Rogue Male by Geoffrey Household

First edition, second printing published by Bantam in 1946

Originally published in 1939 on the brink of World War II, Geoffrey Household's thriller/adventure novel tells the story of a hunter's attempt to assassinate an unsaid European dictator. The protagonist, who has no name, goes on this mission for "sport," but it obviously turns into much more and adventures ensue. A later Penguin paperback (that I unfortunately don't own) features a man bearing an uncanny resemblance to Hitler on the cover, further insinuating the dictator's identity. Featuring nice 1940's cover art by an unattributed artist, this book is a great read and I strongly encourage picking up the NYRB reissue from a few years ago, currently in print.

Back cover featuring a picture of the original first edition