The Touch of Death, John Creasey — 1st Edition

£19.95

The Touch of Death, John Creasey — 1st Edition

Name: The Touch of Death, John Creasey — 1st Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 4186-EV-F-VG-4
Price: 19.95 GBP
Availability: InStock

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£19.95

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Publication: London, Hodder and Stoughton, 1954

Formatting: 8vo, pp. 224.

Condition Report: Very Good. Publisher's original cloth binding remains structurally sound with a slight lean to the spine, extremities exhibit minor shelf-wear and rubbing. The red top-edge stain is present but lightly faded. Internally, the text block is generally bright, though there is noticeable spotting and foxing confined primarily to the preliminary leaves, title page, and the text-block edges. The original, unclipped dust wrapper retains vibrant front-panel artwork but shows typical signs of age, including moderate scuffing, edge-wear, and minor chipping to the spine ends and corners. The wrapper is now preserved in a removable, protective clear sleeve.

Catalogue Note: This is a first edition, first impression of the seventeenth instalment in the long-running and highly popular Dr. Palfrey series, which famously intertwined traditional British espionage with apocalyptic science-fiction tropes.

The volume is presented in its original pictorial dust wrapper, featuring striking, uncredited mid-century pulp artwork. First editions of Creasey's earlier Dr. Palfrey novels, especially those retaining original, well-preserved wrappers, have become increasingly scarce on the open market, appealing strongly to collectors of Golden Age crime fiction and vintage mid-century thrillers.

In The Touch of Death, the brilliant Dr. Palfrey and his secretive global intelligence agency, Z5, face a terrifying new threat to international peace. When a sinister organisation discovers a method to weaponise a deadly, untraceable force, Palfrey must race against time to prevent catastrophic worldwide destruction. Blending gripping espionage with chillingly prescient scientific dangers, John Creasey delivers a masterclass in mid-century suspense, cementing Palfrey's legacy as one of the era's most enduring defenders of humanity.

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: 224

Book Publication Year: 1954

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover

Illustrator: Uncredited

Book Series: Dr. Palfrey (Z5 Series)

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.