The Strange Schemes Of Randolph Mason.

MELVILLE DAVISSON POST

Publication: G P Putnam's Sons, 1896, New York

First edition. Author's first book. A few small, stamped numbers to top edge of front pastedown sheet, cloth lightly rubbed at the corner and spine extremities, and spine is darkened, else a very good copy of Queen's Quorum #20. Randolph Mason was a skilled, unscrupulous lawyer who used his knowledge of the law to defeat the ends of justice. Mason assisted criminals by cynically employing his familiarity with legal loopholes. Queen's Quorum #20 says, "... introduced the first "criminal" lawyer in detective fiction. Note the quotation marks: they mean an unscrupulous lawyer who uses the inadequacies and weaknesses of the law itself to defeat justice." Interestingly the author himself was a successful lawyer. An extremely scarce Queen's Quorum title.

Inventory Number: 43271