HAMMETT, Dashiell (1894-1961). Red Harvest. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1929.

Presentation copy of the first edition of Hammett's first book, with a characteristic inscription by the author: ‘Billy Greer Hobson, keep a notebook and pencil— the story of the other fellows’ crime pays. Dashiell Hammett’. Narrated by the Continental Op, Hammett's first novel begins with the mysterious murder of a newspaper publisher in ‘Poisonville’, a mining town in the American West. Red Harvest, first published in February 1929, was quickly followed by The Dain Curse that July, and The Maltese Falcon in February the following year. Layman A1.1.a.

Octavo. Title in orange and black (a couple of marginal marks, minor split to block between pp.196-197). Original red cloth with yellow skull and crossbones to upper cover and stamped in black and yellow on spine (spine slightly faded and just cocked, faint rubbing to extremities, a couple of minor marks or abrasions); custom cloth box. Provenance: William Greer Hobson (1924–1996, bookseller in Phoenix, Arizona; presentation inscription from the author, bookplate on front pastedown).