• MORGAN'S PASSING.

    MORGAN'S PASSING.

    New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1980. Octavo, cloth backed boards. First edition. This was nominated for both the American Book Awards and the National Book Critics Circle Award.

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  • DETECTIVE MYSTERY NOVEL MAGAZINE.

    DETECTIVE MYSTERY NOVEL MAGAZINE.

    New York: Best Publications, Inc. 1948. Octavo, single issue, cover by Rudolph Belarski, pictorial wrappers. Pulp magazine. Johnston McCulley short story.

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  • SECRET OF THE MARTIAN MOONS.

    SECRET OF THE MARTIAN MOONS.

    Philadelphia, Toronto: The John C. Winston Company, [1955]. Octavo, cover illustration by Alex Schomburg, cloth. First edition. Part of the popular Winston juvenile series published between 1952-1961, which introduced many young readers to science fiction.

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  • THE GRAY PRINCE.

    THE GRAY PRINCE.

    Indianapolis/New York: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, Inc. [1974]. Octavo, boards. First edition. Science fiction novel set in the author's "Gaean Reach" universe. Hewett and Mallett, The Work of Jack Vance, A46.

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  • WATER HAZARD.

    WATER HAZARD.

    [New York]: Delacorte Press, [1995]. Octavo, boards. First edition. The author's first novel. Signed inscription by Borg to a mystery publisher and bookseller. Psychological thiller. "Sexual debauchery and twisted identities reign in an intricately descriptive...

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  • DOC SAVAGE.

    DOC SAVAGE.

    New York, NY: Street & Smith Publications, Inc. 1942. Octavo, single issue, cover by Emery Clarke, pictorial wrappers. Pulp magazine. "The Fiery Menace" by Kenneth Robeson. Includes "The Skipper" short feature.

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  • DOC SAVAGE.

    DOC SAVAGE.

    New York: Street & Smith Publications, Inc. 1940. Octavo, single issue, cover by Emery Clarke, pictorial wrappers. Pulp magazine. A Doc Savage adventure by Kenneth Robeson, "The Evil Gnome."

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  • THE SNOW QUEEN.

    THE SNOW QUEEN.

    New York: The Dial Press, [1980]. Octavo, cloth backed boards. First edition. 1981 Hugo award for best novel. Anatomy of Wonder (2004) II-1189.

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  • THE HAND OF ZEI.

    THE HAND OF ZEI.

    New York: Avalon Books, [1963]. Octavo, cloth. First edition. Second part of the second book of the Krishna series, here expanded from the version published in ASTOUNDING.

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  • MORTAL RUIN.

    MORTAL RUIN.

    [London]: The Crime Club [William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd, 1988]. Octavo, boards. First edition. Signed by Malcom on the title page. Mystery novels based in the world of antiques and fine art with the...

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  • WORLDS OF IF: A RETROSPECTIVE ANTHOLOGY.

    WORLDS OF IF: A RETROSPECTIVE ANTHOLOGY.

    New York: Bluejay Books, 1986. Octavo, Hardcover. First edition. Anthology of classic material from IF magazine (1952-1974). IF magazine was the companion magazine to GALAXY, it published more innovative material including much from "new wave"...

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  • FAITH OF THE FALLEN.

    FAITH OF THE FALLEN.

    New York: TOR: A Tom Doherty Associates Book, [2000]. Octavo, boards. First edition. The Sword of Truth. This is book six in The Sword of Truth series.

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  • DIME DETECTIVE MAGAZINE.

    DIME DETECTIVE MAGAZINE.

    Chicago: Popular Publications, Inc. 1948. Octavo, single issue, cover by Albert Drake, pictorial wrappers. Pulp magazine. Cook, Mystery, Detective and Espionage Magazine, pp. 168-170.

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  • THE FACE: COLLECTED SPOOK STORIES VOLUME FOUR. Edited by Jack Adrian.

    THE FACE: COLLECTED SPOOK STORIES VOLUME...

    Ashcroft, British Columbia: Ash-Tree Press, 2003. Octavo, cloth. First edition. 600 copies printed. The fourth of five volumes of Benson's supernatural tales. This volume has stories from December 1923 to November 1927.

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  • COPS 'N ROBBERS.

    COPS 'N ROBBERS.

    New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. [1930]. Octavo, pp. [1-4] [1-8] 9-282 [283-284: blank], original gray cloth, front and spine stamped in red, fore-edge untrimmed, bottom edge rough trimmed. First edition. Collection of...

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  • ANGELS & DEMONS.

    ANGELS & DEMONS.

    New York, London... Pocket Books, [2000]. Octavo, boards. First edition. The first novel to feature Robert Langdon, set in Vatican City.

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  • THE RETURN OF SKULL FACE.

    THE RETURN OF SKULL FACE.

    [West Linn, OR]: FAX Collector's Editions, [1977]. Octavo, illustrations by Stephen E. Leialoha. boards. First edition. Sequel to Skull Face, completed by Lupoff.

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  • PIRATES STORIES.

    PIRATES STORIES.

    Springfield, MA: Adventure Publications, Inc. 1935. Octavo, single issue, pictorial wrappers. Pulp magazine.

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  • WEAVEWORLD.

    WEAVEWORLD.

    New York: Poseidon Press, [1987]. Octavo, cloth backed boards. First edition. Barron (ed.): Horror Literature 4-23. Barron (ed.): Fantasy Literature 4A-18.

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  • MYSTERY OF THE THIRD MINE.

    MYSTERY OF THE THIRD MINE.

    Philadelphia, Toronto: The John C. Winston Company, [1953]. Octavo, jacket art by Kenneth Fagg, cloth. First edition. The author's first book. Part of the popular Winston juvenile series published between 1952-1961, which introduced many young...

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  • WEIRD TALES.

    WEIRD TALES.

    New York, NY: Weird Tales, 1939. Octavo, single issue, cover by Virgil Finlay, pictorial wrappers. Pulp magazine. Fiction by E. Hoffman Price, Seabury Quinn, H. Warner Munn, August Derleth & Mark Schorer, H.P. Lovecraft, Clark...

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  • KNOCK AND WAIT A WHILE.

    KNOCK AND WAIT A WHILE.

    Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1957. Octavo, boards. First edition. Winner of the Edgar award for best first novel, 1958. A novel of espionage during the cold war.

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  • THE PHANTOM DETECTIVE.

    THE PHANTOM DETECTIVE.

    New York: Standard Magazines, Inc. 1947. Octavo, single issue, cover by Rudolf Belarksi, pictorial wrappers. Pulp magazine. "The Chinese Puzzle" by Robert Wallace. Cook, Mystery, Detective and Espionage Magazine, pp. 408-414.

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  • STALKING THE NIGHTMARE.

    STALKING THE NIGHTMARE.

    Huntington Woods, MI: Phantasia Press, 1982. Octavo, cloth. First edition. Collects sixteen stories and four essays, many revised and expanded.

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  • THE INK TRUCK.

    THE INK TRUCK.

    New York: The Dial Press Inc. 1969. Octavo, cloth. First edition. Signed by Kennedy on the title page. The author's first book.

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  • THRILLING MYSTERY.

    THRILLING MYSTERY.

    New York: Better Publications, Inc. 1944. Octavo, single issue, pictorial wrappers. Pulp magazine. Features a Robert Bloch story "Death is A Vampire."

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  • DIAGNOSIS: HOMICIDE: THE CASEBOOK OF DR. COFFEE.

    DIAGNOSIS: HOMICIDE: THE CASEBOOK OF DR...

    Philadelphia, New York, J.B. Lippincott Company, [1950]. Octavo, boards. First edition. The first collection of Dr. Coffee stories. Queens Quorum #106. Pronzini and Muller, 1001 Midnights, The Aficionado's Guide to Mystery and Detective Fiction, pp. 67-68.

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  • COLONEL MARKESAN AND LESS PLEASANT PEOPLE.

    COLONEL MARKESAN AND LESS PLEASANT PEOPLE.

    Sauk City, Wisconsin: Arkham House: Publishers, [1966]. Octavo, cloth. First edition. 2405 copies printed. Collects seventeen stories first published in Weird Tales, Strange Tales, and Strange Stories between 1930 and 1947, mostly during the period...

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  • THE EXILE WAITING.

    THE EXILE WAITING.

    London: Victor Gollancz Ltd, 1976. Octavo, boards. First British and first trade hardcover edition. Signed inscription by McIntyre. Text differs from those of the earlier Science Fiction Book Club and Fawcett editions. The author's first...

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  • THE HUMANOIDS.

    THE HUMANOIDS.

    NY: Simon and Schuster, 1949. Octavo, boards. First edition. Sequel to "With Folded Hands" (ASF, 1947), this was first published in ASF in 1948 as "...And Searching Mind." "Intelligent robots, instructed to let no come...

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  • STILLWATCH.

    STILLWATCH.

    New York: Simon and Schuster, [1984]. Octavo, cloth backed boards. First edition. Signed by Clark on the title page. Produced as a made for television film in 1987.

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For over 25 years, John Knott Books has specialized in fine first editions of popular literature, with an emphasis on science fiction, fantasy, supernatural and horror, mystery & detective fiction. In addition, we offer pulp magazines, ephemera (such as manuscripts and letters), as well as signed books, limited editions, award winners, and books in all areas of popular fiction.

WWI and WWII books that are illustrated, cartoon, propaganda, or children’s, as well as magazines, and other ephemera, is our latest area of interest. See our "about us" page for information on our specialist, Warren Bernard.

Our stock is primarily available on the website and at book fairs, but we do welcome direct sales to customers at our premises by appointment only. We are always interested in purchasing books. Let us know what you have. While we highlight these areas we do not limit ourselves to them.

John W. Knott, Jr., Bookseller, ABAA

8453 Early Bud Way
Laurel, MD 20723-1085

301-512-1300 / jwk@jwkbooks.com

                                   June, 2018

New arrivals feature Mystery and Detective books with many hard boiled.
Recently listed also was a nice group of Dime Detective and Black Mask pulps.

Lloyd Currey and I are exhibiting at Pulpfest 2018 in Cranberry, PA-suburb of Pittsburgh.
July 26-29, Doubletree by Hilton.