The Talented Mr. Ripley, Patricia Highsmith
First edition, first printing with "Advance Copy" stamped to the flyleaf. From the library of Sydney Sheldon, with his bookplate and signature to the front pastedown. The first of Highsmith's four books featuring Tom Ripley, a career criminal, charming con artist and murderer. Basis for numerous film adaptations and an enduring classic, rare as an advance copy and with a wonderful association.
New York: Coward-McCann, 1955. Bound in publisher's original black cloth lettered in green, correct first issue dust jacket priced at $3.00; pp. (iv), 252. A very good copy in a very good, unclipped dust jacket. Binding sturdy, wear and rubbing to board extremities. A few small spots of sticker remains to flyleaf, else internally quite clean. Jacket shows some general light shelfwear and rubbing with a few chips, minor stray mark to back panel, a couple tiny droplets and a very faint circular ghosting to spine from a sticker that was originally on the mylar, protected in archival mylar. Housed in a custom slipcase.