TRUE CRIME & LEGAL TEXTS

Derby: Monarch Books, 1962 first edition and publication, light lean to spine, some rubbing at tail of upper joint, faint pen mark to cover, Monarch Americana Series MA 323, 141pp + adverts, biography of the mobster who became the FBI's 'public enemy number one' (500 grams). First Edition. Mass Market Paperback. Very Good/No Jacket. 16mo - over 5¾" - 6¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Christchurch: Capper Press, 1974 (500 gram rate) DW spine sunned, inscription to the page with the drawing of the found severed hand has been covered over with correction fluid, otherwise tidy copy, first edition thus hardcover, 71pp. With portraits of Mr and Mrs Howard, The Messrs Godfrey, and the mysterious hand. Photo offset from one of only two original pamphlets known to be extant. The true story of the bizarre events following the finding of a severed hand at Taylor's Mistake, Christchurch in 1885, which led to the exhumation of bodies in the Wairarapa, Wellington and from Sunnyside Hospital's graveyard. . Facsimile. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

London: Oxford University Press, 1903 cloth heavily rubbed to edges and joints, frayed back to boards, hinges split 9internal) ink name to fep, light foxing mainly to prelims, name and date at head of half-title, some pencil notation, 400pp + 8pp adverts, tenth edition. reprint. Cloth. Good/No Jacket. 8vo. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

London: Hodder, 1978 (500 gram rate) reading creases to spine, mild reading wear, Written with Bob Slosser, Atkins relates her childhood, time with the Manson clan at Spahn Ranch, the 'Helter Skelter' killing spree, and her conversion to Born Again Christianity while on Death Row.. reprint. Mass Market Paperback. Good/No Jacket. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Wanganui: Ward Publishing, 1926 cloth soiled and watermarked, torn at heel of spine and lower edge of upper board, water stain to head of front and rear endpapers, rubber stamp to fep, foxed endpapers, generally clean internals, xix 356pp. First Edition. Cloth. Good/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Auckland: Fontana, 1980 (500 gram rate) first edition, name to inside front cover, lightly worn wrappers, 156pp + plates, the most infamous drug ring in Australasia, and the sticky end of it's participants. First Edition. Mass Market Paperback. Good/No Jacket. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Los Angeles: Feral House, 2001 would be near fine in its unclipped DW but has some damp staining to boards with minor offset dye to reverse of the tidy DW, the first 30% of pages are damp rippled but show no staining, 305 +1pp adverts, survey of famous serial killers and murderers by Britain's most notorious and despised child-killer, Ian Brady, written from the psych ward of the prison he will never be released from. First Edition. Cloth. Good/Very Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" Tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Edinburgh: E & S Livingstone, 1919 titled cloth boards and spine, tail chipped, split at head of lower joint, fep removed but blank fly present, Eighth edition revised and enlarged, x, 417pp with 2 plates and 46 illustrations or figures. Revised and Enlarged. Decorative Cloth. Very Good/No Jacket. 8vo. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

London: Peter Davies, 1959 top of boards sun faded, generally clean copy, lacks DW, 303pp + plates, in depth account of the murder of Michael Farmer and Roger McShane by the Egyptian Dragons youth gang in New York City in July 1957, follows through the trial and aftermath, author is the Judge that presided and he comments on the future of youth crime that the case brought to light. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/No Jacket. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

London: Pan, 1990 light lean to spine, some of the gold title to the cover has rubbed off, small owner inscription to inside cover, scarce title by the last official serving hangman in Britain, fulled with wry wit and humour as well as pathos, 207pp + plates (500 grams). First Edition. Mass Market Paperback. Very Good/No Jacket. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

London: Geoffrey Bles, 1927 blue cloth with black titling to cover and spine, handling dust soiled, corners lightly frayed, spine titling worn, closed edges dust soiled, frontis starting to detach, ix 271pp + plates, publisher's rubber stamp to rear paste down denoting this as for sale in Colonies only, December reprint after October first, cases of the foremost detectives of the time, includes Dr Crippen Case. reprint. Cloth. Good/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

London: Butterworth, 1939 cloth lightly rubbed to edges, browned fep has gift inscription dated 1945, vii 302pp + frontis, plates and folding map at rear, shows some age related wear but no faults, the murder of Irene Munro, an early sex crime on the seaside at Eastbourne in 1920. First Edition. Cloth. Very Good/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

London: William Hodge, 1954 red cloth with blind design to upper board, light bumping to corners, unclipped DW minor handling wear, very minor short edge splits, fep has small patch of browning, xiii 299, deplorable case of a mental deficient who strangled three young girls, the last one while escaped from Broadmoor, interesting case of the use of the McNaughton Rule. First Edition. Cloth. Very Good/Very Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Wellington: Victoria University Press, 1992 (500 grams) 87pp, playscript, produced at Christchurch's Court Theatre in 1991, based on the true story of a supposed lesbian motivated murder in Christchurch in 1954 which was the basis of Pete Jackson's film Heavenly Creatures, name to inside cover, price label to rear cover. First Edition. Soft Cover. Very Good/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Wellington: Victoria University Press, 1992 (500 grams) 87pp, playscript, produced at Christchurch's Court Theatre in 1991, based on the true story of a supposed lesbian motivated murder in Christchurch in 1954 which was the basis of Pete Jackson's film Heavenly Creatures, name to inside cover, price label to rear cover. First Edition. Soft Cover. Very Good/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Auckland: New Women's Press, 1991 (500 grams) soft cover, sewn glued wrapper, 214pp with illustrations, in depth study of the case and the reaction it created in the general public and academia at the time, allegedly lesbian teen couple killed the mother of one who was threatening to split the pair up, basis of the film Heavenly Creatures by Peter Jackson. First Edition. Soft Cover. Very Good/No Jacket. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

London: Rich & Cowan seems to have generally been issued in paper wrappers, yet this copy is in Rich and Cowan designated cloth boards, the original text DW has been pasted down to the boards, joints splitting, book club rules pasted to front paste down, internally Good or better copy on ageing paper stock, DW over cloth binding is rubbed and in places missing, 3 works bound as one 127 + 127 + 127pp, cases from around the world. First Edition. Cloth. Fair/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Ex-Library. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Sydney: Pan, 1981 (500 gram rate) first edition, name to first page, worn wrappers, 236pp + adverts and plates, the most infamous drug ring in Australasia, and the sticky end of it's participants. First Edition. Mass Market Paperback. Good/No Jacket. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

London: Arrow, 2001 (500 gram rate) paperback 242pp An Australian psychics three week 'psychic tour' of England uncovers new information about Jack the Ripper, the Royal Family and the Titanic disaster, remainder striped closed bottom edge. First Edition. Mass Market Paperback. Very Good/No Jacket. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

London: Smith Gryphon , 1993 titled and illustrated paper over papered boards, we believe this was issued without a DW, near fine, no faults or marks, xvii 299pp + plates, included are photographic facsimiles of the pages from the diary, allegedly the author of the diary, James Maybrick, was the Ripper, he was poisoned by his wife in 1889, Florence Maybrick was found guilty and ordered to be hanged, but this was commuted and she died in America in 1941. First Edition. Pictorial Boards. Fine/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

London: Quality Book Club first thus, DW chipped head of spine rubbed all edges, xxx + 191pp pages age browned, amongst others includes Haigh acid bath killer and the Lonely Hearts killers. Also information on contemporary criminal law theory etc (1950s?). First Edition. Hard Cover. Good/Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

New York: The Mysterious Press, 1986 first thus edition after UK 1st in 1971. blue cloth spine over papered boards, top edge remainder striped, DW has some separation of the publishers lamination at the edges otherwise VG and unclipped. 234pp + plates , map endpapers,. First Edition. Quarter cloth. Very Good/Very Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

London: Futura, 1975 spine faded to blank, light wear to wrappers, age toned paper, mass market paperback, based on BBC television series featuring Detectives Charles Barlow and John Watt who use modern policing techniques and contemporary evidence to investigate the Ripper murders, a gripping documentary novel, rare Ripper piece 204pp (500 grams). First Edition. Mass Market Paperback. Very Good/No Jacket. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

London: Arthur Barker, 1975 ex library with usual markings, DW has shelf mark to spine, short closed tear top corner, labels on rear panel, 204pp, some pencil in text, based on BBC television series featuring Detectives Charles Barlow and John Watt who use modern policing techniques and contemporary evidence to investigate the Ripper murders, a gripping documentary novel, rare Ripper piece . First Edition. Hard Cover. Good/Good. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

London: Hammond, 1965 price clipped DW rubbed to edges and joints, small chip from tail area of spine, tape stain to vertical edges of fold in flaps and end papers where was once taped down, fep has remains of a pasted slip ( concealable under a medium sized book plate), tape residue to top and bottom edges of boards, 241pp + plates + 1pp advert, history of one of America's earliest detectives, Secret Service agent and founder of Pinkerton's National Detective Agency, closed edges dust soiled. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Auckland: Hutchinson, 1978 1977 Dick Lee uncovered six million tablets (!) of LSD and 120 people were arrested in regard to estimated 1oo, ooo, ooo pounds sterling worth of LSD. The cumulation of two years of investigations in England ,Wales and France. 382pp + plates, book VG, DW has light sunning to spine and a tear at the top edge of the rear panel, New Zealand printing of this uncommon book.. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Auckland: Hutchinson, 1978 1977 Dick Lee uncovered six million tablets (!) of LSD and 120 people were arrested in regard to estimated 1oo, ooo, ooo pounds sterling worth of LSD. The cumulation of two years of investigations in England ,Wales and France. 382pp + plates, book VG, DW has light sunning and a tearat the head of the lower joint, New Zealand printing of this uncommon book.. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Auckland: Hutchinson, 1978 1977 Dick Lee uncovered six million tablets (!) of LSD and 120 people were arrested in regard to estimated 1oo, ooo, ooo pounds sterling worth of LSD. The cumulation of two years of investigations in England ,Wales and France. 382pp + plates, book VG, DW has light sunning and a tear at the lower corner of the fore edge fold, some dust or age soiling to closed page edges, paper stock browning slightly, small name to fep, New Zealand printing of this uncommon book.. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

New York: Boni & Liverlight, 1926 call number in green to spine but no other markings, 364pp, 'liberal' for the time look at the growing wave of 'juvenile delinquency'. reprint. Cloth. Good/No Jacket. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1874 sunned spine, lightly rubbed or bumped edges, original endpapers with small pencil inscription to fep, xii 286pp + supplement of 91pp + adverts of 39pp, the Supplement to the Elements of Law is dated 1875. Second Edition. Cloth. Very Good/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Wellington: Butterworth, 1988 Supreme Court Lawyer and law lecturer interprets the New Zealand Misuse of Drugs Act 1975, book has been contact sealed with blue tinted plastic with an ownership label underneath this on the front cover, also has some highlighting and underlining and some minimal instances of light wtaer marking, nothing which would interfere with normal usage as a text or reading copy, xxvi 251pp (500 grams). First Edition. Soft Cover. Good/No Jacket. 8vo. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

London: New English Library, 1974 unclipped DW light rubbing to corners and edges, clean copy, 190pp, pp 129-160 are printed on different paper stock which is noticeably browner than the rest of the book, a review of the case of 'Jack the Stripper', by a Fleet Street journalist, rare in hard cover edition. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

London: New English Library, 1975 wrappers rubbed, spine sun faded, peice of front cover peeled away, paper stock browned but internally tidy, 190pp, a review of the case of 'Jack the Stripper', by a Fleet Street journalist, first paperback edition. First Thus. Mass Market Paperback. Good/No Jacket. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

London: Pan, 1962 first paperback edition of rare Ripper title, nice 'murder by gaslight' cover art by W Francis Phillipps, slightest rubbing to the joints, very mild spotting to closed edges, 224pp, after discussing the case in detail the author claims there is good evidence that a certain Russian doctor by the name of Vassily Konovallov was the culprit, (500 grams). First Edition. Mass Market Paperback. Very Good/No Jacket. Illus. by W Francis Phillipps. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

London: Pan, 1962 (500 gram rate) first paperback edition of rare Ripper title, nice 'murder by gaslight' cover art by W Francis Phillipps, good used copy with joints split to ends, some soiling, cover torn at spine, 224pp, after discussing the case in detail the author claims there is good evidence that a certain Russian doctor by the name of Vassily Konovallov was the culprit. First Edition. Mass Market Paperback. Good/No Jacket. Illus. by W Francis Phillipps. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Sydney: Butterworth, 1928 cloth boards with some rubbing to the top and bottom edges of the boards with some instances rubbed of frayed right back to the board underneath, otherwise a tidy unmarked copy, xviii 282pp + plates and frontis, rubricated title, Australian issue of the Hodges printed Notable British Trials Series issue, the trial of the English King, Charles the First. First Edition. Cloth. Good/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

London: Eyre Methuen, 1973 (500 grams) first edition trade paper ( sewn sheets but perfect bound) 255pp map end papers, classic sociological research on Glasgow gangs (youth gangs) in the mid to late 1960s, light soiling to surface of wrappers and slight bend to front cover. First Edition. Soft Cover. Very Good/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

London: Readers Book Club, 1964 first thus book club edition, DW has edge chipping and short clean tears, generally G+ apart from one large chip to lower edge of rear panel.. book VG with '175' in pen to fep otherwise no faults. Ex Detective Sergeant William Prendergast the inspiration for and source of the Z-car series stories. Printed in Australia by Colourgravure.. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

London: Cassell, 1955 second impression same month as first. DW complete and unclipped with mino edge rubbing and a few small splits and cips from the extreme edges. lower panel is soiled to the white surface. A career that commenced with the British African police, thru' the Colonial service, various County Police forces to Director general of M.I. 5.. reprint. Cloth. Very Good/Very Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Auckland: Oswald Sealy circa 1943, stapled sheets in printed yapped edge wrapper of stiff card, 24 world famous trials recounted including; Edward Gibbon Wakefield (elopement and abduction etc) / Lizzie Borden / Roger Casement / The Battle of Taumatawiwi / Reichstag Fire / T G Wainewright, 131pp early NZ crime publication (500 grams). First Edition. Printer Wrapper. Very Good/No Jacket. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

London: Grafton, 1987 In 1974, a young bride named Arlis Perry was brutally murdered in the Stanford University church. It appeared to be a ritualistic killing, with few clues left behind, and the police closed the case deciding the murder had been committed by yet another ‘California crazy’. Years later, on the East Coast, a book about satanism was smuggled from the confines of a maximum security prison. The words "Arlis Perry. Hunted, Stalked, and Slain. Followed to California" were scrawled in the margin of one of its pages by none other than confessed ‘Son of Sam’ killer David Berkowitz. At the close of the Son of Sam case, investigative reporter Maury Terry became fascinated with it and began his own private inquiries. He tracked down every detail, interviewing witnesses and studying the satanic anagrams in the killer’s letters, until he became convinced that Berkowitz had not acted alone. Now in this stunning and frightening work, Terry reveals for the first time how a satanic network appears to have been behind not only the Son of Sam killings but also the murder of Arlis Perry, the Charles Manson slayings, and several other bizarre and grisly incidents which have occurred since the early 1970s. An extraordinary exposé proving that there is indeed a satanic cult active today The Ultimate Evil is a persuasive and alarming probe into this little-known but awesomely deadly group. excellent copy in unclipped DW, small splits to bottom corners of DW at the folds, xiii 512pp+ plates, heavy book may incur higher postage charges . First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. 8vo. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

New York: Charles Scribners, 1908 (500 gram rate) tidy but has handling soiled boards with a silhouette design of skyscape and flowing water, lower board has faint residue of some paper that was stuck to the cloth, one tiny hole in upper joint, small and minor mark, ink inscription to fep "J A Cassidy Vailima Christchurch 1908" and pencil to paste down reads " W A Orange Sydenham 21/6/20", age browned fep, minor handling soiling or spotting to closed edges, 406+2pp adverts + plates, criminal cases from New York D.A.'s Office. First Edition. Decorative Cloth. Very Good/No Jacket. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

London: Chapman and Hall, 1935 lightly browned spine, lightly soiled cloth, ARMORIAL BOOKPLATE to fep, a cockle above the helm crest, shield has 4 rows of cockles and a star with a circle in the centre in the top left of the shield, main shield is flanked by two others, on the left a quartered shield with flower star and heart designs, on the right top quarters are fleur de lys and lion rampant, bottom half looks like three stemmed plants, ( excuse my laymans heraldry), bookplate for G E Fitzhardinge Kingscote, Captain New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Officer of the 5th Party of the Dunsterforce, Baghdad, Iraq 1918, book 400pp + frontis, closed edges foxed, includes The Seddons Trial, The Titanic disaster, Roger Casement, Suffragettes and Trade Unions and more. Reprint. Cloth. Very Good/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

London: Rich & Cowan, 1934 pale faded lime cloth, lightly browned spine, lightly soiled cloth, ARMORIAL BOOKPLATE to fep, a cockle above the helm crest, shield has 4 rows of cockles and a star with a circle in the centre in the top left of the shield, main shield is flanked by two others, on the left a quartered shield with flower star and heart designs, on the right top quarters are fleur de lys and lion rampant, bottom half looks like three stemmed plants, ( excuse my laymans heraldry), bookplate for G E Fitzhardinge Kingscote, Captain New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Officer of the 5th Party of the Dunsterforce, Baghdad, Iraq 1918, book 291pp, bottom edge untrimmed, top edge dusted black, contents includes; Samual James Furnace; Leopold Louis Harris and the fire conspiracy; the City of Liverpool airliner mystery; lieutenant Baillie-Stewart 'the officer in the Tower'; The Moscow Trial of supposed Metropolitan-Vickers company saboteurs; West End Mystery and the murder of Nora Upchurch; the story of the Dorothy Wright murder; Who fired the Reichstag? van der Lubbe or the nazi's? ; discovery of a woman's body in a cave on the Channel Island of Sark; Ernest Brown charged with a murder at a Yorkshire farm ; The Acid Bath Murders of Georges Sarret in the town of Aix-en-Provence . First Edition. Cloth. Very Good/No Jacket. 8vo. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Adelaide: Rigby, 1985 card covered light crease to front. xi, 214 + plates. Includes Moors Murders, Peter Kurten, Nilsen, Albert Fish. First Edition. Soft Cover. Very Good/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

London: William Hodge, 1938 slight foxing closed edges, slightly dulled cloth, xix 317pp + plates, the histroy and technology of fingerprints and their use in crime detection and identification, includes a section on Mark Twain's interest in them. First Edition. Cloth. Very Good/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)