Twelve Chinks and a Woman, James Hadley Chase — 1st Edition

£139.99

Twelve Chinks and a Woman, James Hadley Chase — 1st Edition

Name: Twelve Chinks and a Woman, James Hadley Chase — 1st Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 4097-RM-F-VG-4
Price: 139.99 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Publication: London, Jarrold's Publishers, London Ltd., 1940

Formatting: 8vo, pp. [iv], 191.

Condition Report: Good. Original orange cloth binding remains sound and securely attached to the text block, though it exhibits significant aesthetic wear. Most notably, the front board and spine display liquid staining alongside heavy sun-fading, with moderate rubbing to the extremities. The text block edges show moderate tanning and minor foxing typical of economy wartime paper stocks.Internally, the pages present well; the title page and immediate preliminary leaves are relatively bright with only faint scattered spotting, and the binding remains firm. The volume is currently housed in a clear protective mylar wrapper.

Catalogue Note: First Edition of James Hadley Chase's hardboiled noir classic, Twelve Chinks and a Woman, originally published in August 1940. The copyright page is notably free of any secondary printing notes or "thousands" statements common to later Jarrolds reprints of this era, solidifying its status as an original early issue.

The novel is highly notable for its numerous title revisions in later years, appearing subsequently as Twelve Chinamen and a Woman and The Doll's Bad News. Furthermore, the text was heavily revised in later decades to suit changing sensibilities and tone down the violence. As such, securing the unexpurgated, original text in a true early edition is increasingly uncommon on the open market, appealing greatly to collectors of golden-age pulp and British interpretations of American hardboiled crime fiction.

Private Investigator Dave Fenner, the same hardened sleuth from Chase’s controversial debut No Orchids for Miss Blandish, returns for another violent, fast-paced case. When the beautiful Marian Daley strides into Fenner's office, flashes a $6,000 retainer, and reveals the terrifying bruises on her back, Fenner is drawn into a high-stakes hunt for her missing sister who has fallen in with bad company in Florida. The investigation soon entangles Fenner with a dangerous smuggling ring, a planted corpse, and a mounting body count. Razor-sharp, relentlessly paced, and soaked in cynical wit, it is a quintessential James Hadley Chase thriller.

Book Condition: Very Good

Book Authors: James Hadley Chase

Book Publisher: Jarrolds Publishers

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Fiction

Genre: Crime & Mystery

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 140

Book Publication Year: 1940

Book Publication Date: August 1, 1940

Book Binding: Cloth

Illustrator: N/A

Book Series: Dave Fenner 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.