Penguin Books Ltd, Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England Penguin Books Pty Ltd, Ringwood Victoria, Australia
First published by Victor Gollancz 1963 Published in Penguin Books 1965 Copyright © Nicolas Freeling, 1963
Made and printed in Great Britain by Petty and Sons Limited, Whitehall Printeries, Leeds Set in Monotype Times
All the characters and situations described in this book, without exception, are completely imaginary, as is the town of Blomendaal aan Zee. Where, incidentally, reference is made to a person or office that in fact exists, such as the Procureur-Général in Amsterdam, of the head of the Children and Morals Department of the police in that city, no connexion exists or caricature is intended
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade, be lent, re-sold, hired out, or otherwise disposed of without the publisher’s consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published