Muscle for the Wing (1988) Signed First Edition Reference

Muscle for the Wing continues the story of detective Rene Shade in St. Bruno, Louisiana. Published by Henry Holt in 1988, the second Bayou trilogy novel finds Shade confronting a gang of robbers terrorizing the town’s criminal underworld. Woodrell’s prose grows more confident and his plotting more ambitious.

First Edition Identification

Publisher: Henry Holt and Company, New York Publication date: 1988 Format: Hardcover in dust jacket

Signed Copy Market Values

• Signed first edition, fine/fine: $100–$300
• Unsigned first edition: $25–$60

The middle volume of a trilogy is typically the least collected, but Woodrell’s small output means that completists want every title. Signed copies are scarce from this period.