So, yeah. In case this wasn't already obvious to frequent visitors to My Reader's Block...
My name is Bev. I am a book-aholic. To be more precise...I am a used book-aholic. Vintage mysteries for preference. And my husband is my enabler. Back before my birthday (July 1), he asked me what I'd like for my special day. After some thought, I got a gleam (some might say "maniacal gleam") in my eye and told him that I'd like to take a trip to that really nice used bookstore that we found in Illinois on our first trip down Route 66. So I could pick up a "few" books. Few. Uh-huh. He really should know me better than that by now.
Yesterday, we hopped in the car and took a little ride over to Books on the Square in Virden, Illinois. And I came home with 28 vintage and silver age (my definition) mysteries. Twenty-three of those lovely, lovely little pulp-cover, pocket-size edition that I absolutely adore and which are as addictive for me as the most devious drug. Two World War II Armed Forces Editions. And three more random vintage/silver paperbacks just for good measure.
Here's the roll-call:
Death in the Fifth Position by Edgar Box (Gore Vidal): 1st paperback edition
Maniac Rendezvous by Marc Brandel: 1st Avon Book pocket-size
Laura by Vera Caspary: Armed Forces Edition
Dark Street Murders by Peter Cheyney: Avon pocket-size reprint
Voice Out of Darkness by Ursula Curtiss: 1st pocket-size edition
Charlie Chan Carries On by Earl Derr Biggers: WWII pocket-size edition
The Judas Window by Carter Dickson: 1st pocket-size edition
Postmark Murder by Mignon G. Eberhart: 1st Dell pocket-size edition
Depart This Life by E. X. Ferrars
The Unconscious Witness by R. Austin Freeman: Avon pocket-size edition
The Case of the Borrowed Brunette by Erle Stanley Gardner: 1st pocket-size edition
The Case of the Lazy Lover by Erle Stanley Gardner: 1st pocket-size edition
Dead as a Dummy by Geoffrey Homes: 1st Bantam pocket-size edition
The Fatal Kiss Mystery by Rufus King: Popular Library WWII pocket-size edition
A Time to Die by Hilda Lawrence: WWII Pocket Book edition
Meat for Murder by Lange Lewis: Dell mapback edition
The Red House Mystery by A. A. Milne: Pocket Book 2nd printing
Murder on the Left Bank by Elliot Paul: 1st Bantam pocket-size edition
The Old Dark House by J. B. Priestley: Armed Forces Edition
Drury Lane's Last Case by Ellery Queen (as Barnaby Ross): 1st Pocket Book edition
The Greek Coffin Mystery by Ellery Queen: Pocket Book 6th printing
The Man in Lower Ten by Mary Roberts Rinehart: 1st New Dell pocket-size edition
Episode of the Wandering Knife Mary Roberts Rinehart: Dell Mapback
The State Vs. Elinor Norton by Mary Roberts Rinehart: 1st Dell pocket-size edition
The Yellow Room by Mary Roberts Rinehart: 1st New Dell pocket-size edition
The Second Confession by Rex Stout: 1st Bantam pocket-size edition
Some of Your Blood by Theodore Sturgeon (1st crime novel by the SF great)
The Brandenburg Hotel by Pauline Glen Winslow
Wow! Just Wow! What a fantabulous way of celebrating a birthday. Here's wishing you many such trips.
ReplyDeleteIt was a pretty fabulous book-buying trip, neer. My husband spoils me.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday.
ReplyDeleteLove those covers.
http://www.ManOfLaBook.com
I wish I could find those authors around here - Ursula Curtiss!
ReplyDeleteYou are so lucky to have a bookstore anywhere near with those kinds of books available. I haven't seen any bookstores with that many vintage paperbacks ever... Even in the Bay Area (San Francisco / San Jose) where there are lots of good used bookstores.
ReplyDeleteHappy Belated Birthday! I love those covers, and three cheers for the Mary Roberts Rinehart books!
ReplyDeleteGram: This will be my first Ursula Curtiss book...I've heard good things, so I anxious to try her.
ReplyDeleteTracyK: Yeah...it's a four hour drive...but totally worth it. Good used books stores are few and far between these days.
Thanks, Ryan! Yes, Rinehart is always good.
As we say in Italia, 'Buon Compleanno' - as for your book haul, sheer heaven Bev!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, oh my goodness, I am so jealous. Imagine being turned loose in a used bookstore - and for your birthday too. HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY, Bev - I KNOW YOU HAD A GREAT DAY.
ReplyDeleteYou picked up some mighty fine vintage. I've only read a couple of them and I especially recommend THE EPISODE OF THE WANDERING KNIFE and THE YELLOW ROOM.
I downloaed THE RED HOUSE MYSTERY but haven't gotten around to reading it yet. I so dislike reading off my computer screen that sometimes I fail to read books I've been meaning to read hoping against hope I'd come across a hard copy.
Well, anyway, have a great time reading you fortunate gal you. :)
Sergio, thanks!
ReplyDeleteYvette: I've read The Yellow Room and The Red House Mystery--but I just had to have these little pocket-size books anyway. Can't wait to read the rest of them!
Happy Birthday Bev! I think I'm moving to Virdon Illinois! Your so blessed to have such a book store to go to!
ReplyDeletePeggy Ann...it's a bit of a drive for my....but TOTALLY worth it!
ReplyDeleteTracy K:
ReplyDeleteBlack Oak Books is in the middle of setting up a new extended sci-fi room and we have tons of pulp fiction/vintage mass market. :)