The Skin Trade – George R. R. Martin – WSFA

When a string of bizarre killings strikes her small city, private investigator Randi Wade becomes suspicious. Still haunted by her father's death at the claws and teeth of a strange beast almost twenty years before, the serial killer's grisly murders remind her of that still-unsolved murder. As the police hit a dead end, Randi starts looking for answers of her own. But when a close friend suddenly becomes a target, he is forced to reveal a startling secret about himself and Randi is quickly pulled into a dark underworld where monsters are all too real ... and prey on the living.

Bram Stoker 'Best Novellette' and winner of the World Fantasy award for Best Novella. Originally available in the 1989 horror fiction compilation 'Dark Visions' (also issued as 'Dark Love', 'The Skin Trade' and 'Night Visions 5'). Also appears in 'Quartet: Four Tales from the Crossroads' and 'Dreamsongs: Volume II'). Issued for the first time in hardcover by WSFA press in 2013, these were produced especially for the 2013 Capclave convention as George R. R. Martin was the Guest of Honour. This edition was limited to 500 trade (unsigned) editions, as well as a further 500 signed / numbered hardcovers. Illustrated by Rick Berry both the trade and limited editions feature 10 black-and-interiors pieces of artwork as share the same cover.

500 copies of the trade edition (unsigned). ISBN: 978-1-936896-04-2, priced at $25 on the inner flap. Black boards, claw marks motif carried through to the front of the boards. Smaller than a standard sized book.

500 numbered copies of the limited edition. As for the trade edition but signed by both the author and the artist to a specially bound in signature page. ISBN: 978-1-936896-03-5, priced at $35 on the rear inner flap.

At the time of writing it looks like the trade edition is still available in limited numbers from the publishers website (at the original $25 retail price), however the limited edition is (unsurprisingly) sold out. Expect to pay about £100 for a pristine copy.

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