The Tooth and the Nail

Bill S. Ballinger. Stated first edition. New York: Harper and Brothers, 1955. Both unclipped dust jacket and hardcover are in Very Good+ condition. Jacket design by Jason Kirby. Original price $2.95 on inside flap. No writing or markings found in this well-preserved copy, 244 pp. 

Dive into classic mid‑century suspense with this striking first‑edition of The Tooth and the Nail, penned by noir‑master Bill S. Ballinger. This Harper & Brothers edition (1955) is in very good+ condition, complete with its original unclipped dust jacket—a rare find. The gripping courtroom thriller unfolds around a murder without a body, thrilling detectives with clues like a false tooth, finger, and bone fragments. A must‑have for vintage mystery collectors and fans of classic crime fiction.