# Is "Beware!" by Richard Laymon a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Beware! by Richard Laymon (New English Library, 1985) is identified by: New English Library (UK) paperback original, 1985. The NEL UK paperback original is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- New English Library (UK) paperback original, 1985
- There is no 1985 hardcover; the first hardcover edition came from Kinnell (UK) in 1992
- First printing carries the NEL 1985 first-publication statement with no later reprint dates listed
- Publisher imprint reads New English Library
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Richard Laymon |
| Publisher | New English Library |
| Year | 1985 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | New English Library (UK) paperback original, 1985 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
New English Library (UK) paperback original, 1985. There is no 1985 hardcover; the first hardcover edition came from Kinnell (UK) in 1992. First printing carries the NEL 1985 first-publication statement with no later reprint dates listed.

## Is this the true first?
The NEL UK paperback original is the true first. The North American Paper Jacks paperback and the 1992 Kinnell UK hardcover both came later.

## 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 *Beware!* by Richard Laymon a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/beware
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.