NIGHT-PIECES: EIGHTEEN TALES. New York, London: D. Appleton-Century Company Incorporated, 1936. Octavo, pp. [1-8] [1-2] 3-309 [310-312: blank] [note: first and last leaves are blanks], original silver cloth, front and spine panels stamped in blue, top edge stained light blue, other edges untrimmed, light blue endpapers. First U.S. edition, first printing with "(1)" at base of text on page 309. Collection of eighteen weird and criminous stories set in shadowy London. Burke's core collection of horror stories, distinctive for their original treatments of familiar themes. Best include doppelganger story "Johnson Looked Back" and zombie story "The Hollow Man." "Excellent stories." - Bleiler, The Guide to Supernatural Fiction 309. Ashley, Who's Who in Horror and Fantasy Fiction, p. 15. Barron (ed), Horror Literature 3-41. Tymn (ed), Horror Literature 4-50. Wilson, Shadows in the Attic, p. 121. Bleiler (1978), p. 35. Reginald 02238. Hubin (1994), p. 119. Queen, The Detective Short Story, p. 15. A fine copy in very good four-color pictorial dust jacket with light wear at head and tail of spine panel, some rubbing and darkening to same, and closed tear along front flap fold discreetly repaired on reverse side. The striking jacket art by Hookway Cowles is done in a surrealistic manner reminiscent of Chagall. A nice copy of an attractive book. (#74755).
Price: $450.00
First printing has "(1)" at base of text on page 309.