Death on Scurvy Street

Item Details

New York, Continental Books, 1932, Soft Covers

Good

Death on Scurvy Street by Ben Ames Williams. Continental Books NY. 1932. Oversize paperback. Includes scarce Grim Reaper cover art. Mystery about a gangster marked for death. Continental Books were a series of six paperbound reprint titles issued in 1932 at a dime apiece. They were larger than the typical pocket book (5″ x 7″), the cover designs were stylish, and the book’s quality was relatively high, given the low price. The series may have been emulating the innovative Paper Books / Bonibooks series, similar in format and design that were themselves, in 1932, struggling for an audience. No Continental Books appear after the initial six, another seemingly failed experiment in paperback publishing in the U.S. in the 1930s. Williams was an American novelist and writer of short stories; he wrote hundreds of short stories and over 30 novels. The book has some edge and spine wear. Though still tight, it is slightly cocked. Clean.