Description
STILL DEAD by Ronald A. Knox
TAKEN FROM BACK COVER:
STILL DEAD is a detective-story by a rare writer who is
not only a master of the craft but is also a master of the
English language. Set in Scotland, it tells how young
Colin Reiver, recklessly driving a new sports car, is respon-
sible for a fatal accident to a child, but is acquitted at law.
He sets out on a foreign cruise, and while he is away his
father, owner of the Dorn estate, becomes dangerously ill.
A gamekeeper, early on a Monday morning, rushes into
Dorn House with the news that Colin is lying dead hy the
roadside; but when a doctor goes along, the body has
disappeared only to reappear at the same spot and time
rwo days later. Now old Donald Reiver had, years ago,
taken out an insurance policy for a large amount on his
son’s life, but his cheque for the current year’s premium
did not reach the insurance company until that Monday
morning-after the usual period of grace had elapsed. So
if Colin died early on the Monday he was uninsured; if,
however, his death did not occur till the Wednesday, the
insurance company would be liable for the claim. Miles
Bredon, the company’s private enquiry agent, comes to
Dorn to investigate and soon finds himself involved in a
fascinating mystery of extreme complexity. The author
6f this book plays fair with his readers, and when the
solution is disclosed page references are given to all clues.
Monsignor Ronald Knox is famous as scholar, preacher,
wit and detective-story writer; He comes of a brilliant
family : his father was Bishop of Manchester, his brother
was Editor of Punch. Educated at Eton and Oxford, he
was ordained a priest in the Church of England; but
five years later he entered the Roman Catholic Church.
He recently completed the first Roman Catholic translation
of the complete Bible into English for more than 350 years.
Pan, London, 1952. Mass Market Paperback. Book Condition: Good. First Paperback Edition. First published by Hodder in 1934 and then by Dutton in the USA in the same year. This is the first printing of the first UK paperback edition. All editions of this book are fairly rare. The front and rear covers are fairly clean and bright with only light surface creasing (barely visible on the front cover). The spine has faded but the binding is tight. Pages are clean and unmarked.