HILL, Susan [John LAWRENCE, Illus.]~ The Woman in Black. A Ghost Story. Signed by the illustrator.

FIRST UK PRINTING. Hamish Hamilton, London: 1983.

8vo., olive green boards, lettered in gilt to spine with publisher's device to foot; together in the pictorial dustwrapper (unclipped, £7.95 net) featuring a wraparound design by John Lawrence; with double page title and numerous others in text; THE BOOK lightly sunned at edges with very mild pushing to spine tips, else fine; THE WRAPPER very near fine, with just very minor rubbing to the head of spine and the odd mark to the upper edge of flaps, the spine unfaded, as is sometimes found. The wrapper is protected in a removable Brodart archival cover. First UK edition, this copy neatly signed by the illustrator John Lawrence in black ink to the title page. Susan Hill was born and raised in North Yorkshire, and wrote her first novel, 'The Enclosure', when she was still in school, studying for her A Levels. Her works, including 'The Mist in the Mirror' and 'I'm the King in the Castle' (the latter of which received the Somerset Maugham Award) are all known for their dark, gothic imagery, but it is undoubtedly 'The Woman in Black: A Ghost Story' for which she is best renowned. Hill was inspired by such writers as M. R. James and Daphne du Maurier, and that style is evident in this chilling tale of a solicitor summoned to a remote house in Eel Marsh to wind up the estate of a recently deceased recluse. The book was adapted for stage in 1987, and ran up until 2023, making it London's second longest-running play after Agatha Christie's 'The Mousetrap'. It has also been adapted for film twice, the most recent starring Daniel Radcliffe in the lead role. Lawrence is a prolific artist and wood engraver who has illustrated over 200 titles, including Watership Down by Richard Adams and more recently a series of spin-off works by Philip Pullman.

BINDING: Hardcover
CONDITION: Fine
JACKET: Near Fine