Went to my local used bookstore last evening looking for two specific titles. I'm hopeless apparently, because I walked out with 10 more novels. 
And that's after I didn't find the two titles I was looking for.
One was The Mark of the Rope by Miriam Lynch. Later looked over each book more carefully; more closely examined the cover art, re-read the back description, etc. True bibliophiles understand.
Anyway, in the middle of this novel I find a huge splotch of what looks like very old blood.
It wasn't coffee; hopefully was it soda. But it was soaked clean through two pages, and onto a 3rd. I've known blood stains on paper to do that. And the edges of these pages were smooth and flat; not wrinkled like water will do. I like being creeped out by these novels, but not like that.
I tossed the book and ordered another copy via alibris.com.
Anyone else here have an "unpleasant surprise in a book" story to share?
And that's after I didn't find the two titles I was looking for.One was The Mark of the Rope by Miriam Lynch. Later looked over each book more carefully; more closely examined the cover art, re-read the back description, etc. True bibliophiles understand.
Anyway, in the middle of this novel I find a huge splotch of what looks like very old blood.
It wasn't coffee; hopefully was it soda. But it was soaked clean through two pages, and onto a 3rd. I've known blood stains on paper to do that. And the edges of these pages were smooth and flat; not wrinkled like water will do. I like being creeped out by these novels, but not like that. I tossed the book and ordered another copy via alibris.com.
Anyone else here have an "unpleasant surprise in a book" story to share?