Eric Ambler
73 copies for sale · $20–$8,500 · 39 first editions · 15 signed
Notable copies for sale
THE ABILITY TO KILL AND OTHER PIECES - INSCRIBED, WITH CORRESPONDENCE (first edition, signed) — Captain Ahab's Rare Books$1,250
The Light of Day (first edition, signed) — Adrian Harrington Rare Books£650
The Night-Comers (first edition, signed) — Adrian Harrington Rare Books£750
BACKGROUND TO DANGER (signed) — L. W. Currey$1,500
Journey into Fear (signed) — Burnside Rare Books$900
The Ability to Kill And Other Pieces (first edition, signed) — Good Books in the Woods$400
The Levanter (first edition, signed) — Adrian Harrington Rare Books£175
The Dark Frontier (first edition) — Burnside Rare Books$1,100
Epitaph for a Spy (first edition) — Burnside Rare Books$500
Background To Danger aka Uncommon Danger (first edition) — Lorne Bair Rare Books$400
Cause for Alarm (first edition) — Burnside Rare Books$350
Dirty Story (first edition) — Good Books in the Woods$110
What these are worth
Passage of Arms6 copies from 6 sellers
The Schirmer Inheritance4 copies from 3 sellers
Each page gathers every copy on the market, what similar copies have fetched, and the spread between them.
Works on the market
DIRTY STORY4 copies · $20–$425
Passage of Arms4 copies · £85–£150
The Mask of Dimitrios3 copies · $600–$8,500
A Coffin for Dimitrios3 copies · €25–€5,500
BACKGROUND TO DANGER3 copies · $20–$1,500
INTRIGUE : ; Four Great Spy Novels Journey Into Fear, A Coffin for Dimitrios; Cause for Al3 copies · $99–$173
THE SCHIRMER INHERITANCE3 copies · $123–$150
BACKGROUND TO DANGER2 copies · $350–$2,996
JOURNEY INTO FEAR2 copies · $550–$1,500
THE ABILITY TO KILL AND OTHER PIECES2 copies · $100–$400
The Levanter2 copies · £45–£175
THE CARE OF TIME2 copies · $73–$78
THE LEVANTER2 copies · $20–$58
DOCTOR FRIGO2 copies · $35–$48
A Kind Of Anger2 copies · $20
Uncommon Danger1 copy · £7,500
Journey into Fear1 copy · $1,250
The Dark Frontier1 copy · $1,100
Journey into Fear1 copy · $900
Market context
32 copies of Eric Ambler's works have left the market recently; the median last-listed price was $48 (last listed prices at time of sale or removal, not confirmed sale prices).
Recent auction results (hammer prices, premiums not included):
Here Lies..., first edition, signed presentation inscription from the author, 1985; and an (forum, 2026-07-23)£90
Listings aggregated from rare-book dealers, auction houses and marketplaces worldwide; refreshed continually. Prices are seller asking prices unless marked as auction results.