[1947]. First edition, first printing. 256pp. Hardback with cloth covered boards (rubbed, marked, mottled and quite rounded on corners and spine tips). Ex lending library with markings – and tape repair – to front endpaper only, else internally neat with just a little fingering and softening of paged so typical of books of the era). Slight lean. In a stunning original period dust jacket (lightly chipped all round edges, creased on spine and rear, minute loss at corners and spine tips). Richard Goyne (1902-1957) wrote more than fifty crime novels, including ones about Sexton Blake, as well as boxing novels and other books. He also wrote as John Courage, Aileen Grey, Scarlet Grey, Kitty Lorraine and Richard Standish. This story features William Britain, a character who appeared in two further Courage novels – The Affair Ravel (1948) and The Dread Cave (1952). Hard to find title, especially in its original dust jacket. 0
