# Is "Cause of Death" by Patricia Cornwell a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Cause of Death by Patricia Cornwell (G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1996) is identified by: First printing has a complete Putnam number line descending to 1 on the copyright page; a separate signed limited edition of 185 numbered copies was also issued. US G.P.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing has a complete Putnam number line descending to 1 on the copyright page; a separate signed limited edition of 185 numbered copies was also issued
- Publisher imprint reads G.P. Putnam's Sons
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Patricia Cornwell |
| Publisher | G.P. Putnam's Sons |
| Year | 1996 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First printing has a complete Putnam number line descending to 1 on the copyright page; a… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First printing has a complete Putnam number line descending to 1 on the copyright page; a separate signed limited edition of 185 numbered copies was also issued.

## Is this the true first?
US G.P. Putnam's Sons is the true first; the seventh Kay Scarpetta novel and Cornwell's first published by Putnam after leaving Scribner's.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club editions of this bestseller exist and are identified by an unpriced jacket and a blindstamp or small impressed dot on the rear board, lacking the full number line.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Cause of Death* by Patricia Cornwell a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/cause-of-death
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.