WHO IS CATO?. (WITH ESPIONAGE SIGNED LETTER)

SIMS, George

ISBN 10: 0333306309 / ISBN 13: 9780333306307

Published by Macmillan.,, London,, 1981

About this Item

First Edition. Hardback. Dust Jacket. 8vo. PP 169. Thriller with art dealer character and espionage theme. George Sims (1923 -1999). Loosely inserted is an interesting letter about the book. Sims was a successful and much admired dealer in rare books, something of a poet and a novelist with several of his books being about the book trade (bibliomysteries.) This book has an art dealer, one William Marshall (rich but disillusioned), as its hero. He becomes involved in espionage through his connection to ÔIntelligenceÕ in WW2 and finds himself working against the KGB many years later while on holiday in Majorca.The typed signed letter from Sims to a woman friend, who ran a bookshop, is on headed notepaper from his cottage ÔPeacocksÕ in Hurst, Berkshire. It reads:Many thanks for your helpful cheering letter.Probably IÕve told you that when Cato was published we were in America and our daughter phoned to say that there had been a mysterious burglary at our cottage in which nothing was taken. When I came back I was puzzled as to how an entry was made into our cottage and my office; nothing was missing not even some £10 notes in the office drawerÉ exactly like the burglary which took place at William MarshallÕs cottage near Hambleden!! Obviously someone thought I knew more than I did. I was to blame as I had signed the official secrets document when I was at the SCU, and there was quite a deal of fact mixed with the fiction. Love George. The S.CU. ÔSpecial Communications UnitsÕ were outstations of S.I.S (ÔSpecial Intelligence ServicesÕ) involved mostly with radio communications. They were disbanded in 1946. Sims, known to be irascible, appears quite philosophic about this incident. His books are collected, especially the bibliomysteries, also his excellent and still mouthwatering catalogues ISBN 0333306309 Fine in fine complete d/w.

Seller Inventory # C73875

Bibliographic Details

• Title: WHO IS CATO?. (WITH ESPIONAGE SIGNED LETTER)
• Publisher: Macmillan.,, London,
• Publication Date: 1981
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0333306309
• ISBN 13: 9780333306307
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Condition: Fine
• Dust Jacket Condition: Dust Jacket Included
• Signed: Signedes