FOUR ROADS TO DEATH - INSCRIBED
New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1935. First Edition. Appel's second novel, "the story of an unscrupulous scientist who succeeds in having a search for a lost city and hidden treasure heavily financed, who takes with him his ex-wife in the role of niece, to deflect the attention of one of the men, and who hypnotized the fourth member of the party into suicide. On the return of the expedition, the leader alibis himself with a tale of famine, drought, mutiny and enforced retreat" (Kirkus Review). Scarce inscribed. Hubin, p.11. Item #5622
First Printing. Octavo (19.25cm); orange cloth, with titles stamped in green on spine and front cover; green topstain; dustjacket; [xii],256,[4]pp. Armorial bookplate of William Meckfessel mounted to front pastedown, inscribed to him a few weeks after publication on the front endpaper: "June 12, 1935 / To my friend Bill and hoping you like this as well as Brain Guy, and we're hoping that this will send me to Frisco so we can say hello / Ben Appel." Light wear to extremities, spine gently sunned, with topstain faded, and some scattered foxing to right edge of textblock; a previous owner has written the words "Very Good" in ink above the author's name on the title page; Very Good+. Dustjacket is unclipped (priced $2.00), spine-sunned, with modest shelfwear, some faint foxing, two faint, shallow dampstains, and 1.25cm loss to lower front flap fold; Very Good.
Price: $750.00