THE SCARLET LETTERS by Ellery Queen, pen name of Frederic Dannay and Manfred B. Lee. New York: Pocket Books, Inc., (1955). First paperback edition, first printing; mass-market paperback. "1st printing" to the copyright page, code 1049 and .25c to the front cover. Originally published in 1953 in hardcover, this paperback edition shows the first of the more sexual style covers, and with the first boldly overt statement employed by the Queen team, "A tantalizing nymph..." A highly rated Queen plot, with the first time using a dying man clue, and the first time employing a non-cloaking, frank speech about sexual matters, and with the rarely or briefly seen Gal Friday secretary, Nikki Porter, this time an important character Queen uses as an undercover agent at the murder house. A beautiful, well-preserved first printing collectible. Fine, very tight and unread in glossy stiff-card wraps with cover art depicting a pretty-faced blonde in a see-through nightie holding a phone, by great realist cover artist Carl Bobertz, all page edges deep-red. Mass-market paperback; 178 pages; plus clue chapter list, plus cast of characters, plus 'Adultery and Murder' plot synopsis, and plus 2 pages of ads to the rear. PLEASE VIEW OUR STORE FOR MORE GREAT PAPERBACK COLLECTIBLE BOOKS THANKS!