Editions of The Rilloby Fair Mystery

[Timmylover]

I am currently re-reading The Rilloby Fair Mystery. The copy I have was published by Collins, in 1972. Snoek had already become Sardine, although I guess that this change had already come about in the '60s. When checking the Cave of Books listings I couldn't find this edition in the Rilloby Fair section. It is a hardback, illustrated by Gilbert Dunlop, with the original dust jacket illustration reproduced on the actual book cover. Could anyone enlighten me?

[Tony Summerfield]

I think you have just answered your own question, Timmylover. As you say the publisher is Collins who also published the first edition and the front cover still has the original design. I only put reprints into the Cave when there is a radical change such as a different publisher or a new cover design. Even a change of publisher doesn't always get a separate listing if the book looks basically the same, as was the case when the Famous Five went from Hodder & Stoughton to Brockhampton.

I do cover these changes in a bit more detail in my bibliographies, but the Cave really just offers a skeleton outline:-

The Rilloby Fair Mystery (Barney Mystery 2) (May) 6/- (7½ X 5) (256 pages)
Blue cloth boards with title in silver on spine and a vignette in silver on front with a
wraparound dustwrapper (ill. Gilbert Dunlop) (1 story – 31 Chapters)
(note: The back flap of the 1st edition dustwrapper describes the first book in the series.
The dustwrapper was changed from a wraparound pictorial design to match the
‘Junior Story Book’ Series in May 1965 @ 4/- and this new design was issued with a
pictureboard cover in August 1969 @ 6/-)

Your edition is the last one mentioned in the notes.

[Timmylover]

Thanks Tony. My small mystery has now been solved.