London: Longmans, Green & Co., 1938

8vo, pp. 311. Original green boards, lettered in gilt to spine. Slightly cocked, a little browning to preliminaries, but a very good copy, lacking the dustwrapper but for a portion of the spine laid in, having been used as a bookmark.

First edition, SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR TO TITLE PAGE, AND ADDITIONALLY INSCRIBED TO HER NIECE: 'To Katharine with love from D. Christmas 1938.' 'D' was the family diminuitive for Edith. The recipient was Katharine Johnston (née Coghill), whose bookplate adorns the front pastedown.

Edith Somerville [1858-1949] and her writing partner, her cousin Violet Martin ('Martin Ross') [1862-1915] are best known for writing the Irish R.M. stories together. After Violet's death in 1915 Edith, a regular attender of seances and believer in the afterlife, continued to proclaim dual authorship of her books.

A lovely family association copy of this late title.