# Is "Blood's a Rover" by James Ellroy a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Blood's a Rover by James Ellroy (Knopf, 2009) is identified by: Knopf (Borzoi) first printing states 'First Edition' on the copyright page together with a full number line descending to 1. US Knopf is the true first; third and final novel of the Underworld USA Trilogy, following American Tabloid and The Cold Six Thousand.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- US Alfred A. Knopf (Borzoi) first printing states 'First Edition' on the copyright page together with a full number line descending to 1
- Quarter black cloth over red paper boards, silver spine lettering
- First-issue dust jacket carries the original front-flap price
- Publisher imprint reads Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | James Ellroy |
| Publisher | Knopf |
| Year | 2009 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | US Alfred A. Knopf (Borzoi) first printing states 'First Edition' on the copyright page… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
US Alfred A. Knopf (Borzoi) first printing states 'First Edition' on the copyright page together with a full number line descending to 1. Quarter black cloth over red paper boards, silver spine lettering. First-issue dust jacket carries the original front-flap price.

## Is this the true first?
US Knopf is the true first; third and final novel of the Underworld USA Trilogy, following American Tabloid and The Cold Six Thousand.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No major book club edition of note.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Blood's a Rover* by James Ellroy a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/bloods-a-rover
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.