8vo. Original black-stamped red cloth; some wear and fading, minor marginal spotting to a few leaves. Original illustrated dust jacket; some very minor creasing to lower corner of front panel. With a snapshot photo of Chang Apana laid in.

inscribed by biggers to the original detective inspiration for Charlie Chan: "To Chang Apana — honest number one detective all same Charlie Chan — with my kindest wishes. Earl Der Biggers Honolulu July 30, 1931."

Chang Apana was a longtime Hawaiian detective of Chinese descent, who worked Honolulu's Chinatown and among the islands' poorest immigrant workers.  During his 24-year-long career, his de🧸tective exploits became legendary, not least because he was the only Chinese on the police force. He cleared opium dens with only his bullwhip, was a master of disguise, and solved crimes from robbery to murder quickly and often unconventionally. He was also adept at catching lepers, a crucial service given the epidemic the island suffered through.

Biggers first read about Chang in newspapers and based what he thought would be a minor character on the detective in 1924. The two did not meet until 1928, but Biggers eventually featured the Chan character in some half doz♐en n♛ovels and screen adaptations that became some of the most popular crime films of the 1930s.