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Circle of Shadows by Deben Holt – who is the author?

Book collecting can be a very intriguing business. You learn a lot about the lives of authors,and stories particular to certain titles. If you delve deeply enough, the books provide their own forensic clues to the lifes and mindset of their writers. They also speak to the time and culture in which they were penned. Books can be jigsaws within brilliantly patterned mosaics.

One such puzzle that has perplexed me for some time is piecing together the hidden identity of the authors of Circle of Shadows. This book was published in 1957 under the pseudonym of Deben Holt. That, apparently, is the pen name for two friends who decided to write together but keep their identities a secret, even from friends and family.

The plot goes like this: Private eye, Ricky Britton, is involved in his first tough case, which takes him to the Riviera and sees him framed for murder. The cover below shows a body on the beach under moonlight.

Circle of Shadows was published by “The Thriller Book Club”, which was an imprint that originated from the Foyle’s bookshop and Foyle’s book club. If you click on the image below you can enlarge it to read the text. You can read more about the Foyle’s book club on the Collecting Christie website.

Livre Eclectica’s copy is in good condition, but doesn’t have a dust jacket. There are only a few copies available for sale online, and we’re pleased to have one of them. If only we could unravel the mystery of who wrote it.

Please feel free to leave a comment if you have any clues you’d like to share…

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The Horse and His Boy by C. S. Lewis

Occasionally in the the vintage book hunting business you come across an absolute gem. This week it was a first edition of The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis. Few people have not had their lives enriched by The Chronicles of Narnia, whether by book or film. The series has been described as:

Fantastic creatures, heroic deeds, epic battles in the war between good and evil, and unforgettable adventures come together in this world where magic meets reality, which has been enchanting readers of all ages for over sixty years. The Chronicles of Narnia has transcended the fantasy genre to become a part of the canon of classic literature.

The Horse and his Boy is book 5 of the series and was published in 1954 by Geoffrey Bles. When read in chronological order, however, it comes third, after The Magician’s Nephew and The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. This first edition is illustrated by Pauline Baynes, who also drew for some of Tolkein’s “minor” works.

“This is the story of an adventure that happened in Narnia and Calormen and the lands between, in the Golden Age when Peter was High King and his brother and his two sisters were King and Queens under him.“―C. S. Lewis

For more photos of this copy go to the product page on this website or to our Etsy store.

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The Book Hunters’ Network – involving friends and family

As with any profession or passion, it’s all about the people. That doesn’t just mean other collectors, but friends and family who have an idle interest in what you’re doing. Here are some of the books that my friends have found for me at jumble sales. It’s then become a wonderful reason to catch up for a cuppa, to do the book hand over.

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The Life of a Book Hunter

When I began collecting vintage books, I had no idea of the incredible pleasure I would get from the book hunting side of the business. I am never happier than when I am fossicking, uncovering discarded gems, holding history and the memories of peoples lives in my hands. I do source books from a variety of places, but my absolute favourite is second hand book stores and second hand book sales. All those wonderful worlds and memorable characters that should never be forgotten.