5th in the Lord Peter Wimsey series, originally published in 1930 – this a later reissue and, certainly, ‘pulped up’ and made to appear much more hardboiled. It is also the novel in which Lord Peter first meets the love of his life, mystery writer Harriet Vane
1956 Harper hardcover, re-titled by Collins for the UK hardcover that same year as Death in Grease Paint
first of his two mysteries with Howie Rook, middle-aged, over-weight former newspaperman and draws on the author’s own experience as a clown with the Ringling Brothers Circus
cover art by James Meese
one of SMB founder Bill Farley’s Top Five Mysteries of all time. Sir Eustace is a cad of the first water, with a specialty in other men’s wives, and the list of people who might want to do him in could fill a London phone book. But which of them actually sent the chocolates with their nasty hidden payload? Scotland Yard is baffled. Enter the Crime Circle, a group of society intellectuals with a shared conviction in their ability to succeed where the police have failed. Eventually, each member will produce a tightly reasoned solution to the Case of the Poisoned Chocolates, but each of those solutions will identify a different murderer. First published in 1929, this is both a classic of the golden age of mystery fiction, and one of the great puzzle-mysteries of all time.
cover art by Jerry Allison
June 1963 Pocket reissue, 3rd print
cover art by Harry Bennett
better image than previously posted
if you look closely at the paperback that she’s reading on the cover of Zero Cool, you’ll see it is Grave Descend, another Hard Case Crime with cover art by Glen Orbik. It is a great little piece of self-reference.
cover art by Paul Galdone
February 1957 Pocket reissue, 6th printing
cover painting by James Meese
better image than previously posted
SMB Noir 