THE SECRET OF BUZZARD SCAR

First Published 1955 by Hodder & Stoughton

Illustrated by Joan Kiddell Monroe

first edition wrapper. Click to enlarge (File size=36KB)

first edition dustwrapper

The fourth, and final, book in the Nettleford series.

The Owlers leave Nettleford far behind and move to North Yorkshire for a holiday. Far up Swaledale they discover abandoned lead mines, Crackpot Hall and the cave in Swinithwaite Ghyll. They also encounter new friends, and new enemies.

An unusual setting for this series, but Saville describes the dale with his usual easy flair, capturing the mood of the place. I regularly have a coffee in the cafe in Richmond the Owlers find, but I'm still looking for the second-hand book shop !

First edition: green boards, black lettering on spine only; 145x195mm; 190pp; 2 diferent endpaper maps in green (not credited); frontispiece and seven full page b/w illustrations.
Dustwrapper full colour picture wrapping to spine of youngsters in cave; list of other Nettleford novels on back; photograph of author on rear flap; cp 8s 6d.

Reprinted:
2nd impression 1956.

Other Editions:

The Children's Newspaper c1955:
An abridged serialisation in this up-market weekly 'comic'. Illustrated, but not by Kiddell Monroe. Little information is available, an article in the Society magazine is promised.

Children's Book Club c1956?:
Blue boards, black lettering on spine; 200x140mm; 190pp; no date; map endpapers; frontispiece and seven other b/w illustrations; d/w picture as first edition.

Children's Book Club edition
courtesy of Mike McGarry

Armada cover

Armada 1972:
C509; cp 20p; no map; no illustrations; 158pp; cover not credited; advert at rear for 'They Rode to Victory' coming April 1972.

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Illustrations copyright the respective Publishers
Text copyright John Allsup
Last updated July 2003