# Is "Clandestine" by James Ellroy a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Clandestine by James Ellroy (Avon Books, 1982) is identified by: Avon Books mass-market paperback original (Avon 81141), Ellroy's second book. The true first is the US Avon mass-market paperback original of 1982, Ellroy's second book.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Avon Books mass-market paperback original (Avon 81141), Ellroy's second book
- The first printing is identified on the copyright page by the statement that the book is an original publication of Avon Books that has never before appeared in book form, together with the printing line reading First Avon Printing, December 1982, and a complete descending number line ending in 1
- No US hardcover was issued, so the paperback original is the sole US first-format appearance
- Publisher imprint reads Avon Books
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | James Ellroy |
| Publisher | Avon Books |
| Year | 1982 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Avon Books mass-market paperback original (Avon 81141), Ellroy's second book |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Avon Books mass-market paperback original (Avon 81141), Ellroy's second book. The first printing is identified on the copyright page by the statement that the book is an original publication of Avon Books that has never before appeared in book form, together with the printing line reading First Avon Printing, December 1982, and a complete descending number line ending in 1. No US hardcover was issued, so the paperback original is the sole US first-format appearance.

## Is this the true first?
The true first is the US Avon mass-market paperback original of 1982, Ellroy's second book. The Allison & Busby UK edition of 1984 is the first and only hardcover appearance and is a later first-thus, not the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition exists. The UK hardcover, while the only hardcover format, is a later printing of the text and not the true first. Confirm the first printing by the December 1982 statement rather than by format.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Clandestine* by James Ellroy a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/clandestine
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.