Gerald Hammond — Fair Game

London, Macmillan, 1982. First edition. Cloth. "Gunlore, gamesmanship, poaching, womanising, a sharp sense of humour, and sudden death." A signed, scarce first edition of this parochial mystery; in which country sporstman Ray Grass dies leaving an enormous estate, a vast collection of firearms, and a highly mischievous will. Having supposedly shot himself as he climbed through a fence with a loaded gun, the coroner returns a verdict of accidental death - but old friends are plagued by the belief that their late compatriot was not so foolhardy. As they begin their own investigation, they uncover more than one murder, and in so doing find themselves in grave peril. Externally bound in black cloth with very minor shelfwear to head and tail of spine. Gilt lettering to spine. Dustrapper with minor shelfwear and light fading to black ink. Internally, the front hinge has partially failed but the work remains firmly bound with clean and bright pages, with the author's signature on the titlepage. Three very faint spots to back pastedown. Very Good . Ill.: None. Very Good/Very Good Indeed.