
December 1957 Cardinal paperback reissue, first printing
cover painting by Mitchell Hooks
better image than previously posted

cover art by Robert McGinnis

December 1957 Cardinal paperback reissue, first printing
cover painting by Mitchell Hooks
better image than previously posted

cover art by Robert McGinnis
1958 Morrow hardcover, first edition of the 55th Perry Mason novel

June 1960 Pocket paperback reissue, first printing
cover art by Charles Binger?
better image than previously posted

June 1964 Pocket reissue, 6th printing
cover art by Robert McGinnis
better image than previously posted



1953 Laurie publication, this the later, 1955, Pocket paperback

February 1959 Cardinal paperback reissue, first printing
cover painting by John Fernie
better image than previously posted

November 1963 Pocket paperback reissue, 8th printing
cover painting by Robert McGinnis

better image than previously posted

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.


1940 Hammish Hamilton UK first edition

1943 Pocket reissue – cover art by H. L. Hoffman


1964 Pocket reissue, 14th printing – cover art by Harvey Kidder (owner’s copy)
cover art by James Neil Boyle

1951 Pocket reissue, 10th print – cover art by Paul Kresse (owner’s copy)

1950 Penguin UK reissue, 3rd print

1966 Penguin reissue – cover design by Bob Brooks

1973 Penguin reissue – cover design by James Tormey

1973 Ballantine reissue – cover art by Tom Adams (owner’s copy)

1976 Vintage reissue – cover art by Richard Waldrep (owner’s copy)

1976 Ballantine movie tie-in

1976 Penguin movie tie-in


1988 Vintage/Black Lizard reissue


1994 Vintage/Black Lizard reissue


2009 Penguin Classics UK reissue


[updated 3/3/26, 3/8/26]

cover art by Jerry Allison

June 1963 Pocket reissue, 3rd print
cover art by Harry Bennett
better image than previously posted
1946 Morrow hardcover
28th Perry Mason novel

June 1955 Pocket paperback reissue, 7th printing
cover photo by Alfred Gesheidt
better image than previously posted

1959 Cardinal paperback reissue
cover art by Charles Binger
better image than previously posted

October 1962 Pocket paperback original, first printing
cover art by Harry Bennett
better image than previously posted