CRIME WANTED - MALE OR FEMALE" [RED HARVEST - PART 2] [IN] BLACK MASK - VOL.VI, NO.4 (DECEMBER, 1927) by Hammett, Dashiell, Horace McCoy, Erle Stanley Gardner, et al. (contributors) - 1927

[New York: Pro-Distributors Publishing Company], 1927. First Edition. A key issue, marking Horace McCoy's debut in Black Mask with a story called "The Devil Man," additionally containing stories by Erle Stanley Gardner, Julian Kilman, Victor Shaw, Tom Curry, and others. The issue is most notable for containing "Crime Wanted - Male or Female," Part Two (of four parts) of Dashiell Hammett's first novel, Red Harvest. The story corresponds to chapters 8-14 in the finished novel, and ended up being heavily revised at the behest of Hammett's publisher Blanche Knopf. Superb "tough-guy" cover by Fred Craft. Scarce. See Hagemann 1096; Layman C80. British issue, priced 9d.net at upper left corner of front wrapper. Quarto (25cm); illustrated pulp wrappers; 128pp; illus. Mild foxing and dust-soil to text edges, wrappers lightly edgeworn, with shallow loss to crown, short tears and attendant creases to edges; rubber-stamped price to rear wrapper; Very Good+.