Death of a Bookseller by Bernard J Farmer (1956) Rare first edition of this classic mystery exploring the dark crimes born of the evil impulse to acquire rare books without paying a fair market price for them. Fine in fine jacket. "'Sell them to me,' was the first thought of a collector and dealer." Farmer's examination of the psychology driving the bookseller's natural predator, the other bookseller, culminates in the biblio-mystery subgenre's most spectacular confrontation scene: "You are indeed the Bride of Satan," the victim cries; "what do you want of me?" "Books," the murderer replies, speaking for us all; "to read to my sisters in Hell." Shops and characters claimed to be fictitious. A book of great charm, particularly rare in such condition. London: William Heinemann Ltd, (1956). 7.25'' x 5''. Original black cloth with gilt-lettered spine. In original price not clipped pictorial dust jacket. 208 pages. Light scuffing and edgewear to jacket