The author's scarce second book signed by the author with provenance

Rendell, Ruth ~ To Fear A Painted Devil : Signed By The Author

First UK Printing :John Long, London : 1965

The First UK Printing published by John Long, London in 1965. 8vo., brown boards lettered in red and blue to spine, with the publisher's unicorn device to foot; together in the printed wrapper featuring a wasp design by William Randell to the front panel; The BOOK is in Very Good+ condition with sporadic spotting mostly affecting the prelim and rear pages due to the quality of the paper stock used. Lightly bumped to the spine ends and with a publisher's price sticker sometime removed from the upper board, leaving a little residue; The WRAPPER near Fine, seldom found in such superior condition, with overlaid price sticker of 7/6 net to the lower front flap; lightly rubbed in places with a couple of very small dark marks. The wrapper is protected in a removable Brodart archival cover. First edition of the author's second novel, this copy neatly signed (without dedication) by the author in black ink to the title page. A photograph of the signing event is also loosely laid in as provenance. Rendell had already written two unpublished crime novels when 'From Doon with Death' was picked up by the publishers John Long, and published in 1964. It was the first to feature her protagonist Chief Inspector Reginald Wexford, who would later appear in numerous more works, all the way up until No Man's Nightingale (2013), published just two years before her death. This book was her first standalone work, and centres around Patrick Selby, who dies from a series of stings from wasps which have infested his immaculate garden, and on the very night of his beautiful wife's birthday party. With a series of possible subjects, Rendell takes as her protagonist Doctor Greenleaf, a reluctantly turned detective, who investigates the murder - with a classic Christie-style twist at the end. "After all, wasps aren't the only creatures that kill with poison.” The title is taken directly from Macbeth: "Tis the eye of childhood / That fears a painted devil". A lovely signed copy of the author's first standalone novel. Scarce with such attributes.

BINDING: Hardcover
CONDITION: Very Good+
JACKET: Near Fine