# Is "A Ticket to the Boneyard" by Lawrence Block a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of A Ticket to the Boneyard by Lawrence Block (William Morrow, 1990) is identified by: 'First Edition' so stated on the copyright page with a complete Morrow number line running down to 1. US William Morrow hardcover of 1990 is the true first; eighth Matthew Scudder novel.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- 'First Edition' so stated on the copyright page with a complete Morrow number line running down to 1
- Bound in quarter black cloth over gray boards with metallic lettering to the spine; collates 302 pages
- Issued in a printed dust jacket bearing the original price on the front flap (present, not clipped)
- Eighth Matthew Scudder novel
- Publisher imprint reads William Morrow
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Lawrence Block |
| Publisher | William Morrow |
| Year | 1990 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | 'First Edition' so stated on the copyright page with a complete Morrow number line… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
'First Edition' so stated on the copyright page with a complete Morrow number line running down to 1. Bound in quarter black cloth over gray boards with metallic lettering to the spine; collates 302 pages. Issued in a printed dust jacket bearing the original price on the front flap (present, not clipped). Eighth Matthew Scudder novel.

## Is this the true first?
US William Morrow hardcover of 1990 is the true first; eighth Matthew Scudder novel.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No significant book-club or precedence issue affecting first-edition identification; verify the stated First Edition line and full Morrow number line.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *A Ticket to the Boneyard* by Lawrence Block a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/a-ticket-to-the-boneyard
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.