# Is "Beast in View" by Margaret Millar a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Beast in View by Margaret Millar (Random House, 1955) is identified by: Random House first printing states 'FIRST PRINTING' on the copyright page with no later-printing notice. The US Random House edition (1955) is the true first; the UK Gollancz edition (1955) follows.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Random House first printing states 'FIRST PRINTING' on the copyright page with no later-printing notice
- Light blue boards over black cloth spine, title stamped in orange on the spine, blind-stamped front cover, yellow top edge
- First-state dust jacket carries the printed price on the front flap
- Winner of the Edgar Award for Best Novel
- Publisher imprint reads Random House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Margaret Millar |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Year | 1955 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Random House first printing states 'FIRST PRINTING' on the copyright page with no later-printing notice |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Random House first printing states 'FIRST PRINTING' on the copyright page with no later-printing notice. Light blue boards over black cloth spine, title stamped in orange on the spine, blind-stamped front cover, yellow top edge. First-state dust jacket carries the printed price on the front flap. Winner of the Edgar Award for Best Novel (1956).

## Is this the true first?
The US Random House edition (1955) is the true first; the UK Gollancz edition (1955) follows.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Detective Book Club and other club editions are common, identifiable by a blind-stamp to the rear board, absence of a flap price, and omnibus formats.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Beast in View* by Margaret Millar a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/beast-in-view
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.