# Is "Appointment with Death" by Agatha Christie a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Appointment with Death by Agatha Christie (William Collins, 1938) is identified by: UK Collins Crime Club, published 2 May 1938, is the first edition: a Hercule Poirot novel bound in orange cloth lettered in black. The UK Collins Crime Club edition (2 May 1938) is the true first; the Dodd, Mead edition, published later in 1938, is the American first and states "First American Edition" wording on its copyright page.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- UK Collins Crime Club, published 2 May 1938, is the first edition: a Hercule Poirot novel bound in orange cloth lettered in black
- The pictorial first-issue dust jacket was designed by Robin Macartney (who travelled with Christie and her archaeologist husband Max Mallowan) and depicts the red cliffs of Petra; the jacket should carry its printed price on the front flap
- The US Dodd, Mead first American edition, later in 1938, is likewise in orange cloth lettered in black with the price present on the jacket flap
- Publisher imprint reads William Collins
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Agatha Christie |
| Publisher | William Collins |
| Year | 1938 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | UK Collins Crime Club, published 2 May 1938, is the first edition: a Hercule Poirot novel… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
UK Collins Crime Club, published 2 May 1938, is the first edition: a Hercule Poirot novel bound in orange cloth lettered in black. The pictorial first-issue dust jacket was designed by Robin Macartney (who travelled with Christie and her archaeologist husband Max Mallowan) and depicts the red cliffs of Petra; the jacket should carry its printed price on the front flap. The US Dodd, Mead first American edition, later in 1938, is likewise in orange cloth lettered in black with the price present on the jacket flap.

## Is this the true first?
The UK Collins Crime Club edition (2 May 1938) is the true first; the Dodd, Mead edition, published later in 1938, is the American first and states "First American Edition" wording on its copyright page.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later reprints and book-club printings follow the first edition; the scarce Macartney pictorial jacket and orange cloth are the key first-issue tells.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Appointment with Death* by Agatha Christie a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/appointment-with-death
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.