ELLERY QUEEN Books For Sale

	Ellery Queen was a pen name used by Frederick Dannay & Manfred Lee from 1929 through Lee’s death in 1971. In later years many other authors were enlisted as ghostwriters for Ellery Queen, and Dannay and Lee parlayed the success of the name into a monthly mystery magazine that is still going. This sale is not a complete checklist, but it is a look at a collection of later paperbacks from 1968 through 1975, all in unread condition. Plus a bonus: this one, from 1956. Dannay and Lee created other pen names, one of those was Barnaby Ross. In 1932 & 1933 Ross wrote TRAGEDY OF X, TRAGEDY OF Y, TRAGEDY OF Z and – just in case you thought Z would end it – DRURY LANE’S LAST CASE.
	In the 1950s, Avon Books reprinted these books as by Ellery Queen. This pristine, barely-touched copy of TRAGEDY OF X, Avon T-141, is a review copy, with the review slip inside solving the mystery of exactly when Avon published this undated book.   Cover by Art Sussman.

 

 

THE ROMAN HAT MYSTERY was the first Ellery Queen book, published in 1929. In 1979, Signet put out this Special 50th Anniversary Edition. Signet 451-E8470 is the 3rd printing of their 1967 paperback. To the confusion of booksellers and collectors everywhere, they failed to update the third printing date on the copyright page.  So it looks like it is saying “1929, 50th Anniversary Edition, 1967.” And that doesn’t add up                 3rd printing.

FACE TO FACE was a 1967 hardcover. Signet 451-Y6872 came out in 1968. This TV tie-in mentions Jim Hutton & David Wayne, TV’s Ellery Queen and Inspector Queen, on the back. Since that show was on TV in 1975 & 1976 only, we have the correct time frame for this 3rd printing that still says 1968 on the copyright page.                 3rd printing.

 

 

	THE HOUSE OF BRASS (1968) was ghosted by Avram Davidson. This is a 3rd printing of the 1969 Signet. TV tie-in paperback edition, so real date is 1975-76. Signet 451-Y6958.
	THE FRENCH POWDER MYSTERY was the second Ellery Queen mystery, 1930. In 1969 Signet published this new paperback edition with a photo cover as Signet T4083. Shelf wear otherwise unread.

 

 

THE GREEK COFFIN MURDER (1932) was the fourth Ellery Queen mystery. Signet 451-E8579 was part of a Special 50th Anniversary Edition boxed set in 1979. Confusingly, the copyright page says 1969, which was when Signet first published T4805 with a different cover. There is no mention of which edition this version is, leading dealers and collectors to incorrectly date it for years.
Q.E.D. was a 1968 anthology of stories from 1949 to 1966. This 1970 Signet T4120 was the first paperback edition. Edge wear to the black covers, crease on back.

 

 

	COP OUT (1969) “Ellery Queen’s 40th Anniversary Novel”.       Signet T4196, 3rd printing, no date.
	THE ADVENTURES OF ELLERY QUEEN was the first collection of short stories in 1934. It was reprinted countless times and in 1971 Signet T4488 appeared in paperback. Edge wear to the black covers, otherwise unread.

 

 

THE LAST WOMAN IN HIS LIFE – Signet T4580, 1971. First paperback appearance. Corner color chip.

THE VANISHING CORPSE – Pyramid T2615, 1972.   The convoluted history of this paperback: First published in 1941 as ELLERY QUEEN, MASTER DETECTIVE, this was a ghostwritten novelization of the 1940 movie screenplay by Eric Taylor, which had been loosely based on Dannay & Lee’s book THE DOOR BETWEEN. In 1968 Pyramid re-issued it under the title THE VANISHING CORPSE. This is the 3rd printing with new photo cover.

 

 

	A FINE AND PRIVATE PLACE – Signet Q4978, 1972. “First time in paperback! A brand-new Ellery Queen!” Light edge wear, otherwise unread.
	CALENDAR OF CRIME – Signet Q5166, 1972. First printing of this edition of this 1952 anthology.

 

 

THE NEW ADVENTURES OF ELLERY QUEEN – Signet Q5320.   This anthology of Ellery Queen stories (1935-1939) from pulps and slicks first appeared in 1940. This is a tenth printing of the 1973 Signet.        Corner bumped, unread.
QBI – Signet 451-T5428.   This 1955 anthology collected stories from 1949 to 1954. This is a tenth printing of the 1973 Signet.

 

 

	THE PLAYER ON THE OTHER SIDE – Ballantine 24461, May 1975. Ghosted by Theodore Sturgeon.     In 1975, Ballantine put out a uniform edition of Ellery Queens.
	AND ON THE EIGHTH DAY – Ballantine 24552, August 1975. Ghosted by Avram Davidson.

 

 

THE FOURTH SIDE OF THE TRIANGLE – Ballantine 24432, November 1975. Ghosted by Avram Davidson.
QUEENS FULL – Ballantine 24666, December 1975. Three novelettes and two short stories from 1954 – 1965.                                 I will be happy to sell this entire collection if you would like to make an offer.