# Is "A Stab in the Dark" by Lawrence Block a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of A Stab in the Dark by Lawrence Block (Arbor House, 1981) is identified by: First hardcover edition; first printing has a complete number line on the copyright page and a priced dust jacket. US Arbor House hardcover of 1981 is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First hardcover edition; first printing has a complete number line on the copyright page and a priced dust jacket
- Dealer descriptions cite the full number line as the identifying point
- Publisher imprint reads Arbor House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Lawrence Block |
| Publisher | Arbor House |
| Year | 1981 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First hardcover edition; first printing has a complete number line on the copyright page… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First hardcover edition; first printing has a complete number line on the copyright page and a priced dust jacket. Dealer descriptions cite the full number line as the identifying point.

## Is this the true first?
US Arbor House hardcover of 1981 is the true first. This is the fourth Matthew Scudder novel and the first Scudder title to be published first in hardcover (the earlier three appeared as Dell paperback originals).

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions lack the priced jacket and are typically identified by a blindstamp on the rear board and the absence of a number line.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *A Stab in the Dark* by Lawrence Block a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/a-stab-in-the-dark
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.