Description

Description: In 1947, Mickey Spillane wrote his first extremely successful, potboiler mystery, I, Jury, to enable the purchase of a house in Newbury, N.Y. with his first wife, Mary Ann Pearce. Other Mike Hammer–his archetypal hard-man detective–novels soon followed.  Bernard C. Levy (1921-81) aka “Bernie” was a mail carrier on the Rural Free Delivery, No. 3 route out of Newburg, N. Y., who befriended celebrities and farmers alike. These thankful rural residents left gifts, read out their poems, or as in the case of Spillane, gave him autographed paperback copies of his novels. The verso of the front wraps of the eight books in this collection are inscribed to “Bernie”, each expressing a different sentiment followed by the characteristic “Mickey Spillane” signature. The books are: I, Jury (2), My Gun is Quick, Vengeance is Mine, The Big Kill, The Lonely Night, The Long Wait, and Kiss Me, Deadly.

The inscriptions are wonderful! And are as follows:

“Well, here’s the first of Mike–and his collection of blondes. Too bad they’re not real, huh?”; “Here’s to bigger and heavier mails.” The actor Biff Elliot (1923-2012) who starred as Mike Hammer in I, Jury (1953) adds another sentiment below Spillane’s: “If you doubt that she was all blonde Ask me. Biff Elliot”; “Blood, guts–and redheads in this one–hope you don’t get too much of it before you finish the series–”; “Don’t let the ending of this one get you–people like that happen–”; “Here’s the latest–but not the last of Mike–you got this one a month before it hit the stands–so don’t let too many in on it too soon–”; “This is the job the gals usually go for–plenty of active research went into it–”; “Well–you’re one of the first to read this job (The Long Wait), but I hope you enjoy it–”; “You got one of the first reprints! In ten years it ought to be worth 25c.”

Included in this grouping are newspaper clippings… one about Bernie, the mail carrier (The Denver Post, August 21, 1955), a feature on Mickey Spillane and an obituary (Times Union).

Eight signed paperback Signet books (7” x 4 ¼”) published by the New American Library. Item #AM00388

Mickey (Frank Morris) Spillane (1918-2006), an American crime fiction writer was regarded as the “King of Pulp Fiction.” His immensely popular books, featuring the “shoot-em-up sex and violence” detective Mike Hammer, sold between 100 and 200 million copies each. In spite of his sensational thrillers, some writers credit him with having paved the way for crime fiction. The novels I, Jury, Kiss Me Deadly, and The Girl Hunters were made into movies.

Condition: Some scattered foxing, toning of pages, generally good condition.