Dancing Bear (1983) Signed First Edition Reference

Dancing Bear was published by Random House in 1983, the second novel featuring Milo Milodragovitch. The plot involves environmental contamination and corporate malfeasance in Montana — Crumley’s detective confronting the destruction of the Western landscape he loves by the corporate interests that exploit it. The environmental theme gives the novel a prescience that has only increased its relevance.

The Book

Milo is hired to investigate an environmental pollution case that turns deadly. Crumley uses the investigation to explore the tension between Montana’s natural beauty and the extractive industries that threaten it — a theme that would become increasingly urgent in Western American literature. The novel is bleaker than The Wrong Case, with a harder edge and a more politically engaged perspective.

First Edition Identification

Publisher: Random House, New York Publication date: 1983 Format: Hardcover in dust jacket

Signed Copy Market Values

• Signed first edition, fine/fine: $200–$600
• Inscribed copies: $300–$800
• Unsigned first edition: $40–$100

The second Milo novel is valued by Crumley completists and by collectors interested in environmental crime fiction. Signed copies are moderately scarce.