# Is "A Thief of Time" by Tony Hillerman a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of A Thief of Time by Tony Hillerman (Harper & Row, 1988) is identified by: Copyright page states 'FIRST EDITION' with the full number line reading 88 89 90 91 92 HC 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1; first-issue jacket carries the printed price. The US Harper & Row 1988 trade edition is the true first; a small signed limited issue was produced simultaneously and is identified by its limitation statement and slipcase.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Copyright page states 'FIRST EDITION' with the full number line reading 88 89 90 91 92 HC 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1; first-issue jacket carries the printed price
- A separate signed, numbered, slipcased limited issue of 250 copies also exists
- Publisher imprint reads Harper & Row
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Tony Hillerman |
| Publisher | Harper & Row |
| Year | 1988 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Copyright page states 'FIRST EDITION' with the full number line reading 88 89 90 91 92 HC 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1; first-issue jacket carries… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Copyright page states 'FIRST EDITION' with the full number line reading 88 89 90 91 92 HC 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1; first-issue jacket carries the printed price. A separate signed, numbered, slipcased limited issue of 250 copies also exists.

## Is this the true first?
The US Harper & Row 1988 trade edition is the true first; a small signed limited issue was produced simultaneously and is identified by its limitation statement and slipcase.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club copies lack the printed price and the number line; later printings drop the line down toward higher numbers and may omit 'FIRST EDITION'.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *A Thief of Time* by Tony Hillerman a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/a-thief-of-time
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.