A Gothic-tinged Regency romance from Georgette Heyer, telling of orphaned Kate Malvern, who is taken in by her wealthy and unsettling Aunt Minerva at the secluded country house of Staplewood, where strange family secrets and a slow-building mystery unfold around her. One of Heyer's darker, more atmospheric novels, blending her trademark Regency wit with elements of suspense.

Details

Condition

This is an ex-Readers Book Club edition (No. 193, issued November 1969) bound in dark cloth boards with gilt lettering to the spine, housed in its original illustrated paper dust-wrapper rather than a printed dust jacket. The dust-wrapper shows significant wear: heavy chipping and loss at the spine head, edge tears, surface soiling and staining to the rear panel, and general age-toning. The cloth boards beneath show shelfwear at the corners and spine ends. Internally the text block is clean and tightly bound, with the title page, copyright page, and Chapter One all crisp and legible; included is the original "Looking Ahead" club promotional leaf and the front "blurb" panel describing the plot. Overall a well-preserved interior in a well-loved, well-worn wrapper — a presentable reading copy for collectors who don't require dust-jacket perfection.