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?

Oh, what a truly Gothic experience! That gives new definition to the term "gothic novel". I'm surprised your bookstore overlooked that. My only horrifying experience is opening up a book and releasing the most nasty, pungent smell. I believe it may have been concentrated dog urine, but since I was unsure of the original source, I could not confirm this.

Yes! A used book I ordered online arrived reeking of old cigarette smoke. The odor was so strong I could not read the book without feeling asthmatic. I sent an email to the bookseller, who was very apologetic and refunded my money without being asked. She said she acquires her books from many sources. She suggested several ways to try to remove the smell, including burying the book in clean cat litter! In the end I lightly spritzed the book inside and out with a solution of mint and lemon extracts, and left it out in the sun for several days. This greatly reduced the odor, at least enough to make reading the book tolerable. Although now it sort of smells like menthol cigarettes. Oh well! Caveat emptor.