JACQUES, Brian. The Pearls of Lutra. A Tale of Redwall. Illustrated by Alan Curless. London: Hutchinson [1996]. 8vo, [viii] 406pp. Turquoise boards with spine stamped in gold foil. Two-page pictorial map, b&w illustrations at beginning of each section and chapter. A fine copy with expected page ageing in original color pictorial dust jacket. Signed by the author, Brian Jacques.

First edition. The 9^th book published in the Redwall series (though the 11^th chronologically). The Tears of All Oceans are missing. The six magnificent rose-colored pearls, which inspire passion and greed in all who see them, have been stolen and passed from hand to hand, leaving a cryptic trail of death and deception in their wake. And now Ublaz Mad Eyes, the evil emperor of a tropical isle, is determined to let no one stand in the way of his desperate attempt to claim the pearls as his own. At Redwall Abbey, a young hedgehog maid, Tansy, is equally determined to find the pearls first, with the help of her friends. And she must succeed, for the life of the one she holds dear is in great danger…  Ironically, though Jacques was British and his books all came out in Britain first, signed editions of his true first editions are quite scarce.