Sue Grafton First Editions

• A Is for Alibi — 1982 · Holt, Rinehart and WinstonHolt, Rinehart and Winston first printing, 1982: copyright page with first-printing indicia (number line descending to 1 per HRW practice). Dust jacket with its printed price. Grafton's first Kinsey Millhone novel — the key collectible because the first printing was small before the series became a bestseller. US Holt 1982 is the true first, preceding the UK Macmillan edition. The US first is scarce (small initial run) and the most valuable in the series; signed copies sought. Book Club Edition has a rear-board blind stamp, no jacket price, and reduced size; lacks the full number line/first-printing statement. Confirm trade first by priced jacket and first-printing line.
• "B" Is for Burglar — 1985 · Holt, Rinehart and WinstonFirst printing has the complete number line 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 on the copyright page (the '1' is the key point; a later state drops the '1'). The binding is quarter red cloth over gray boards with the title stamped in silver on the spine. Trade first has a dust jacket with the printed price present on the flap; the jacket should be unclipped to be first-state. US Holt, Rinehart and Winston is the true first, 1985, preceding the UK Macmillan edition of 1986; second Kinsey Millhone novel and a scarce collecting point in the alphabet series. Winner of the Shamus and Anthony awards. Book club edition lacks a printed jacket price and typically shows a blind-stamped dimple on the rear board; do not confuse this with Grafton's personal-library blindstamp seen on a few copies.
• "C" Is for Corpse — 1986 · Henry HoltFirst printing has a complete number line reading down to 1 (1 through 10) on the copyright page. Bound in grey paper-covered boards with silver lettering to the spine; 243 pages. The first-issue dust jacket, designed by Abby Kagan, must carry its printed price on the front flap. Third Kinsey Millhone novel. US Henry Holt, New York, is the true first, 1986; third Kinsey Millhone novel. Anthony Award winner. The book-club edition lacks a printed jacket price and typically shows a blind-stamped dimple on the rear board; it is also usually smaller and lighter than the Holt trade first.
• "D" Is for Deadbeat — 1987 · Henry HoltThe copyright page carries a stated First Edition with a complete number line ending in 1. The book is bound in black paper-covered boards with pink lettering on the spine (the spine lettering is prone to fading, so bright pink spine text is a good-condition marker), collating roughly [10], 229, [1] pages. The trade first is issued in a priced dust jacket; a first-issue jacket retains its printed front-flap price…. US Henry Holt and Company is the true first, 1987; this is the fourth Kinsey Millhone novel. The book club edition lacks the printed jacket price and is typically identified by a clipped or price-less front flap; a blind-stamped dimple on the rear board is the usual book-club tell, and book-club copies generally lack the stated-first number line.
• "E" Is for Evidence — 1988 · Henry Holt and CompanyThe copyright page states "First Edition" and carries a complete number line ending in the 1 that denotes the first printing. The book is an octavo of about 227 pages bound in quarter black cloth over grey paper boards, with the title stamped in silver on the black cloth spine. The first-issue dust jacket was designed by Abby Kagan and depicts a Christmas-wrapped gift box with explosive devices just visible…. US Henry Holt edition is the true first; fifth Kinsey Millhone novel. Book club edition is identified by a blindstamp impressed in the rear board and by a dust jacket with no printed price on the flap.
• "F" Is for Fugitive — 1989 · Henry Holt and CompanyThe copyright page states "First Edition" and carries a complete number line ending in the 1 that denotes the first printing. The book is an octavo of about 261 pages bound in quarter black cloth over pink paper boards, with the spine lettered in pink. A correct first-issue dust jacket retains the original printed price on the front flap. US Henry Holt edition is the true first; sixth Kinsey Millhone novel. Book club edition is identified by a blindstamp impressed in the rear board and by a dust jacket with no printed price on the flap.
• "G" Is for Gumshoe — 1990 · Henry Holt and CompanyThe copyright page states "First Edition" and carries a complete number line ending in the 1 that denotes the first printing. The book is an octavo of about 261 pages bound in a black cloth spine with scarlet lettering over light grey boards. The first-issue pictorial dust jacket, showing a large "G" and a VW Beetle, was illustrated by Greg Goebel; a correct first jacket retains the original printed price on the…. US Henry Holt edition is the true first; seventh Kinsey Millhone novel; won the 1991 Shamus Award for Best PI Novel and the 1991 Anthony Award for Best Novel. Book club edition is identified by a blindstamp impressed in the rear board and by a dust jacket with no printed price on the flap.
• "H" Is for Homicide — 1991 · Henry Holt and CompanyCopyright page states "First Edition" with the number line present; the early Henry Holt Kinsey Millhone titles use the split printer's key 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2, and the presence of the 1 marks the first printing. Bound in quarter black cloth over charcoal-gray boards with neon-green spine lettering; issued in a photographic dust jacket carrying the original printed price on the front flap, which should be…. US Henry Holt edition is the true first; eighth Kinsey Millhone novel. Book club edition is a smaller, lighter volume identified by a blindstamp impressed in the rear board, no first-printing number line, and a dust jacket with no printed price.
• "I" Is for Innocent — 1992 · Henry Holt and CompanyCopyright page states "First Edition" with the number line present; the Henry Holt Kinsey Millhone titles carry the split printer's key 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2, the retained 1 marking the first printing. Bound in quarter cloth in red and black; issued in a dust jacket bearing the original printed price on the front flap, which should be present and unclipped on a first-issue copy. US Henry Holt edition is the true first; ninth Kinsey Millhone novel. Book club edition is identified by a blindstamp impressed in the rear board, no first-printing number line, and a dust jacket with no printed price.
• "J" Is for Judgment — 1993 · Henry Holt and CompanyCopyright page states "First Edition" with the number line present; the Henry Holt Kinsey Millhone titles use the split printer's key 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2, the surviving 1 marking the first printing. Bound in quarter cloth over blue boards; issued in a dust jacket carrying the original printed price on the front flap, which should be present and unclipped on a first-issue copy. A separate uncorrected proof…. US Henry Holt edition is the true first; tenth Kinsey Millhone novel. Book club edition is identified by a blindstamp impressed in the rear board, no first-printing number line, and a dust jacket with no printed price.
• "K" Is for Killer — 1994 · Henry HoltFirst printing carries a stated "First Edition" on the copyright page together with a complete number line running 1 through 10, under the Henry Holt and Company imprint, with no later-printing statement; the first-issue dust jacket retains its original printed price on the front flap. The US Henry Holt hardcover is the true first edition; eleventh Kinsey Millhone alphabet novel. No significant book-club edition issue point affecting the true first.
• "L" Is for Lawless — 1995 · Henry HoltFirst printing carries a complete ascending number line reading 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 on the copyright page (Holt used a count-up line for this title, so the presence of the 1 at the left with the full run to 10 marks the first printing), together with the Henry Holt and Company imprint and no added later-printing statement. Issued in hardcover with dust jacket; the jacket should retain its printed price at the…. The US Henry Holt hardcover is the true first edition; twelfth Kinsey Millhone alphabet novel. Confirm the first printing by the full ascending 1-through-10 number line rather than by the year alone. No significant book-club edition issue point affecting the true first; later Holt printings advance the number line so that the 1 drops away.
• "M" Is for Malice — 1996 · Henry HoltThe first printing carries the statement 'First Edition--1996' on the copyright page together with a full number line reading 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2, under the Henry Holt and Company imprint. First published November 1996; thirteenth Kinsey Millhone alphabet novel. An uncorrected proof in printed wrappers precedes the trade issue. The US Henry Holt hardcover is the true first edition; thirteenth Kinsey Millhone alphabet novel. No significant book-club edition issue point affecting the true first; the 'First Edition--1996' statement with the full number line distinguishes the first printing.
• "N" Is for Noose — 1998 · Henry HoltFirst printing is identified by the copyright page carrying both a stated First Edition and a stated First Printing, under the Henry Holt and Company imprint with no later-printing statement. The binding is quarter cloth with a black spine over purple boards; the first-state dust jacket is the metallic pictorial jacket with the printed price present on the flap and should be unclipped. The US Henry Holt hardcover is the true first edition; fourteenth Kinsey Millhone alphabet novel. No significant book-club edition issue point affecting the true first.
• "O" Is for Outlaw — 1999 · Henry HoltFirst printing is identified by the copyright page carrying both a stated First Edition and a stated First Printing, under the Henry Holt and Company imprint with no later-printing statement. The binding is quarterbound in green and black cloth boards with silver lettering to the spine and an embossed 'O' to the front board; the first-state dust jacket carries the printed price on the flap and should be unclipped. The US Henry Holt hardcover is the true first US edition; fifteenth Kinsey Millhone alphabet novel and the last of the series published by Henry Holt before the move to Putnam. No significant book-club edition issue point affecting the true first.
• "P" Is for Peril — 2001 · G.P. Putnam's SonsFirst printing states 'First Edition' on the copyright page together with a complete descending number line ending in 1. The imprint reads 'A Marian Wood Book' published by G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York, 2001 (ISBN 0-399-14719-5). Issued in cloth-backed boards in a pictorial dust jacket bearing the printed price on the front flap. The US G. P. Putnam's Sons hardcover is the true first edition; sixteenth Kinsey Millhone alphabet novel and the first in the series published by Putnam after the Henry Holt run ended with the previous title. No significant book-club edition issue point affecting the true first; confirm the stated 'First Edition' line and the number line ending in 1, and a priced jacket flap, to identify the first printing.
• "Q" Is for Quarry — 2002 · G.P. Putnam's SonsFirst printing has a complete number line reading 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 on the copyright page, with the full row of numbers present and the sequence ending in 1. Gray dust jacket with darker gray spine. US G.P. Putnam's Sons edition is the true first; seventeenth Kinsey Millhone alphabet mystery. ISBN 0-399-14915-5. No significant book-club or precedence issue; the US Putnam printing is the first edition.
• "R" Is for Ricochet — 2004 · G.P. Putnam's SonsFirst printing states "First Edition" on the copyright page together with a complete number line reading 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2, the full sequence present and ending in 1; both the words and the full line must be present. Issued by G.P. Putnam's Sons in 2004 (ISBN 0-399-15228-8) in quarter-cloth binding with a black cloth spine over red boards and metallic spine lettering, xii, 352 pages. The first-issue pictorial…. US G.P. Putnam's Sons edition is the accepted true first; eighteenth Kinsey Millhone alphabet mystery. A UK Macmillan hardcover also appeared in 2004, but the US Putnam printing is the collected first. Book-club editions lack the stated "First Edition" and full number line and are printed on lighter bulk with a blind-stamped rear board and no printed jacket price; any copy showing an added-printing statement is a later Putnam printing.
• "S" Is for Silence — 2005 · G.P. Putnam's SonsFirst printing states "First Edition" on the copyright page together with a complete number line reading 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2, the full sequence present and ending in 1; both the words and the full line must be present. Issued by G.P. Putnam's Sons in 2005 (ISBN 0-399-15297-0) in quarter-cloth binding. The first-issue pictorial dust jacket should retain its printed price on the front flap; a price-clipped copy is…. US G.P. Putnam's Sons edition is the accepted true first; nineteenth Kinsey Millhone alphabet mystery. Book-club editions lack the stated "First Edition" and full number line, are printed on lighter bulk, and carry no printed jacket price; any added-printing statement on the copyright page marks a later Putnam printing.
• "T" Is for Trespass — 2007 · G.P. Putnam's SonsFirst printing states "First Edition" on the copyright page together with a complete number line reading 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2, the full sequence present and ending in 1; both the words and the full line must be present. Issued by G.P. Putnam's Sons in 2007 (ISBN 978-0-399-15448-5) with black boards and spine and gold spine lettering. The first-issue dust jacket should retain its printed price on the front flap; a…. US G.P. Putnam's Sons edition is the true first, published December 2007; twentieth Kinsey Millhone alphabet mystery. ISBN 978-0-399-15448-5. Book-club editions lack the stated "First Edition" and full number line and carry no printed jacket price; any added-printing statement on the copyright page marks a later Putnam printing.
• "U" Is for Undertow — 2009 · G.P. Putnam's SonsFirst printing states "First Edition" on the copyright page together with a complete number line reading 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2, the full sequence present and ending in 1; both the words and the full line must be present. Issued in 2009 under the Marian Wood Books / G.P. Putnam's Sons imprint (ISBN 0-399-15597-X; 978-0-399-15597-0). The first-issue dust jacket should retain its printed price on the front flap; a…. US Marian Wood Books / G.P. Putnam's Sons edition is the accepted true first; twenty-first Kinsey Millhone alphabet mystery. Book-club editions lack the stated "First Edition" and full number line and carry no printed jacket price; any added-printing statement on the copyright page marks a later Putnam printing.
• "V" Is for Vengeance — 2011 · G.P. Putnam's SonsFirst printing carries the imprint line 'A Marian Wood Book / Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons' and a complete number line reading 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 on the copyright page, the full sequence present and ending in 1. US G.P. Putnam's Sons edition (a Marian Wood Book) is the true first; twenty-second Kinsey Millhone alphabet mystery. ISBN 978-0-399-15786-8. No significant book-club or precedence issue; the US Putnam printing is the first edition.
• "W" Is for Wasted — 2013 · G.P. Putnam's SonsFirst edition, first printing under the Marian Wood Books / G.P. Putnam's Sons imprint, 2013, 496 pp., carrying the full number line 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 on the copyright page. Bound in quarter cream cloth over yellow paper boards. The first-state dust jacket should retain its printed retail price on the front flap (an unclipped flap indicates first state, price present rather than any amount). US Marian Wood Books/Putnam hardcover is the true first; twenty-third Kinsey Millhone novel. None significant; a genuine first shows the full number line ending in 2 (1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2), and later printings drop the lower digits.
• Kinsey and Me: Stories — 2013 · G.P. Putnam's SonsFirst trade hardcover of the collection, under the Marian Wood Books / Putnam imprint (G.P. Putnam's Sons), 2013; ISBN 978-0-399-16383-8. First printing is identified by the number line ending in 1 on the copyright page. Collates xvii, 286 pages. Signed copies are inscribed by Grafton on the title page. The 2013 Marian Wood/Putnam edition is the first trade hardcover of this expanded collection. The genuine earliest appearance of the core Kinsey text is the 1991 Bench Press signed/numbered limited edition (300 numbered copies plus 26 lettered deluxe copies, clothbound in slipcase, no dust jacket), which is the scarce true first of that material. The 1991 Bench Press limited edition predates the 2013 trade edition and is the collectible priority for the original text.
• "X" — 2015 · G.P. Putnam's SonsNumber line ending in 1 on the copyright page. Marian Wood Books / Putnam imprint. Title is the single letter X, the only volume in the Alphabet series without a paired word. US Marian Wood Books/Putnam hardcover is the true first; twenty-fourth Kinsey Millhone novel. None significant.
• "Y" Is for Yesterday — 2017 · G.P. Putnam's SonsFirst edition, first printing under the Marian Wood Books / G.P. Putnam's Sons imprint, published August 22, 2017, with the full number line ending in 1 on the copyright page. The first-state dust jacket should retain its printed retail price on the front flap (an unclipped flap indicates first state, price present rather than any figure). US Marian Wood Books/Putnam hardcover is the true first; twenty-fifth and final Kinsey Millhone novel. Grafton intended a Z title but died in December 2017 before writing it, so the series ends at Y. None significant; a genuine first shows the complete number line ending in 1, and later printings drop the lower digits.

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