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CHRISTIE**, AGATHA: : THE MYSTERY OF THE BLUE TRAIN. [PAN - 284.]

LONDON.PAN BOOKS LTD.,1954.

ISBN No ISBN.

UK,slim 12mo p/back 1st edn thus.[Originally a UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn,published by W. Collins Sons & Co.,(London),1928.] VG.No owner inscprn and no price removal (2/-) to cover.Bright, glossy,vibrant colour pictorial artwork by PEFF, illustrated front cover,with white and dark grey letters,slightly dulled white letters to cherry-red concave spine with reading creases,rear cover with story precis and author's potted biography; with negligible shelf-wear,bumping, creasing to edges and corner - no nicks or tears present.Front cover with indeterminate smudges(?) across it's top 1/3rd,over the titling.Rear,top corner with a crease leaving a concomitant impression of the fold to some of the later pages' top corners,but in diminishing visibility to them.All edges ubiquitously aged/toned - a small water stain to foot of fore-edge - but no foxing; contents tight,text block clear and visible but,inevitable page-edge toning - no intentional dog-ear reading creases to any other pages' corner tips other than from already described corner crease.UK,slim 12mo p/back 1st edn thus,by this publisher,5-188pp [paginated] includes XXXVI(36) chapters; plus [unpaginated] half-title,title page with dedication to reverse,and to the rear,3pp publisher's advert. This appears to be one of his very first commission painting's cover for PAN as,dated 1954,this is the year he went freelance.It also appears to be very SCARCE in this edition as only one internet copy noted so far. One of Christie's early 'Poirot' detective-stories and possibly a thrilling tale that many 'fans' may not have come across before. A famous ruby known as 'Heart of Fire',passes into the possession of a beautiful American woman,Ruth Kettering.Jewels have often,through the course of history,been associated with death and violence,and the 'Heart of Fire' excercises its baneful amd mysterious influence on those who come into contact with it.Ruth Kettering is murdered while travelling across France to the Riviera in the Blue Train.And a quiet English girl,Katherine Grey,who has got into conversation with Mrs Kettering,finds that her conviction that nothing exciting would ever happen to her is suddenly proved false.There is another passenger on the train to whom Katherine had spoken casually - a little man with an egg-shaped head and a fierce moustache.His reply to her remarks is curious and unexpected.And when the train arrives at Nice,Hercule Poirot is called on to unravel a most complicated crime. Samuel John Peffer,known as PEFF,(b. 3rd November,1921 – d. 14th March,2014) was a British commercial artist who designed film posters,and paperback book covers.His best known work was for the covers of the paperback James Bond novels published by PAN BOOKS LTD.,in the 1950s and 1960s,for which he created a consistent and distinctive style.He went freelance around 1954.He was noticed by the Pan Books art buyer,Tony Bowen-Davies,and during the 1950s and 1960s,he painted hundreds of book covers,including from 1957,particularly the Fleming novels 'Casino Royale','Moonraker','From Russia with Love' and 'Dr. No.',all for Pan,as well as many Christie novels. Please contact seller,because of the lighter weight and the value of this item for correct shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas customers - BEFORE ordering through the order page! ** N.B. ALL buyers please note,that p/backs' actual shipping/P+p costs are adjusted and any difference is refunded,after order receipt and before the order's despatch,especially if p/back is offered P+p included/FREE. ** This item offered P+p included. Offer available UK only, unless indicated otherwise. ** ** N.B. US/Canada customers please be aware: Standard AIR postage from UK to these destinations can now cost more than the price of the book! If speed is not of the essence,then Economy rate is recommended - at approx. 1/2 to 2/3rds of standard AIR quote/rate - sometimes arriving long before the quoted 42 days - but not always.

UK,slim 12mo p/back 1st edn thus.
Not SIGNED.

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