The points of issue
UK Collins (Crime Club) first, 1990: 'First published 1990' with a number line ending in 1; bound in blue cloth with gilt spine lettering and a pictorial dust jacket. Eleventh Dalziel and Pascoe novel; it won the 1990 CWA Gold Dagger.
Is this the true first?
UK Collins Crime Club 1990 is the true first; the US Delacorte edition is a first-thus / first American edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
BCA / book-club editions and later printings are not firsts; club editions lack the jacket price and may carry a board code.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Bones and Silence a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: UK Collins (Crime Club) first, 1990: 'First published 1990' with a number line ending in 1; bound in blue cloth with gilt spine lettering and a pictorial dust jacket. Eleventh Dalziel and Pascoe novel; it won the 1990 CWA Gold Dagger.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. UK Collins Crime Club 1990 is the true first; the US Delacorte edition is a first-thus / first American edition.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
BCA / book-club editions and later printings are not firsts; club editions lack the jacket price and may carry a board code.
I have a first edition of Bones and Silence — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.