# Is "A Touch of Danger" by James Jones a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of A Touch of Danger by James Jones (Doubleday & Company, 1973) is identified by: 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page per Doubleday's standard practice, with no additional printings named. US Doubleday 1973 is the true first; a UK Collins (London) edition followed the same year.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page per Doubleday's standard practice, with no additional printings named
- Bound in maroon cloth lettered in gilt on the spine, 431 pages, with map endpapers and red-sprayed bottom page edges (Garden City, NY, 1973)
- His only mystery novel, featuring the American private eye Lobo working in the Greek islands
- A first-printing jacket carries the original printed price and should be present and unclipped
- Publisher imprint reads Doubleday & Company
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | James Jones |
| Publisher | Doubleday & Company |
| Year | 1973 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page per Doubleday's standard practice, with no additional printings named |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
'First Edition' stated on the copyright page per Doubleday's standard practice, with no additional printings named. Bound in maroon cloth lettered in gilt on the spine, 431 pages, with map endpapers and red-sprayed bottom page edges (Garden City, NY, 1973). His only mystery novel, featuring the American private eye Lobo working in the Greek islands. A first-printing jacket carries the original printed price and should be present and unclipped.

## Is this the true first?
US Doubleday 1973 is the true first; a UK Collins (London) edition followed the same year.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club and reprint states omit the stated 'First Edition' line, are printed on lighter bulk without the red-sprayed edges, and carry a jacket with no printed price.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *A Touch of Danger* by James Jones a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/a-touch-of-danger
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.