The Longbow Murder.

VICTOR LUHRS

Publication: W W Norton & Company, Inc, Publishers, 1941, New York

First edition. Author's first book. Cloth spine lightly faded, page edges uniformly tanned, else fine in dust jacket with minor, tiny professional restoration to spine ends. An historical mystery story set in the twelfth century and told by Peter Caen, a scribe, who wanders into homicidal events when delivering a message for his master to the castle in Normandy occupied by King Richard [Coeur de Lion]. The king is faced with a series of bizarre murders committed by an ingenious resident of his castle who is also extremely lucky. King Richard is forced to turn detective in order to find the culprit. Interestingly, Howard Haycraft in 1946 said that historical reconstructions using a real-life person as a detective were so uncommon that this novel could be labeled a "curiosity." The practice is quite commonplace today. Attractive copy of an interesting historical mystery.

Inventory Number: 35815