A highly desirable collector's pairing comprising a signed, uncorrected bound proof and a signed first edition, first printing hardback of Christopher Brookmyre's acclaimed Jack Parlabane thriller Be My Enemy.
The uncorrected bound proof is the publisher's pre-publication issue, bearing the statement "An Uncorrected Bound Proof from Little, Brown" to the lower cover. Unlike many contemporary proofs produced in plain or provisional wrappers, this example features the same striking artwork as the published hardback and is signed by Christopher Brookmyre on a tipped-in bookplate.
Accompanying the proof is a first edition, first printing hardback, flat signed by the author to the title page. The book and dust jacket are both in near fine condition.
Condition
Uncorrected Bound Proof: Near Fine. Signed bookplate tipped in.
First Edition Hardback: Near Fine.
Dust Jacket: Near Fine.
A particularly attractive and well-preserved matching set.
Collector's Note
Uncorrected proofs occupy a special place in modern first edition collecting, representing the stage immediately preceding publication and often produced in significantly smaller numbers than the finished trade edition. Brookmyre's bound proofs are increasingly difficult to locate, particularly when signed and paired with a signed first printing of the published book. This set offers collectors the opportunity to acquire both the pre-publication and first published states of one of the author's best-regarded early novels in matching form.
Be My Enemy is widely regarded as one of the standout titles in Brookmyre's celebrated Jack Parlabane series, combining the author's trademark blend of sharp social satire, black humour and fast-paced crime fiction. Signed examples of the hardback are sought after, while signed bound proofs are encountered far less frequently, making this a particularly appealing set for collectors of modern Scottish crime fiction and Christopher Brookmyre's work.
A scarce and increasingly elusive signed proof-and-first-edition pairing.
388 pp.
