MURDER ON THE MONTE - and - EVERY MAN AN ENEMY - The Fifth Sexton Blake Omnibus by Richards, Ross (also wrote as Matt Mead;) Baker, W. Howard - 1969

London: Howard Baker, 1969. 253 pp. First Hard Cover Edition. Both titles in a single volume: Murder on the Monte and Every Man an Enemy. Blue boards lettered in gilt on the spine. Light edge and corner wear on the dustjacket; price clipped; no interior markings. Sexton Blake, the detective, has been featured in many British comic strips, novels and dramatic productions since 1893. His adventures were featured in a wide variety of publications, in an assortment of languages, from 1893 to 1978. In all, there more than 4,000 stories by some 200 different authors. Blake was also featured in many movies, radio serials, and a 1960s ITV television series. The first Sexton Blake story was The Missing Millionaire by Harry Blyth writing as Hal Meredeth. It was published in the story paper The Halfpenny Marvel, number 6, on 20 December 1893. The earliest Blake stage play was in 1907. And the first Sexton Blake films were an assortment of silent ones, starting in 1909 and finishing up in 1928. Then, in 1935, came Sexton Blake and the Bearded Doctor, directed by George A. Cooper, with George Curzon playing the famous sleuth, followed by two more films in the 1930s, also starring George Curzon. After that came more films, radio shows (as recently as 2009), television series, even Sexton Blake playing cards and a 78 rpm record. All in all, a very successful franchise, rivaling Sherlock Holmes, The Saint, Ellery Queen and Nero Wolfe.. First Edition. Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. 12mo. Book.