CHRISTIE, Agatha (1890-1976). The Sittaford Mystery. London: for The Crime Club by W. Collins Sons & Co. Ltd, 1931.

Rare presentation copy of the first UK edition, inscribed by the author to her secretary, amanuensis and close friend Charlotte 'Carlo' Fisher: 'with love from Agatha.' This was the first Agatha Christie book to be published with a different title in the U.S. The story was originally serialised in six parts from March to August 1931 in the U.S. magazine Good Housekeeping, and first published in book form by Dodd Mead with the title The Murder at Hazelmoor [the Library of Congress copyright entry is 14 August 1931], followed by the UK edition on 7 September 1931 under the present title. Hazelmoor is the name of the house in which the murder is committed, and Sittaford the name of the village in which much of the story takes place. Hubin p. 80.

Octavo. 6 pages of publisher’s advertisements at end (light spotting to half-title and final advertisement leaf; free endpapers with light offsetting). Original orange cloth, upper cover and spine lettered in black (lacking the dust-jacket, spine and edges of covers lightly sunned, spine ends lightly bumped and rubbed, extremities slightly rubbed, edges lightly spotted). Provenance: Charlotte 'Carlo' Fisher (1895-1976, secretary, amanuensis and close friend of Agatha Christie; presentation inscription by the author on front free endpaper, and with Fisher’s posthumous book label).