FORGOTTEN MYSTERY WRITERSFrom time to time, we’d like to offer books by writers who once enjoyed great popularity but who mostly have seen time pass them by. They wrote detective novels of the old-fashioned sort, focusing on stories in which the solving of a puzzle was paramount, in the days before the emphasis shifted from whodunit to whydunit. The levels of violence, overt sexuality and strong language are minimal. The lists of books that will follow in the coming weeks are reasonably priced hardcovers aimed primarily at readers, though there will be occasional collectors’ items as well.
LEE THAYER
Born Emma Reddington Lee (1874-1973), Mrs. Thayer was a well-known American artist who designed book bindings, dust jackets and whose earliest paintings were on view at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. She wrote 60 mystery novels between 1919 and 1966, all but one of which featured red-headed detective Peter Clancy and his snobbish valet, Wiggar. Five of her novels are "locked room" mysteries.
A Hair’s Breadth, NY, Dodd, 1946. Poor in jacket. $7.50
A Man’s Enemies, NY, Dodd, 1937. First edition. Fine in heavily chipped dust jacket. $20.00
A Man’s Enemies, NY, Dodd, 1937. First edition. Near fine in boards. Sticker residue on front endpaper which is also clipped at the top right corner. $15.00
Accessory After the Fact, NY, Dodd, 1943. First edition. Fair in jacket. $10.00
Accident, Manslaughter or Murder, NY, Dodd, 1945. First edition. About fine in boards with some minor darkening to spine and rubbing to cloth on back cover. $15.00
Alias Dr. Ely, Garden City, Doubleday, 1937. First edition. About fine in boards with some general, light soiling to cloth. $15.00
Blood on the Knight, NY, Dodd, 1952. First edition. Fair in jacket. $12.50
Counterfeit, N.Y., Burt, 1933. Reprint. Fine in dust jacket with tiny chips at corners. $20.00
Dark of the Moon, NY, Blue Ribbon, 1936. Ex-library. General rubbing to cloth. $8.50
Dark of the Moon, NY, Blue Ribbon, 1936. Fine in fine dust jacket. $20.00
Dead End Street, NY, Burt, 1936. Very good in boards with some fraying to top of spine and spotting to rear cloth. $10.00
Dead End Street, NY, Dodd, 1936. First edition. Very good in boards. $12.50
Dead Men’s Shoes, NY, Burt, 1929. Fine in near fine dust jacket. $15.00
Dead Men’s Shoes, NY, Sears, 1929. Very good in boards. $12.50
Dead on Arrival, NY, Dodd, 1960. First edition. Else fine in about fine dust jacket. Foxed square and inked owner’s signature on front endpaper. Small, closed tear at top edge of back panel, dj spine lightly faded. $22.50
Dead Storage, NY, Dodd, 1935. Poor in jacket. $8.50
Do Not Disturbm N.Y., Dodd, 1951. First edition. Fine in dust jacket with two tiny chips at top of spine. Scarce in collectable condition. $45.00
Do Not Disturb, NY, Dodd, 1951. First edition. About fine in very good jacket. $15.00
Guilt Edged, NY, Dodd, 1951. First edition. About fine in near fine dust jacket, with chips to top and bottom of dj spine. $20.00
Guilt Edged, NY, Dodd, 1951. First edition. About fine in very good dust jacket. Some light fraying to boards and multiple chips to dj extremities. $20.00
Guilt is Where You Find It, N.Y., Dodd, 1957. First edition. Very fine in dust jacket, which has a couple of small creases and minor internal tape repair. $35.00
Guilt is Where You Find It, NY, Dodd, 1957. About fine in very good dust jacket. Rubbing to spine ends corresponding to jacket, hint of foxing and bookseller stamp to endpapers. $17.00
Guilt is Where You Find It, NY, Dodd, 1957. Fair copy in dust jacket. $10.00
Hanging’s Too Good, NY, Dodd, 1953. First edition. Very good in very good jacket. Glue residue to endpapers and cloth. Chips to dj spine ends and wear to edges. $15.00
Hell-Gate Tides, NY, Sears, 1933. First edition. Fair in boards. $12.50
Last Trump, N.Y., Burt, 1937. Reprint. Near fine. $15.00
Lightning Strikes Twice, N.Y., Dodd, 1939. First edition. About fine. $20.00
Murder is Out, NY, Dodd, 1942. First edition. About fine in boards. $20.00
Murder on Location, NY, Dodd, 1942. First edition. Fair in poor jacket. $12.50
Murder on Location, NY, Dodd, 1942. First edition. Some minor rubbing to dj spine ends, else fine in fine dust jacket. A sharp copy. $45.00
Murder on Location, NY, Dodd, 1942. First edition. Very good in boards. Some fraying to extremities, boards starting to separate from binding. $15.00
Persons Unknown, NY, Dodd, 1941. First edition. Very good in boards. $12.50
Pig in a Poke, N.Y., Dodd, 1948. First edition. Fine in lightly chipped dust jacket. $25.00
Poison, N.Y., Doubleday, 1926. First edition. Near fine, solid copy. $20.00
Ransom Racket, NY, Dodd, 1938. First edition. Poor in jacket. $12.50
Set a Thief, NY, Sears, 1931. First edition. Fair in boards. $10.00
Stark Murder, NY, Dodd, 1939. Fair in fair jacket. Tape marks on cloth, sticker remains on rear endpaper. Plastic cover glued to jacket. $10.00
Sudden Death, N.Y., Dodd, 1935. First edition. Very good. $15.00
Sudden Death, NY, Dodd, 1935. First edition. Fair copy in dust jacket. $12.50
That Affair at "The Cedars," Garden City, Doubleday, 1921. First edition. About fine in boards. $20.00
That Strange Sylvester Affair, NY, Dodd, 1938. First edition. Poor in jacket. $12.50
The Glass Knife, NY, Sears, 1932. Second printing. Fair in boards. "Locked room." $12.50
The Glass Knife, NY, Sears, 1932. Third printing. Fine in near fine dust jacket. Small chips to bottom of front panel, some general rubbing to extremities. "Locked room." $15.00
The Key, N.Y., Burt, 1924. Reprint. Very fine in a dazzling dust jacket with one chip on rear panel. "Locked room." $25.00
The Mystery of the 13th Floor, NY, Burt, 1919. "Locked room."Very good copy in jacket. $20.00
The Prisoner Pleads "Not Guilty," NY, Dodd, 1953. First edition. Very good in jacket. $15.00
The Prisoner Please "Not Guilty," NY, Dodd, 1953. First edition. About fine in near fine dust jacket. Rubbing to spine ends corresponding to jacket. Small chips at bottom of back panel, front corners. $17.50
The Scrimshaw Millions, NY, Sears, 1932. Poor in boards. Ex-library. $5.00
The Second Bullet, NY, Burt, 1934. About fine in about fine jacket. Inked initials on spine. Light rubbing to dj extremities. $15.00
The Second Bullet, NY, Burt, 1934. First edition. Fair in boards. $12.50
The Second Bullet, NY, Sears, 1934. Fair in boards. Darkening to spine, fraying to spine ends, separated flaps glued to front pastedown, paper residue on rear pastedown. $10.00
The Sinister Mark, Garden City, Dodd, 1923. First edition. Very good in boards. Some slight fraying to top of spine, boards starting to separate from binding. $20.00
The Sinister Mark, Garden City, Doubleday, 1923. First edition. Fair in boards. $12.50
The Unlatched Door, NY, Century, 1920. Fair in boards. $15.00
The Unlatched Door, NY, Century, 1920. First edition of author’s second book. Fair in boards. Fading to front and spine cloth, boards starting to separate from binding. $15.00
They Tell No Tales, NY, Sears, 1930. First edition. Fair in boards. $15.00
Too Long Endured, NY, Dodd, 1950. First edition. Fair in boards. $10.00
Within the Vault, NY, Dodd, 1950. First edition. Fine in near fine dust jacket. One closed tear and one small chip at top of back panel. $20.00
Within the Vault, NY, Dodd, 1950. First edition. Very good in very good dust jacket. Some wear to spine ends, foxing to endpapers, inked signature on front endpaper. Dj spine has chips to both end, dj has general wear and rubbing to edges. $20.00
X Marks the Spot, NY, Dodd, 1950. First edition. Very good in boards. $12.50