# Is "Allhallow's Eve" by Richard Laymon a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Allhallow's Eve by Richard Laymon (New English Library, 1986) is identified by: New English Library (UK) paperback original. The NEL UK paperback original is the true first; later editions include the 1992 Kinnell UK hardcover and subsequent Headline and US reprints.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- New English Library (UK) paperback original
- Bibliographic records and dealer catalogues date the NEL first edition to 1986, though a 1985 date (from the copyright) is often cited
- There is no 1985 or 1986 hardcover; the first hardcover was Kinnell (UK) in 1992
- Publisher imprint reads New English Library
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Richard Laymon |
| Publisher | New English Library |
| Year | 1986 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | New English Library (UK) paperback original |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
New English Library (UK) paperback original. Bibliographic records and dealer catalogues date the NEL first edition to 1986, though a 1985 date (from the copyright) is often cited. There is no 1985 or 1986 hardcover; the first hardcover was Kinnell (UK) in 1992.

## Is this the true first?
The NEL UK paperback original is the true first; later editions include the 1992 Kinnell UK hardcover and subsequent Headline and US reprints.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A paperback original, so book club hardcovers are not a concern. Do not mistake the 1992 Kinnell hardcover for the first edition.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Allhallow's Eve* by Richard Laymon a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/allhallows-eve
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.