The Drought, John Creasey — 1st Edition

Name: The Drought, John Creasey — 1st Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 4672
Price: 19.99 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Publication: London, Hodder & Stoughton, 1959

Formatting: 8vo, pp. 191.

Condition Report: Very Good. The original red cloth boards remain surprisingly bright and sharp, with unoxidised gilt lettering to the spine and no notable bumping to the corners. The binding is firm and tight, holding the text block squarely. Internally, the pages are crisp and generally clean, displaying only minor age-toning typical of the paper stock. As is common with Boots Booklovers Library copies, there is a shield stamp affixed to the front pastedown, alongside a faint corresponding stamp to the front flap. The original, unclipped dust jacket exhibits some mild edge-wear, a few short closed tears, and light rubbing to the extremities, along with the characteristic library punch-hole to the front flap, yet it remains vibrant and highly presentable.

Catalogue Note: A true first edition of John Creasey's twenty-first Dr. Palfrey thriller. This copy bears the unmistakable provenance of the Boots Booklovers Library, complete with the Manchester branch shield stamp and the tell-tale punch-hole on the unclipped dust jacket flap, a fascinating piece of mid-century circulating library history.

While Creasey's works were printed in significant numbers, surviving UK first editions in their original dust jackets have become increasingly uncommon on the open market, particularly those that retain such vivid cover art without heavy sunning to the spine.

As the world bakes under an unprecedented, unrelenting heatwave, the rivers run dry, the crops fail, and humanity teeters on the brink of chaotic desperation. When it becomes clear that this catastrophic drought is no natural phenomenon but a deliberately engineered weapon of global extortion, Dr. Palfrey and his secretive Z5 organisation are called into action. Racing against time and a soaring death toll, Palfrey must unearth the masterminds behind the vaporisation of the world's water supply before the entire planet is scorched into a barren wasteland.

Book Condition: Very Good

Book Authors: John Creasey

Book Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Fiction

Genre: Crime & Mystery

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 191

Book Publication Year: 1959

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover

Illustrator: N/A

Book Series: Dr. Palfrey

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.