The Dark Page
New York: Duell, Sloan and Pearce, Inc., 1944.
First edition, first printing. [Johnson The Dark Page II p. 68]. [vi], 250 pp. Original navy cloth lettered in red. Near Fine with two small stains to top edge, dust-soiling to edges, in an unfaded, vividly colored Very Good+ example of the rare dust jacket, small hole in spine panel, a few small tears near head, two tiny dampstains to back panel, a little wear and pencil checkmark to spine panel, light foxing to flaps, unclipped.
The breakthrough crime novel by Samuel Fuller, who had just barely augmented his income as a reporter with three earlier unsuccessful novels. After kicking around Hollywood as a script whose rights holder was director Howard Hawks, the rights were sold and it was made into the 1952 film noir Scandal Sheet. Fuller went on to direct a number of genre films, belatedly gaining critical acclaim for his singular "tabloid" style.
Price: $4,000.00