# Is "Bones" by Jonathan Kellerman a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Bones by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine, 2008) is identified by: Copyright page states 'First Edition' together with a full number line 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (the presence of the 1 being the first-printing tell). US Ballantine Books is the true first edition; twenty-third Alex Delaware novel.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Copyright page states 'First Edition' together with a full number line 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (the presence of the 1 being the first-printing tell)
- Ballantine Books hardcover, New York, October 2008 (ISBN 978-0-345-49513-6)
- The first-issue photographic dust jacket should retain its printed price on the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads Ballantine
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Jonathan Kellerman |
| Publisher | Ballantine |
| Year | 2008 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Copyright page states 'First Edition' together with a full number line 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9… |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
Copyright page states 'First Edition' together with a full number line 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (the presence of the 1 being the first-printing tell). Ballantine Books hardcover, New York, October 2008 (ISBN 978-0-345-49513-6). The first-issue photographic dust jacket should retain its printed price on the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
US Ballantine Books is the true first edition; twenty-third Alex Delaware novel.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
None significant.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Bones* by Jonathan Kellerman a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/bones
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.