Named after the former checkpoint between the Israeli and Jordanian sectors of Jerusalem, The Mandelbaum Gate won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize in 1965. The story of a Jewish-Catholic man on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and Barbara Vaughan, a “half London Jewish Catholic convert” (Spark herself was a Catholic convert, her father was Jewish and her mother was Anglican). Vaughan is trying to locate her Dead-Sea scrolls archaeologist fiancé, and has been warned she is in some danger due to her heritage. There’s abduction, espionage, murder! Everything disturbing and often wickedly funny. A favourite of Anthony Burgess.

London: Macmillan, 1965. First edition. Hardcover, 329. Green cloth binding is clean, some spotting on book edge. Dust jacket in near fine condition.