Kiss the Blood Off My Hands

London: Nicholson and Watson, 1940. UNCORRECTED PROOF, preceding the First UK Edition. The earliest edition of one of the rarest film noir sources—we have never seen a jacketed copy of the first edition that followed it, and a jacketless copy only once. Excessively rare.

A crime novel from an author known better for weird fiction, basis for the 1948 American film noir starring Joan Fontaine and Burt Lancaster.

Fair to Good in fragile brown unprinted wrappers, as issued, with a manuscript notation on the front panel indicating a publication date of February 6, 1940. Shelf wear, spine lean, creasing and lifting at the spine panel and corners of the wrappers. In a custom maroon quarter-leather clamshell box.

The Dark Page II: 1959-1965, p. 28.


[Book #156536]