New York: Henry Holt, 1953. Light blue boards. Slight rubbing to spine tips, else fine, no previous owner marks. Price-clipped dust jacket has slight rubbing to spine and to front flap fold; half inch tear to rear panel; front panel lightly rubb ed, with a 1.5 inch creased tear at top, one inch tears to upper and lower inner corners internally repaired; else VG and still respectable example. The very prolific author's second book, issued the same year as his first book (THE TALL DOLORES). Avallone is perhaps best known for his 30-odd novels featuring Ed Noon (this is the second), New York City private eye, movie and baseball nut who learned his politics from John Wayne. Really badly written but with a crude energy, and suffused with bits from Hollywood movies of the 30s and 40s, the "Nooniverse" has its fans.; Octavo