Mystery at Witchend, Seven White Gates and The Gay Dolphin Adventure - the Long-Lost Radio Scripts by Saville, Malcolm, Barbara Sleigh, Muriel Levy - 2008

Petersfield, England: David Schutte, 2008 Book. Illus. by Val Biro. Mint. Hardcover. Signed by Illustrator and Publisher. First Edition. The set of three titles in the Radio Play Script series, claret, cream and orange cloth respectively, lettered gold, each with a b/w frontispiece, Mint in Mint dustwrappers, recently discovered, here at last are the long-lost scripts for Malcolm Saville's first three Lone Pine adventures. In 1943 Malcolm Saville's just-published "Mystery at Witchend" was serialised for BBC's Children's Hour in four parts, adapted by Barbara Sleigh (who went on to write the popular "Carbonel" series). Although highly successful, Saville's first serial was never repeated. There is no evidence that a recording was made, but if so, it has long since disappeared. Even the scripts had been thought lost forever - until now! Here they are, unearthed after sixty-five years, published in the three volumes of Lone Pine Radio (the scripts for "Seven White Gates" and "The Gay Dolphin Adventure" published, in 2009). The specially commissioned wraparound dustjackets were designed by Val Biro, who also drew a b/w frontispiece for each volume. This set is one of the 100 sets that were numbered and signed by the artist and publisher, Mint in Mint d/w, priced for the three. [A set of signed, limited edition prints of the three covers - the Val Biro pictures without the lettering - is also available].