# Is "All the Flowers Are Dying" by Lawrence Block a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of All the Flowers Are Dying by Lawrence Block (William Morrow, 2005) is identified by: 'First Edition' is stated on the copyright page together with a complete number line; the presence of the 1 in that line confirms the first printing (William Morrow, February 2005; ISBN 0-06-019831-1). US William Morrow edition (HarperCollins, ISBN prefix 006) is the true first; sixteenth Matthew Scudder novel.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- 'First Edition' is stated on the copyright page together with a complete number line; the presence of the 1 in that line confirms the first printing (William Morrow, February 2005
- ISBN 0-06-019831-1)
- The trade first is issued in a pictorial dust jacket carrying the printed price on the front flap, so an unclipped jacket is the desirable state
- Publisher imprint reads William Morrow
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Lawrence Block |
| Publisher | William Morrow |
| Year | 2005 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | 'First Edition' is stated on the copyright page together with a complete number line; the… |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
'First Edition' is stated on the copyright page together with a complete number line; the presence of the 1 in that line confirms the first printing (William Morrow, February 2005; ISBN 0-06-019831-1). The trade first is issued in a pictorial dust jacket carrying the printed price on the front flap, so an unclipped jacket is the desirable state.

## Is this the true first?
US William Morrow edition (HarperCollins, ISBN prefix 006) is the true first; sixteenth Matthew Scudder novel. A separate signed limited edition of 90 copies was issued by Scorpion Press in the UK and is a distinct collectible issue, not the trade first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A book-of-the-month/club printing exists (ISBN 0-7394-5144-8) that lacks the stated 'First Edition' and number line; identify the true first by the Morrow 006-prefix ISBN with the 'First Edition' statement and full number line.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *All the Flowers Are Dying* by Lawrence Block a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/all-the-flowers-are-dying
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.