25th February 2015

Last week, a reader from Canada sent me a copy of KANE AND ABEL to be signed.  Not an unusual event, you might think, but it turned out to be an uncorrected proof copy for distribution to the press, dated September 1979.  Naturally I wanted to get my grubby hands on it, as I hadn’t come across one myself for over 30 years.  I offered the reader a limited 30^th anniversary edition, plus a copy of my next book in exchange, but he declined the offer, so I sent it back to Canada today.

Here is something for the book trade to note: the price of a hardback copy of that book 33 years ago was £5.95.  You can now buy the eBook for £3.49 and in most bookshops a paperback for around £5-£6, so it’s no wonder publishing and the book trade are experiencing difficult times.

Nevertheless, if anyone else has – and it seems unlikely – a proof copy of any of my earlier books, Kane and Abel in particular, and are willing to exchange new lamps for old, please get in touch.

In addition, if anyone has an edition of Kane and Abel that was printed specifically in 1995, would they please let me know.