{"product_id":"the-case-of-the-deadly-toy-erle-stanley-gardner-1st-edition","title":"The Case of the Deadly Toy, Erle Stanley Gardner — 1st Edition","description":"\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublication:\u003c\/strong\u003e London, Heinemann, 1964\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFormatting\u003c\/strong\u003e: 8vo, pp. [vi], 224.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"2\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition Report\u003c\/strong\u003e: Very Good. The original black publisher's cloth binding remains exceptionally tight and square, presenting sharp corners and brilliant, unoxidised gilt lettering to the spine that is completely free of rubbing or fading. The text block is firm and structurally sound, exhibiting only the light, uniform age-toning to the page edges that is entirely characteristic of mid-century paper stock. Internally, the leaves are crisp and clean, lacking any foxing, dampstaining, or obtrusive wear. The original, unclipped dust jacket is similarly well-preserved, boasting vibrant, striking colours on the front panel and a bright spine that has avoided the sun-fading so common to this era. The jacket shows only trivial surface rubbing and very faint creasing along the top edge, now presenting beautifully within a protective clear sleeve.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"3\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCatalogue Note\u003c\/strong\u003e: First UK Edition. A classic entry in the renowned Perry Mason mystery series by Erle Stanley Gardner, \u003ci data-path-to-node=\"3\" data-index-in-node=\"118\"\u003eThe Case of the Deadly Toy\u003c\/i\u003e originally debuted in the United States in 1959 via William Morrow before making its British premier with Heinemann in 1964.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"4\"\u003eThis true first UK printing distinguishes itself with its striking, graphic dust jacket, a bold mid-century composition featuring a revolver and bullets on a vivid red background, which marked a stylistic departure from the photographic covers utilised by contemporary book clubs. While Gardner's prolific output ensured high initial print runs, locating a true Heinemann first edition in such an unsunned, well-preserved dust jacket has become increasingly difficult on the open market, making this an attractive acquisition for collectors of Golden Age detective fiction.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"5\"\u003eWhen seven-year-old Robert Selkirk becomes the unwitting pawn in a vicious custody battle between his wealthy, controlling father and his desperate mother, Norda Allison, tensions reach a boiling point. The stakes turn lethal when the boy's seemingly harmless toy gun is swapped for a genuine, deadly .22 calibre revolver, culminating in a chilling murder. Legendary defence attorney Perry Mason is thrust into a labyrinth of deceit, blackmail, and tightly guarded family secrets. With his client seemingly caught red-handed and the District Attorney eager for a conviction, Mason must employ all of his courtroom brilliance to unravel the conspiracy and expose the true killer before the gavel falls.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Broadhursts Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54353556472147,"sku":"4661","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0960\/1469\/6787\/files\/20260717_180853.jpg?v=1784542373","url":"https:\/\/broadhurstsbooks.com\/products\/the-case-of-the-deadly-toy-erle-stanley-gardner-1st-edition","provider":"Broadhursts Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}