Freeman Wills Crofts | The Ponson Case, 1921, lengthy inscription by the author about writing the novel

Freeman Wills Crofts

The Ponson Case. London: W. Collins Sons & Co. Ltd., 1921

FIRST EDITION, SIGNED AND INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR on front free endpaper, original red cloth lettered in black, DUST-JACKET, some minor browning, spine slightly cockled, soiled dust-jacket frayed at extremities with some minor loss

A lengthy inscription by the author notes that the novel "...was my second book. It was written under the spell of enthusiasm resulting from the acceptance and publication of my first - The Cask. The thrilling question was: 'I have done it once; can I do it again?'" Crofts states that The Ponson Case "...breaks the generally accepted rules of the detective novel in that the surprise ending is sought by what the critics consider illegitimate means - though I don't for a moment admit that the critics are right..."

PROVENANCE

The Alexis Galanos Collection