When Coal Commands: A Novel (Signed and Inscribed)

First edition, first impression. 250pp. In peach-coloured cloth boards, with gilt titles on spine. Signed and inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, 'To Barbara, best wishes, Joseph Beech'. 12mo. Boards a little worn and marked, rubbed and rounded on corners and spine tips, cloth creased along front joint. Spotted on top edge. Gutter cracking between front endpapers, causing a little looseness, else internally neat, clean, bright and tight. In its original dust jacket, heavily shelf worn, chapped and rubbed on edges, rubbed around spine joints with minor loss at head spine. Dust jacket now protected in an archival-quality Mylar wrapper fitted without the use of tape or adhesives. A hard to find volume. In this novel, written by an ex-miner, the coal mine becomes almost a character in its own right, rather than a backdrop.