{"product_id":"the-girl-in-a-swing-richard-adams-1st-edition","title":"The Girl in a Swing, Richard Adams — 1st Edition","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublication:\u003c\/b\u003e London, Allen Lane, 1980.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormatting:\u003c\/b\u003e 8vo, pp. 397.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition Report:\u003c\/b\u003e Fine. This copy presents in exceptional, investment-grade condition, appearing unread and meticulously stored since publication. The original dark green cloth binding is remarkably crisp, tight, and perfectly square, showing absolutely no evidence of shelf-wear, rubbing, or bumping to the extremities. The gilt floral tooling and lettering to the spine remain vivid and entirely unoxidised. Internally, the text block is pristine; the pages are bright, crisp, and completely free of foxing, spotting, or any previous ownership inscriptions. The original dust jacket is equally impressive, remaining bright, clean, and entirely whole without any chipping, tears, or creasing. Crucially, the jacket remains unclipped, retaining the original pricing on the front flap, making this an immaculate survivor of a fragile production.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCatalogue Note:\u003c\/b\u003e This is a scarce and highly desirable suppressed first state of the first edition. Shortly after publication, the publisher withdrew the first printing and amended the text, replacing the primary character's name, 'Käthe Gutner', with 'Karin Foster' in all subsequent issues.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe dust jacket flap on this specific copy firmly establishes its first-state pedigree by explicitly retaining the original 'Käthe' references in the printed synopsis. Finding a true first state that escaped the publisher's recall is uncommon, but locating one in such immaculate, well-preserved condition is genuinely scarce on the open market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book features a printed dedication to Rosamond alongside a Greek epigraph. There are no binders' stamps, bookplates, or previous ownership signatures, ensuring the volume retains its original, untouched character.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eThe Girl in a Swing\u003c\/i\u003e, Richard Adams departs from the anthropomorphic realms of his earlier masterpieces to weave a deeply unsettling tale of psychological suspense and supernatural dread. The story follows Alan Desland, a mild-mannered English ceramics dealer whose life is upended when he impulsively marries the beautiful, enigmatic Käthe. As they settle into domesticity, their intense, overwhelming passion is increasingly overshadowed by a series of inexplicable and terrifying occurrences. Anchored by the discovery of a rare porcelain figurine, the narrative plunges into a haunting exploration of obsession, hidden pasts, and the inescapable consequences of buried secrets.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Broadhursts Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54595338010963,"sku":"5101","price":149.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0960\/1469\/6787\/files\/20260811_115154.jpg?v=1786793582","url":"https:\/\/broadhurstsbooks.com\/products\/the-girl-in-a-swing-richard-adams-1st-edition","provider":"Broadhursts Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}