# Is "Cold Fire" by Dean Koontz a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Cold Fire by Dean Koontz (G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1991) is identified by: Putnam first edition (January 1991) identified by the full number line 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 on the copyright page, descending printings dropping the low digits. Putnam US hardcover is the true first; the UK Headline edition followed later in 1991.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Putnam first edition (January 1991) identified by the full number line 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 on the copyright page, descending printings dropping the low digits
- Issued in quarter cloth over dark gray and blue paper-covered boards with silver stamping on the spine
- 382 pages
- The first-state dust jacket carries the printed cover price at the top of the front flap, which should be present and unclipped on a collectible first
- Publisher imprint reads G.P. Putnam's Sons
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Dean Koontz |
| Publisher | G.P. Putnam's Sons |
| Year | 1991 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Putnam first edition (January 1991) identified by the full number line 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 on the copyright page, descending printings… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Putnam first edition (January 1991) identified by the full number line 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 on the copyright page, descending printings dropping the low digits. Issued in quarter cloth over dark gray and blue paper-covered boards with silver stamping on the spine; 382 pages. The first-state dust jacket carries the printed cover price at the top of the front flap, which should be present and unclipped on a collectible first.

## Is this the true first?
Putnam US hardcover is the true first; the UK Headline edition followed later in 1991.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A separate signed, numbered limited edition of 750 copies with slipcase and frontispiece was issued alongside the trade first and is a distinct variant. The book-club reprint lacks the number line and the printed jacket price.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Cold Fire* by Dean Koontz a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/cold-fire
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.