Red Cross Book Sale: Book Bonaza

I have been waiting impatiently for this year's Red Cross Book Sale--waiting since October 28, 2012. Yeah, that would be when I loaded up at the sale last year.  I had quite a year in 2012--bringing home a record number of 55 books.  Some of my friends out on Facebook had a friendly little wager going on--how many books I'd snag this year.    

 

At first, it looked like Ellen was going to be the winner (70). I walked in, headed straight to the first hardback mystery section and promptly filled my little rolling carry-all bag (thanks Kathy...several Christmases ago) a little over half-full. There were three more hardback sections, five paperback mystery sections, and the clearance section (where vintage mystery gems often lurk) yet to go. Things fell off after that...and I was beginning to think that Monica might be right (60). I might just barely beat my last record. But.....unless I do another round on Sunday (half-price day)...it looks like Ryan pretty much nailed it. 48 books and 5 Christmas CDs. Fewer books...but A LOT of vintage authors I've been looking for. In reprint form, rather than vintage copies , but I'll take what I can get. We'll call a betting winner once we see if I resist going back on Sunday..... 

 

I was VERY tempted by a 1st Edition, dust-jacketed Mr. & Mrs. North book by Frances & Richard Lockridge.  But I talked myself out of it....I would have had to put over half of the other books back in order to justify it.  But...who knows.  Maybe it's still there on the shelf and will call my name until I come back out on Sunday.

 

 But here is this year's haul so far:

Hardback:

The Man Who Loved Books Too Much by Allison Hoover Bartlett (w/dust jacket) 

This Club Frowns on Murder by Albert Borowitz (w/dust jacket)

Death in a Salubrious Place by W. J. Burley (1st edition w/dust jacket)

The Coral Princess Murders by Frances Crane (1st edition w/dust jacket--prize of the shopping spree!)

Murder in Bright Red by Frances Crane (1st edition but edges stamped "Property of US Army")
The Book of the Dead/Button, Button/Date With Danger by Elizabeth Daly/Marion Bramhall/Roy Vickers (3-in-1 Detective Book Club Edition)
Top of the Heap/Night Train to Paris/ The Under Dog & Other Stories by A. A. Fair/Manning Coles/Agatha Christie [3-in-1 Detective Book Club Edition]

Death in Zanzibar & Death in Kenya by M. M. Kaye [2-in-1 volume]
 

Paperback:

Murder Begins at Home by Delano Ames (Rue Morgue reprint)

Shadow on the Wall by H. C. Bailey (Rue Morgue reprint)

The Sound of Murder by John & Emery Bonett

The Bells of Old Bailey by Dorothy Bowers (Rue Morgue reprint)

Deed Without a Name by Dorothy Bowers (Rue Morgue reprint) 

Tour de Force by Christianna Brand

Murder with Blue Ribbon by Leo Bruce [academic mystery]

Death at the Dog by Joanna Cannan (Rue Morgue reprint) 

Death Finds a Foothold by Glyn Carr (Rue Morgue reprint)

Our First Murder by Torrey Chanslor (Rue Morgue reprint)

An Overdose of Death by Agatha Christie (1st New Dell printing)

Dragon's Cave by Clyde B. Clason (Rue Morgue reprint) [academic mystery]

The Man from Tibet by Clason (Rue Morgue reprint) [academic mystery]

Murder Gone Minoan by Clason (Rue Morgue Reprint) [academic mystery]

Poison Jasmine by Clason (Rue Morgue Reprint) [academic mystery]

The Purple Parrot by Clason (Rue Morgue Reprint) [academic mystery]

Only a Matter of Time by V. C. Clinton-Baddeley [academic mystery]

The Turquoise Shop by Frances Crane (Rue Morgue reprint)
Death & Letters by Elizabeth Daly [I have been hunting this one for-ev-er.  I read it once upon a time from the Spencer Library & haven't found it since. Until today.]

Murder Is a Collector's Item by Elizabeth Dean (Rue Morgue reprint)

The Cases of Susan Dare by Mignon G. Eberhart  

The Arsenic Labyrinth by Martin Edwards

Murder in a Cathedral by Ruth Dudley Edwards

The Crime & the Crystal by Elizabeth Ferrars [academic mystery]

Too Much Water by Bruce Hamilton

Ransom Game by John Buxton Hilton

Murder in the Vatican by Ann Margaret Lews [signed by author; Holmes stories]

Black-Headed Pins by Constance & Gwenyth Little

Bogmail by Patrick McGinley

How Like an Angel by Margaret Millar

Dead Men's Morris by Gladys Mitchell (Rue Morgue Reprint)

A Hearse on May-Day by Gladys Mitchell (Rue Morgue reprint)

Mortal Term by John Penn [academic mystery] 

Unto the Grave by John Penn

A Will to Kill by John Penn

The Frightened Stiff by Kelley Roos (Rue Morgue Reprint)

An Old School Tie by Andrew Taylor (academic mystery)

The Adventure of the Eleven Cuff-Buttons by James Francis Thierry [one of 1st Sherlock Holmes pastiches]

A Talent for Murder by Anna Mary Wells


Anybody else want to take bets on whether I go back?