London, Barrie & Jenkins, (1991). The limited advance reading copy of his fifth book, and the second featuring Detective Inspector John Rebus. This was his breakthrough book -- the first book to be self-consciously part of an ongoing series. Rankin's commercial success began with this book and he was able to move to larger publishers successively as the sales of his novels grew. Only a few years earlier, he had been unable to find a publisher, and even at the time that this book was being published his previous two novels did not find publishing houses in the U.S. that were willing to take them on. One of 400 numbered copies. Signed by the author, with an added game of knots & crosses (tic tac toe). Mild corner creasing on the rear cover; else fine in wrappers. [#028025] SOLD