the preliminaries. The top edge retains a hint of its original uniform stain but is slightly dust-dulled.

Catalogue Note: This is the First Illustrated Edition of Webb's classic work, originally published unillustrated a decade prior, with this specific edition issued in September 1932. It features four evocative colour plates by the acclaimed English portraitist and illustrator Norman Hepple, alongside an introduction by the essayist Robert Lynd.

Bound in the uniform green cloth style typical of Webb's collected works from this era, this specific printing is uncommon to find with such well-preserved gilt tooling, as the boards of this edition frequently suffer from heavy fading and handling wear over time.

Set against the sweeping, atmospheric landscape of the Welsh borders, Seven for a Secret is a masterful tale of rural life, ambition, and untamed romance. The narrative follows Gillian Lovekin, an ambitious farmer's daughter who remains blind to her own affection for her father's devoted cowman-shepherd, Robert Rideout. When a mysterious "man without a past" arrives on the moors, Gillian is drawn into a tumultuous web of desire and betrayal. Told with Webb's characteristic lyrical intensity, the novel vividly captures the profound and often dark entanglements between human nature and the wild earth.

Book Condition: Very Good

Book Authors: Mary Webb

Book Publisher: Jonathan Cape

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Fiction

Genre: Classic Fiction

Book edition:

Signed: No

Book Pages: 253

Book Publication Year: 1932

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover

Illustrator: Norman Hepple

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.