The Specialty Of The House And Other Stories. The Complete Mystery Tales, 1948 - 1978.

STANLEY ELLIN

Publication: The Mysterious Press, 1979, New York

First edition. Limited edition of 250 copies numbered and signed by the author on the colophon page. This is copy 174. As new, unread copy in a spectacular unused dust jacket, housed in the original, as new slipcase. Laid-in is a letter dated February 29, 1980 on The Mysterious Bookshop letterhead to the original owner of this book and signed by Otto Penzler. Ellin's first collection of short stories. The title story is about a New York restaurant with a "special" treat for gourmets. "The Cat's Paw" is a variation on the situation in Doyle's "The Red-Headed League." "The Orderly World of Mr. Appleby" is about a wife-murderer who thinks he has the formula for the perfect crime. "The Moment of Decision" is a riddle story about a magician and, according to many people, comes very close to equaling "The Specialty of the House" in its impact. This collection was hailed by Julian Symons as "the finest collection of stories in the crime form published in the past half century." An exceptional copy and we highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading mystery stories as written by a master craftsman. You may find a copy as nice as this one, but you will find none better!

Inventory Number: 48762