# Is "A Firing Offense" by George Pelecanos a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of A Firing Offense by George Pelecanos (St. Martin's Press, 1992) is identified by: First edition stated on the copyright page with the number line descending to 1. The US St.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition stated on the copyright page with the number line descending to 1
- Bound in black cloth boards with gilt spine lettering; octavo, roughly 216 pages
- First-issue dust jacket carries the printed price on the front flap (an unclipped jacket retains it) and should not be price-clipped to identify the true first state
- Publisher imprint reads St. Martin's Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | George Pelecanos |
| Publisher | St. Martin's Press |
| Year | 1992 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition stated on the copyright page with the number line descending to 1 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First edition stated on the copyright page with the number line descending to 1. Bound in black cloth boards with gilt spine lettering; octavo, roughly 216 pages. First-issue dust jacket carries the printed price on the front flap (an unclipped jacket retains it) and should not be price-clipped to identify the true first state.

## Is this the true first?
The US St. Martin's Press hardcover is the true first, published New York, 1992. It is Pelecanos's debut and the first Nick Stefanos novel, printed in a small run and consequently scarce in collectible condition.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition was issued; the modest first print run is the only hardcover first state to seek.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *A Firing Offense* by George Pelecanos a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/a-firing-offense
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.