Mortal Ruin.

JOHN MALCOLM

Publication: Collins, 1988, London

First edition. Fine in price-clipped dust jacket with light wear to foot of spine and a tiny closed tear to bottom edge of front cover. Moreton Frewan, the uncle of Winston Churchill, traveled in the 1880s to America as a representative for various British interests. Among his ventures were cattle, ranching, gold mines, and investing. A poor businessman, Frewan lost a lot of his friends' money. In fact, his reputation as an investor was so bad he became known as "Mortal Ruin." Sent to Chicago on banking business, Tim Simpson is met at O'Hare airport by three hoods who attack him. All because of an envelope left by Frewan, full of gold-mine shares which has surfaced in Chicago. As Tim draws closer to Frewan's secrets more trouble surfaces in Chicago and in England as well.

Inventory Number: 36825