THE BELLAMY TRIAL

This is a first edition (1929) of The Bellamy Trial, by the American writer Frances Noyes Hart (1890-1943).

It is the first legal drama written by an American author and defined the genre of the court-room mystery dramas. It was made into a film in 1929.

Noyes wrote the book in 1927. In 1929, it became part of the Front Page Mystery Series, published by Doubleday Doran. So this is a first edition from that series, rather than from the book's original printing.

The Bellamy Trial is an "absorbing story of the mis-alliances and crossed lives of two couples from the gentry of upstate New York; one wife has been murdered, and the husband and the other wife are the accused," so say 20th Century Crime & Mystery Writers. It is based on the infamous Hall-Mills murder case of 1922. Only the Lindbergh kidnapping received more media attention than this case; The Bellamy Trail also illustrates American society of the 1920s and depicts the first 'media circus'.

It is 324 pages. Red boards with very minor wear to the covers. The original owner signed the front endpaper. There is the faintest scent of must; a day in a box with a car-scenter or dryer sheet will fix that. There's the odd spot inside but the paper is bright and the binding is nice and tight. Overall, superb condition.