Towards Zero

London: The Crime Club by Collins, 1944 . First edition. Cloth. Very Good Indeed/Good. 8" by 5.5". None. The first edition of Queen of Crime Agatha Christie's celebrated work of detective fiction, 'Towards Zero'. In the original dust wrapper. The first edition, first impression. Published one month after the US first edition.In the publisher's original unclipped dust wrapper.A lesser known and much sought after Agatha Christie novel, the last of her books to feature the Superintendent Battle.Contemporary reviews of the novel were overwhelmingly positive, with the Observer noting in 1944 that 'the new Agatha Christie has a deliciously prolonged and elaborate build-up, urbane and cosy like a good cigar and red leather slippers', and that Christie is 'keeping the flag of the old classic who-dun-it triumphantly flying!'. In the publisher's original cloth binding, with price unclipped dust wrapper. Bumping to back strip head and tail, with light cockling to front board. Boards bright. Rear hinge lightly strained to head, but firmly held. Dust wrapper age toned to back strip, and perimeters of front wrap. Handling marks to front wrap. Closed tear to tail of rear wrap. Small loss to back strip head, with more significant loss of paper to back strip tail. Tape repair to dust wrapper reverse at back strip tail. Internally, firmly bound. Pages lightly age toned due to paper type, otherwise clean and bright. Very Good Indeed