KILLER DOG

Collins 1959 First Edition

illustrated by Sheila Rose Not one of the series books, but the novelisation of the story of the film The Dawn Killer made by Rank for the Children's Film Foundation. Anna and Colin Hawkes, with the help of their old shepherd, Eli, try to defend their dog Glen against the worst accusations possible. First edition: Dark blue boards with silver blocking; 135x200mm; 192pp; title page vignette and 15 line illustrations. Dustwrapper design by John Baker; rear advertises The Cownappers; cover price 10s 6d.

Other Editions:

Serialised in The Children's Newspaper 1959: as The Dawn Killer

The serial is in sixteen parts and ran from the end of March to the twelfth of September issue. [there are eight weeks too many in this spread, so presumably there was a two month break in production between June and September.] The serial forms the whole of page 9, with one still photograph taken from the film. The episode is completed on page 10 of each issue.

Mr. Hawkes and Eli set out to examine the dead ewe from the Children's Newspaper 18 April 1959

The Children's Book Club 1961:
Hardback edition with black lettering on the spine; 192 pages; all the original illustrations.
The dustwrapper has the same picture as the first edition and lists other Children's Book Club books on the rear.

Rabén & Sjögren 1961:
in Stockholm; hardback edition with dustwrapper; as King blir misstänkt

German edition cover by Waltraut and Ottmar Frick

Herold Verlag 1962: as Der Reißer Hardback edition, translated into German by Brigitte von Mechow. 160pp; cover picture and nine b/w text illustrations by Waltraut and Ottmar Frick; overall size 130x190mm; my copy ex-library and has picture on front board under adhesive plastic - it may have been cut from a dustwrapper if one was issued; author and title on cream cloth of spine in black. Colin becomes Ted in this translation.

Arena-Taschenbuch No. 1019 1965: as Der Reißer. A slim paperback edition, 105x180mm, 154pp cover by Otmar Michel and illustrated throughout in b/w by Waltraut and Ottmar Frick. The translation is the one used by Herold Verlag above.

The Arena Taschenbuch cover 1965

Library Reprint 1969:
Hardback edition with dustwrapper. Listed by ME but not seen; probably the Chivers reprint below.

The sinister New Portway wrapper

New Portway (Chivers) 1971: Hardback edition with dustwrapper. The dustwrapper illustration wraps around onto the rear of the book and shows a seriously disturbed dog. Not really illustrative of the book's contents at all.