The Stratagem and Other Stories.
London: The Mandrake Press, 1930. First Edition. Hardcover. Small Octavo. 140pp. Original gold & black imitation-snake skin patterned boards with black cloth spine with white paper title label. Three novellas by Crowley: "The Stratagem," "His Secret Sin," and "The Testament of Magdalen Blair". "The Testament of Magdalen Blair " paints a particularly nasty picture of what happens to human beings after they die, which is indeed so nasty that it has been described in the Penguin Encyclopaedia of Horror & Supernatural as "one of the most horrible stories ever written." Boards lightly bowed, spine label 100% intact, tiny abrasion on back cover at upper spine, paper lightly browned (as common). Otherwise a tight, unmarked, VG+ copy in VG dust jacket (Dust jacket a little darkened and discolored (as always), with faint red markings at top edge and gutter of rear panel, not clipped, light chafing to edges and points, now protected in removable mylar cover). Item #70851
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