The points of issue
Faber and Faber first, 1962; publisher's green cloth lettered in gilt on the spine; first-issue dust jacket (art by Charles Mozley) priced 18s net on the front flap. Copyright verso carries a single 'First published in mcmlxii' statement with no later-impression line.
Is this the true first?
The UK Faber edition of 1962 is the true first; the US Scribner edition followed several years later (1966). This was P.D. James's debut novel and the first Adam Dalgliesh book. Genuinely scarce in the original jacket.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later Faber impressions add a printing/reprint statement to the verso. Price-clipped jackets lose the 18s net point. The US Scribner edition is a separate, much later first American edition, not the true first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Cover Her Face a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Faber and Faber first, 1962; publisher's green cloth lettered in gilt on the spine; first-issue dust jacket (art by Charles Mozley) priced 18s net on the front flap. Copyright verso carries a single 'First published in mcmlxii' statement with no later-impression line.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. The UK Faber edition of 1962 is the true first; the US Scribner edition followed several years later (1966). This was P.D. James's debut novel and the first Adam Dalgliesh book. Genuinely scarce in the original jacket.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later Faber impressions add a printing/reprint statement to the verso. Price-clipped jackets lose the 18s net point. The US Scribner edition is a separate, much later first American edition, not the true first.
I have a first edition of Cover Her Face — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.