# Is "Cops and Robbers" by Donald E. Westlake a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Cops and Robbers by Donald E. Westlake (M. Evans and Company, 1972) is identified by: Evans and Company, New York, 1972, hardcover. The US M.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- M. Evans and Company, New York, 1972, hardcover
- First printing shows a complete number line and carries the original jacket price of 5.95 on the front flap
- Standalone caper novel, later filmed
- Publisher imprint reads M. Evans and Company
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Donald E. Westlake |
| Publisher | M. Evans and Company |
| Year | 1972 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | M. Evans and Company, New York, 1972, hardcover |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
M. Evans and Company, New York, 1972, hardcover. First printing shows a complete number line and carries the original jacket price of 5.95 on the front flap. Standalone caper novel, later filmed.

## Is this the true first?
The US M. Evans hardcover is the true first edition.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A book-club edition exists; it typically lacks the number line, has a blind stamp or dot on the rear board, and no printed jacket price.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Cops and Robbers* by Donald E. Westlake a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/cops-and-robbers
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.