"HIS LEW ARCHER SERIES IS A MONUMENTAL CONTRIBUTION TO DETECTIVE LITERATURE"

(MILLAR, Kenneth) (MACDONALD, Ross) MACDONALD, John Ross. Drowning Pool. New York, 1950.

First edition of Macdonald's second Lew Archer novel, confirming the signal influence of his California private detective in creating "a new literary standard for his genre" (New York Times), issued under the pseudonym of John Ross Macdonald, a very scarce copy inscribed by him using his pseudonym, "Best wishes to Roy W—, John Ross Macdonald," basis for the 1975 film starring Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. $4500.

INSCRIBED BY ROSS MACDONALD

(MILLAR, Kenneth) MACDONALD. Ross. Wycherly Woman. New York, 1961.

First edition of Macdonald's 9th Lew Archer novel, his first book to be nominated for Mystery Writers of America's important Edgar Allen Poe Award, inscribed on the title page by him, "To Roy W— with my regards and best wishes, Ross Macdonald," a fine copy. $3500.

"THE BEST NOVEL IN THE HARD-BOILED TRADITION… SINCE FAREWELL, MY LOVELY… AND POSSIBLY SINCE THE MALTESE FALCON"

(MILLAR, Kenneth) (MACDONALD, Ross) MACDONALD, John Ross. Way Some People Die. New York, 1951.

First edition of the third Lew Archer novel in Ross Macdonald's award-winning series, published under his pseudonym of John Ross Macdonald, signed on the title page by him using his pseudonym, with this early work esteemed as "a genre classic" and praised on publication as a "subtle hard-boiled gem" (Saturday Review). $3500.

"MACDONALD MASTERED THE HARD-BOILED DETECTIVE FORM": THE BARBAROUS COAST, SIGNED BY ROSS MACDONALD

(MILLAR, Kenneth) MACDONALD, Ross. Barbarous Coast. New York, 1956.

First edition of the first Lew Archer novel published under Kenneth Millar's best-known pseudonym of Ross Macdonald, signed by him as Ross Macdonald. $3200.

"THE FINEST SERIES OF DETECTIVE NOVELS EVER WRITTEN BY AN AMERICAN"

(MACDONALD, Ross) MACDONALD, John. Moving Target. New York, 1949.

First edition of the novel that launched Ross Macdonald's Lew Archer detective series, confirming his place “as a seminal writer in the field of modern American literature,” the only novel published under the early pseudonym of John Macdonald, the first Lew Archer novel to be adapted for the screen in William Goldman’s screenplay for the 1966 film Harper starring Paul Newman, a Haycraft-Queen Cornerstone. $3200.

"HIS LEW ARCHER SERIES IS A MONUMENTAL CONTRIBUTION TO DETECTIVE LITERATURE"

(MACDONALD, Ross) MACDONALD, John Ross. Drowning Pool. New York, 1950.

First edition of Macdonald's second Lew Archer novel, confirming the signal influence of his California private detective in creating "a new literary standard for his genre" (New York Times), issued under the pseudonym of John Ross Macdonald. The basis for the 1975 film starring Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. $3200.

"THE BEST NOVEL IN THE HARD-BOILED TRADITION… SINCE FAREWELL, MY LOVELY… AND POSSIBLY SINCE THE MALTESE FALCON"

(MACDONALD, Ross) MACDONALD, John Ross. Way Some People Die. New York, 1951.

First edition of one of the first Lew Archer novels in Ross Macdonald's award-winning series, published under his early pseudonym of John Ross Macdonald, widely considered "a genre classic," and praised on publication as a "subtle hard-boiled gem" (Saturday Review). $2400.

SIGNED BY ROSS MACDONALD

(MILLAR, Kenneth) MACDONALD, Ross. Black Money. New York, 1966.

First edition of Macdonald's "powerful" novel, the 13th in his award-winning Lew Archer series, signed on the title page by Macdonald. $2200.

"THE KIND OF STYLE AND STORY THAT HAS A BOGART TWIST TO ITS MOUTH"

MACDONALD, Ross. Doomsters. New York, 1958.

First edition of Macdonald's 7th Lew Archer novel, praised for revealing how "the hardboiled private detective story can become literature," a splendid copy in the original dust jacket. $2000.

"THE FINEST WRITER OF 'HARD-BOILED' DETECTIVE STORIES SINCE DASHIELL HAMMETT"

(MACDONALD, Ross) MACDONALD, John Ross. Ivory Grin. New York, 1952.

First edition of the "best of the early Lew Archer novels" by Ross Macdonald, published by Knopf under his early pseudonym of John Ross Macdonald. $1800.

"A STUNNING ADDITION TO THE ARCHER BOOKS, THE FINEST SERIES OF DETECTIVE NOVELS EVER WRITTEN BY AN AMERICAN" (WILLIAM GOLDMAN): THE GOODBYE LOOK, SIGNED BY ROSS MACDONALD

(MILLAR, Kenneth) MACDONALD, Ross. Goodbye Look. New York, 1969.

First edition of the 15th novel in the award-winning Lew Archer detective series, signed by Ross Macdonald. $1600.

SIGNED BY ROSS MACDONALD

MACDONALD, Ross. Far Side of the Dollar. New York, 1965.

First edition of Macdonald's 12th Lew Archer crime novel, chosen Best Crime Novel of the Year by the British Crime Writers Association, signed by Macdonald on the title page, an exceptional copy. $1500.

"AMONG THE BEST AMERICAN NOVELISTS OF HIS GENERATION"

(MACDONALD, Ross) MILLAR, Kenneth. Trouble Follows Me. New York, 1946.

First edition of the second novel by Macdonald, famed as the successor to Chandler and Hammett—one of only four novels published under his birth name of Kenneth Millar—a handsome copy in the original dust jacket. $1500.

"A WORTHY SUCCESSOR TO HAMMETT AND CHANDLER"

(MILLAR, Kenneth) MACDONALD, Ross. Instant Enemy. New York, 1968.

First edition of Macdonald's 14th Lew Archer novel—"an extraordinary performance" (Anthony Boucher)—signed by him in his pen name of Ross Macdonald and in his own name of Kenneth Millar, a fine copy in the original dust jacket. $1200.

SIGNED BY ROSS MACDONALD

MACDONALD, Ross. Zebra-Striped Hearse. New York, 1962.

First edition of Macdonald's 10th Lew Archer novel, reshaping the genre that "Hammett invented, that Chandler elaborated, and that he himself has refined… a model of his excellence," signed by Ross Macdonald on the title page, a splendid copy in the original dust jacket. $1200.

"ONE OF THE FEW MYSTERY WRITERS ALSO REGARDED AS A MAJOR AMERICAN NOVELIST"

(MACDONALD, Ross) MILLAR, Kenneth. Blue City. New York, 1947.

First edition of Ross Macdonald's elusive third novel, considered his first true hard-boiled novel in anticipating his brilliant Lew Archer series, one of only four early works issued under his birth name of Kenneth Millar and his first novel to be issued by Knopf, renowned publisher of Hammett and Chandler, in original dust jacket. $1200.

"SUCCESSOR, PROBABLY THE GREATEST, TO THE HAMMETT AND CHANDLER HARD-BOILED TRADITIONS"

MACDONALD. Ross. Wycherly Woman. New York, 1961.

First edition of Wycherly Woman, the first book by Macdonald to be nominated for Mystery Writers of America's important Edgar Allen Poe Award, his 9th Lew Archer novel, in original dust jacket. $1100.

THE UNDERGROUND MAN, SIGNED BY ROSS MACDONALD

(MILLAR, Kenneth) MACDONALD, Ross. Underground Man. New York, 1971.

First edition of "Macdonald's best book yet" (Eudora Welty) one of his final Lew Archer mysteries, signed by Macdonald, issued the same year Macdonald appeared on the cover of Newsweek, a fine copy. $1100.

“THE PHILOSOPHER KING OF DETECTIVE NOVELISTS"

(MILLAR, Kenneth) MACDONALD, Ross. Sleeping Beauty. New York, 1973.

First edition of the penultimate Lew Archer novel, published a decade before Macdonald's death, the book he once described as revealing "my family secrets." $650.

"ROSS MACDONALD REMAINS THE GRANDMASTER, TAKING THE CRIME NOVEL TO NEW HEIGHTS"

(MILLAR, Kenneth) MACDONALD, Ross. Blue Hammer. New York, 1976.

First edition of Macdonald's 18th Lew Archer novel, the culmination of his award-winning detective series, praised as "a perfect example of the power and potential of the murder story." $350.