A Checklist of

HARPER’S SEALED MYSTERY SERIES

Compiled by Victor A. Berch


        Following in the footsteps of Doubleday, Doran & Co.’s entrance into the mystery series with its Crime Club series early in 1928, Harper Brothers introduced in 1929 an unusual concept for its series.  Each publication was to have a certain portion of the mystery story sealed off from the reader at a climactic point in the story. If the reader wished to continue to discover the author’s explanation and solution to the committed crime(s), the reader would then have to break the seal and read on.

        Should the reader lose interest in the author’s story and returned the book to the bookseller with the seal intact, the reader would be refunded the cost of the book.

        In its first few months, Harper boasted of the fact that of 60,000 copies sold, only three had been returned.

        In hindsight, the year1929 proved to be an inopportune time to embark on a new venture.

        Although business seemed to be prospering for most of the year, it was on October 29, 1929 that the bottom fell out of the stock market and initiated what was to be known as “the Great Depression.”  Every business was affected by this downturn in the economy and the book publishing business was no exception.    

        As a result, a few publishing houses advocated cutting retail prices for its books.  This was to take effect in mid-June of 1930. Even Doubleday, Doran & Co.’s Crime Club series was reduced from $2.00 to $1.00 for a period of time. And the Mystery League series of books, which began operations in mid-1930, was retailing its books for 50 cents.

        Yet, Harper Brothers stuck to its $2.00 retail price for its mystery series and fiction books in general.

        However, this decision did affect Harper’s overall sales.  By 1933, the income from its sale of books and Harper’s Magazine had dropped almost 60%.  Some salary cuts were made and no dividends were paid out. And so, Harper’s Sealed Mystery series passed into oblivion at the end of 1934.

        It wasn’t until 1937 that Harper’s book business began to improve as was the case of the book publishing business in general.

        Today, finding fine copies of the books with dust jackets and seals unbroken can be quite a challenge to any serious book collector, but there are some out there.

        All author information is supplied from Allen J. Hubin’s Crime Fiction IVA special thanks to Bill Pronzini for providing many of the cover scans shown below.

        In the following listing, the books are arranged chronologically by publication date.


1929


2/1/1929

RICHARD KEVERNE
, pseudonym of Clifford (James Wheeler) Hosken, 1882-1950.

The Havering Plot.  Pages 255-351 sealed.

* Advertised  in the NY Times 2/3/1929 and 4/7/1929.


2/15/1929

ALBERT PAYSON TERHUNE
, 1872-1942.

The Secret of Sea-Dream House.  Pages 251-340 sealed.

* Advertised in the NY Times 4/7/1929.


3/1/1929

MORAY DALTON
, pseudonym
of Katherine M(ary Dalton) Renoir, 1881-1963.

One by One They Disappeared.  Pages 211-279 sealed

 * Advertised in the NY Times 4/7/1929.


3/7/1929

LYNN BROCK
,
pseudonym of Alister McAllister, 1877-1943.

 The Stoke Silver Case.  Pages 217-308 sealed.

* Reviewed in the LA Times 7/7/1929.


4/3/1929

MILTON M(ORRIS) PROPPER
, 1906-1962.

The Strange Disappearance of Mary Young.  Pages 251-326 sealed.

* Advertised in the NY Times 4/7/1929.


5/1/1929

STUART MARTIN
, 1882- ?   

Only Seven Were Hanged.  Pages 231-262 sealed.

* Reviewed in the Atlanta Constitution 5/12/1929


7/4/1929 

FREEMAN WILLS CROFTS, 1879-1957.

The Purple Sickle Murders.  Pages 195-284 sealed.


* Reviewed in the NY Times 8/18/1929.


8/14/1929

RICHARD KEVERNE
,
pseudonym of Clifford (James Wheeler) Hosken, 1882- 1950.

The Sanfield Scandal.  Pages 201-310 sealed.




11/7/1929

LYNN BROCK
,
pseudonym of Alister McAllister, 1877-1943.

Murder at the Inn.  Pages 181-268 sealed.

* Advertised in the NY Times, 11/10/1929.


1930


1/15/1930        

MARY PLUM
,
1904?- 1981?

The Killing of Judge MacFarlane.  Pages 249-292 sealed. (Verified by Wonder Book, booksellers, Frederick MD).

*
Not catalogued as a Harper Sealed Mystery, but so designated  as such in the Latest Books Received column,  NY Times, 1/19/1930. 


2/5/1930

JOHN DICKSON CARR
, 1906-1977.

It Walks by Night.  pp. 211-328 sealed




3/5/1930

MILTON M(ORRIS) PROPPER
,
1906-1962.

The Ticker-Tape Murder.  Pages 243-322 sealed.


ca. 3/5/1930

AUSTEN ALLEN
, 1887-  .
   

Menace to Mrs. Kershaw
.  Pages 259-317 sealed.

* Advertised in the NY Times 3/9/1930.


4/4/1930

MORAY DALTON
,
pseudonym of Katherine M(ary Dalton) Renoir, 1881-1963.

The Body in the Road.  Pages 195-291 sealed.


* Reviewed in the NY Times 4/20/1930; advertised in the NY Times 5/11/1930.


5/1/1930 

RUPERT HUGHES
,
1872-1956.

Ladies’ Man.  Pages 403-465 sealed.

* Advertised in the NY Times 5/4/1930; 5/11/1930; 5/18/1930; reviewed in the LA Times 5/18/1930.


6/4/1930

RAYBURN CRAWLEY
joint pseudonym of Laura Spencer Portor Pope, 1907-1957, and Dorothy Giles, 1898?-1983?

The Valley of Creeping Men.  Pages 213-319 sealed.


* Reviewed in NY Times 7/6/1930; mini review in the Chicago Tribune 5/31/1930.


7/1/1930

LYNN BROCK
,
pseudonym of Alister McAllister, 1877-1943.

Murder on the Bridge.  Pages 205-268 sealed

* Advertised in the NY Times 7/27/1930; 8/3/1930; 9/21/1930; reviewed 8/3/1930 in the LA Times.


8/14/1930

STUART MARTIN
,
1882-  .

The Trial of Scotland Yard.  Pages 269-303 sealed

* Advertised in the NY Times 8/3/1930; 9/21/1930 . As the Copyright Catalogue lists the publication date as 8/14/1930, it can be assumed that publication may have been delayed until that date.


8/18/1930

SELWYN JEPSON
,
1863-1938.   

I Met Murder.   Pages sealed: unknown.

* Not catalogued as a Sealed Mystery, but advertised as such in the NY Times 9/21/1930.


8/21/1930

RICHARD KEVERNE
,
pseudonym of Clifford (James Wheeler) Hosken, 1882-1950.                          

The Man in the Red Hat.  Pages 261-314 sealed.

* Advertised in the NY Times 9/21/1930.


10/1/1930

(WILLIAM) HULBERT FOOTNER
,
1879-1944.

The Mystery of the Folded Paper.  Pages 185-350 sealed.


11/12/1930

FREEMAN WILLS CROFTS
,
1879-1957.

Sir John Magill’s Last Journey.  Pages 171-328 sealed.



1931


1/7/1931           

MARY PLUM
, 1904?-1981?

Dead Man’s Secret.  Pages 221-312 sealed.

* Advertised in the NY Times 3/15/1931; reviewed  in the NY Times 2/8/1931.  Mini-review in the Chicago Tribune 1/17/1931.


2/5/1931

K(ENNETH) T(HOMAS) KNOBLOCK
, 1898-1946.  

“There’s Been Murder Done”.   Pages 329-337 sealed.


* Advertised in the NY Times 3/15/1931; reviewed in the Chicago Tribune 2/8/1931.


2/19/1931

KENNETH (BRETT) PERKINS
,
1890-1951.

Voodoo’d.  Pages 187-289 sealed.


* Advertised in the NY Times 3/15/1931.


3/4/1931

JOHN DICKSON CARR
, 1906-1977.

The Lost Gallows
.  Pages 293-344 sealed.



* Advertised in the NY Times 3/15/1931; 4/26/1931; 5/17/1931.  Reviewed in the NY Times 5/21/1931.


4/1/1931 

MORAY DALTON
,
pseudonym of  Katherine M(ary Dalton) Renoir, 1881-1963.

The Night of Fear.   Pages 241-270 sealed.


4/15/1931

MILTON M(ORRIS) PROPPER
, 1906-1962.

The Boudoir Murder.  Pages 263-333 sealed.

* Advertised in the NY Times 4/26/1931; 5/17/1931; 5/24/1931


5/6/1931

STUART MARTIN
,
1882-  .

The Hangman’s Guests.  Pages 245-300 sealed.

* Advertised in the NY Times 5/10/1931; 5/17/1931.


6/3/1931

(WILLIAM) WILKIE COLLINS
,
1824-1889.                      

The Moonstone
.  Pages 313-482 sealed.

* Announced in the NY Times 5/31/1931 to be published 6/3/1931 in a modernized and condensed version.  Advertised in the NY Times  6/7/1931 and 6/14/1931.


7/8/1931

FREEMAN WILLS CROFTS
, 1879-1957.

Mystery in the English Channel.  Pages 269-299 sealed.

* Advertised in the NY Times 7/26/1931 and 8/9/1931.


8/5/1931

RICHARD KEVERNE. 
Pseudonym of 
Clifford (James Wheeler) Hosken, 1882-1950 

The Fleet Hall Inheritance.  Pages 199-344 sealed.


* Advertised in the NY Times 8/9/1931.


9/16/1931

(WILLIAM) HULBERT FOOTNER
,
1879-1944.

Easy to Kill.  Pages 213-312 sealed.


10/1/1931

JOHN DICKSON CARR
, 1906-1977.

Castle Skull.   Pages 233-279  sealed.


* Reviewed in the NY Times 10/4/19.

 

1932


1/4/1932         

FREEMAN WILLS CROFTS
, 1879-1957.

Sudden Death
.  Pages 189-282 sealed.

* Advertised in the NY Times 2/7/1932; reviewed in the NY Times 2/7/1932.


2/17/1932 

K(ENNETH) T(HOMAS) KNOBLOCK
,
1898-1946.

Murder in the Mind.   Pages 157-233 sealed.




3/23/1932

JOHN DICKSON CARR
, 1906-1977.

The Corpse in the Waxworks
.  Pages 217-248 sealed

 

* Reviewed in the NY Times 4/3/1932


5/4/1932 

(OSWALD) HERBERT BEST
, 1874-1980.

The Mystery of the Flaming Hut.   Pages 205-307 sealed.


6/8/1932

MARY PLUM
, 1904?- 1981?

Murder at the Hunting Club.   Pages 225-282 sealed.

* Advertised in the NY Times 6/12/1932; 6/19/1932; 6/26/1932.


9/5/1932

FREEMAN WILLS CROFTS
,
1879-1957.

Double Death.  Pages 221-303 sealed.



* Advertised in the NY Times 10/2/1932.


9/28/1932

JOHN DICKSON CARR
, 1906-1977.

Poison in JestPages 209-295 sealed.  (Verified by Douglas G. Greene.)



* Not catalogued as a Sealed Mystery, but advertised as such in the NY Times 9/18/1932; 10/23/1932; reviewed in the NY Times 10/2/1932. 


11/2/1932

(WILLIAM) HULBERT FOOTNER
, 1879-1944.

Dead Man’s Hat.   Pages 259-299 sealed.

* Advertised in the NY Times 11/6/1932.



1933


3/22/1933     

JOHN DICKSON CARR
, 1906-1977.

Hag’s Nook.  Pages 215-291 sealed.


* Reviewed in the NY Times 4/16/1933.


4/26/1933

(WILLIAM) HULBERT FOOTNER
, 1879-1944.

The Ring of Eyes.  Pages 211-278 sealed.


* Advertised in the NY Times 4/30/1933; 5/26/1933; reviewed in the LA Times 4/23/1933;  reviewed in the NY Times 5/14/1933.


5/12/1933

K(ENNETH) T(HOMAS) KNOBLOCK
,
1898-1946.    

Take up the Bodies.   Pages 183-261 sealed.


* Advertised in the NY Times 6/25/1933; mini review in the LA Times 5/14/1933.


5/23/1933

MARY PLUM
, 1904?- 1981?

Murder at the World’s Fair.   Pages 211-255 sealed.

* Advertised in the NY Times 5/28/1933, 6/25/1933 and 8/13/1933; reviewed in the NY Times 6/4/1933.


ca.6/25/1933  

GLEN TREVOR.
  P
seudonym of James Hilton, 1900-1954.

Was It Murder?   Pages 215-257 sealed.

* Reviewed in the NY Times 7/2/1933 and advertised 8/13/1933; mini review in the LA Times 7/9/1933.


6/30/1933

DERMOT (MICHAEL MacGREGOR) MORRAH
, 1896-1971.

The Mummy Case Mystery.  Pages 183-303 sealed.  (Verified by Bill Pronzini.)


* Advertised in the NY Times 7/23/1933 and 8/13/1933, but not catalogued as a Sealed Mystery.  Reviewed in the NY Times 8/13/1933.


8/8/1933 

JOHN DICKSON CARR
, 1906-1977.

The Mad Hatter Mystery.   Pages 215-300 sealed.

 

Reviewed in the NY Times 8/6/1933; advertised in  the NY Times 8/13/1933.



1934


1/17/1934       

(WILLIAM) HULBERT FOOTNER
, 1879-1944.

Murder Runs in the Family.  Pages 165-258 sealed.

* Advertised in the NY Times 1/21/1934 and 4/23/1934; reviewed in the NY Times 1/21/1934; mini review in the LA Times 1/28/1934.


2/21/1934 

JOHN DICKSON CARR
, 1906-1977.

The Eight of Swords.  Pages 159-225 sealed.


* Reviewed in the NY Times 2/25/1934 and the  LA Times 3/4/1934.


4/4/1934

ALBERT PAYSON TERHUNE
, 1872-1942.

Letters of Marque.  Pages 223-277 sealed.


* Advertised in the NY Times 4/29/1934; reviewed in the NY Times 4/8/1934.


4/24/1934

MILTON M(ORRIS) PROPPER
, 1906-1962.

The Divorce Court Murder.  Pages 197-278 sealed.

* Advertised in the NY Times  4/29/1934, 5/8/1934, 5/24/1934.

5/2/1934
F(RANKLIN) L(ONG) GREGORY
,
1905-1985.

The Cipher of Death.  Pages 169-269 sealed.


* Reviewed  in the NY Times 5/17/1934 .


7/5/1934

FRANCIS BEEDING.
  Joint pseudonym of Hilary (Aidan) St. George Saunders, 1898-1951, and John (Leslie) Palmer, 1885-1944.

The Street of the Serpents.  Pages 251-276 sealed.

* Reviewed in the NY Times 7/22/1934 and the LA Times 7/29/1934.


8/10/1934

(WILLIAM) HULBERT FOOTNER
, 1879-1944.

Dangerous Cargo
.  Pages 235-239 sealed.

* Advertised in the NY Times 8/19/1934; reviewed in the NY Times 8/18/1934.


9/21/1934

VIOLA (ISABEL) PARADISE
,
1887-1980.

A Girl Died Laughing.  Pages 207-277 sealed.

* Copyrighted for publication 8/26/1934.  Appeared as a serial in the Atlanta Constitution, 28 September 1934 to  6 November 1934 under the title “The Laughing Girl Mystery” in 34 installments, published daily except Sundays;  may have appeared earlier in an as yet unknown publication.  Advertised in the NY Times 9/30/1934.


10/25/1934

JOHN DICKSON CARR
, 1906-1977.

The Blind Barber.  Pages 175-279 sealed.


* Advertised in the NY Times 12/2/1934; reviewed in the NY Times 11/6/1934.


11/8/1934

MILTON M(ORRIS) PROPPER
, 1906-1962.

The Family Burial Murders.  Pages 261-342 sealed.

* Advertised in the NY Times 12/2/1934 and 12/15/1934; reviewed in the NY Times 11/11/1934.




ADDENDUM: 

        When I posted my article on the Harper Sealed Mystery series, I had believed that the gimmick Harper had used of sealing off the crucial ending had played itself out and died a quiet death. Therefore, it came as a complete surprise to me that in later days, Harper did use this gimmick intermittently on some of its mystery books.

        It was Steve Lewis who first brought this to my attention on his blog, and his findings were soon supplemented by those of Bill Pronzini. And, although these books were not officially part of the Harper Sealed Mystery series, it was important to make note of them and present these findings to the mystery reading public.

        There may be more out there that are not known and should the reader come across one, be sure to let us know.

   — Victor Berch, Steve Lewis and Bill Pronzini.      
         



JOHN DICKSON CARR
.  1906-1977.

     Death Turns the Tables.  Copyrighted for publication December 22, 1941. 

● Reviewed in the NY Times Book Review section  by Isaac Anderson, Jan 11, 1942.  Advertised in the NYTimes  Jan. 25, 1942.   No indication in any advertising or promotional material that the book was sealed.


BILL S. BALLINGER.  [Working byline of William Sanborn Ballinger.]  1912-1980.

      Portrait in Smoke.  Copyrighted for publication August 2, 1950.

● Announcement in Chicago Daily Tribune, July 23, 1950, column “Among the Authors,” conducted by  Frederic Babcock, that the book would be published Aug. 2, 1950 with special treatment.  Quoting from a letter received from William H. Rose, Jr., vice-president of Harper & Brothers :  “...we are going to seal the last few pages and offer a money-back guarantee...”

● In the “Books Out This Week” column of the Washington Post, July 30, 1950, was the announcement of Ballinger’s Portrait in Smoke.

● Advertised in the Chicago Daily Tribune, August 6, 1950, mentioning the sealed portion of the book.  Reviewed Aug 6, 1950 in New York Times Book Review section  by Robert Hagy.  Reviewed August 20, 1950 in the Chicago Daily Tribune by Kelsey Guilfoil.



MAX (SIMON) EHRLICH. 
1909-1983.

     Spin the Glass Web.   Copyrighted for publication February 13, 1952.

● The copyright notice also stated that an adaptation had appeared earlier in Cosmopolitan Magazine (copyright date November 11, 1951) and that new material had been added for book publication.

● Reviewed in the New York Times Book Review section February 17, 1952, by Elizabeth Bullock.

● Notice by Thomas F. Pryor in the New York Times, October 24, 1952, that Universal Films would produce a film version of the novel.



BILL S. BALLINGER. 
[Working byline of William Sanborn Ballinger.]  1912-1980.

    The Tooth and the Nail.   Copyrighted for publication on June 8, 1955.

● The copyright notice also stated that the novel had appeared previously in condensed form in the March 1955 issue of Cosmopolitan Magazine.

● Advertised in the New York Times, June 2 and June 10, 1955, stating that the book wass sealed.  Reviewed in the New York Times Book Review section June 19, 1955 by Anthony Boucher.

● Notice in the New York Times, October 4, 1955, that Film Locations, Ltd would produce the film to be released by Columbia Pictures.


NICHOLAS BLAKE.  [Pseudonym of Cecil Day-Lewis.]  1904-1972.

    A Penknife in My Heart.  Copyrighted for publication June 9, 1958, for the Collins Crime Club [England].  Published by Harper, 1959.

● Reviewed in the New York Times Book Review section May 3, 1959 by Anthony Boucher.  Advertised in the New York Times, May 17, 1959, without notice of seal.


NICOLAS FREELING.  1927-2003. 

     Question of Loyalty.   Originally published in England by Gollancz under the title Guns Before Butter.  Copyrighted for publication August 24, 1963.  Published by Harper, 1964.
 

● On April 19, 1964, in the New York Times Book Review section, Anthony Boucher reported that Guns Before Butter was selected by the Crime Club (England) as a second place prize winner

● On September 29, 1964, the New York Times “Books Today” section reports that Question of Loyalty has been published by Harper.

● On October 11, 1964, the New York Times Book Review section, Question of Loyalty was reviewed by Anthony Boucher.  On the same day Vivian Mort reviewed the book in the  Chicago Daily Tribune “Books Today” section.

● On December 6, 1964, the New York Times Book Review section names Question of Loyalty as one of the best 14 thrillers of 1964.
 




  
 
Close-up view of internal seal still intact in Bill Pronzini’s
copy of The Tooth and the Nail, by Bill S. Ballinger.


          
Close-up view of the wording of the outer seal
still intact on Question of Loyalty, by Nicolas Freeling.



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