''Absolutely fascinating . . . A must-read for anyone enthralled by the value and integrity of books'' Janice Hallett, author of The Alperton Angels
''Hugely entertaining . . . a propulsive if unlikely thriller, whose plot hinges on typographical minutiae and sherry parties'' LRB
A true detective story from the age of Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers: the literary crime that fooled the world - and the daring young booksellers who uncovered it
London, 1932. Thomas James Wise is the toast of the literary establishment. A prominent collector and businessman, he is renowned on both sides of the Atlantic for unearthing the most stunning first editions and bringing them to market. Pompous and fearsome, with friends in high places, he is one of the most powerful men in the field of rare books.
One night, two young booksellers - one a dishevelled former communist, the other a martini-swilling fan of detective stories - stum
