# Is "Dance Hall of the Dead" by Tony Hillerman a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Dance Hall of the Dead by Tony Hillerman (Harper & Row, 1973) is identified by: Copyright page states 'FIRST EDITION' with the number line ending in 1; issued in the Joan Kahn–Harper Novel of Suspense series; first-issue dust jacket carries the printed price on the front flap. The US Harper & Row 1973 edition is the true first (the second Leaphorn novel).

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Copyright page states 'FIRST EDITION' with the number line ending in 1; issued in the Joan Kahn–Harper Novel of Suspense series; first-issue dust jacket carries the printed price on the front flap
- Won the 1974 Edgar Award for Best Novel
- Publisher imprint reads Harper & Row
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Tony Hillerman |
| Publisher | Harper & Row |
| Year | 1973 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Copyright page states 'FIRST EDITION' with the number line ending in 1; issued in the Joan Kahn–Harper Novel of Suspense series… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Copyright page states 'FIRST EDITION' with the number line ending in 1; issued in the Joan Kahn–Harper Novel of Suspense series; first-issue dust jacket carries the printed price on the front flap. Won the 1974 Edgar Award for Best Novel.

## Is this the true first?
The US Harper & Row 1973 edition is the true first (the second Leaphorn novel). The UK edition follows separately.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The stated 'FIRST EDITION', intact number line ending in 1, and priced first-issue jacket mark the trade first; book-club copies omit the price and number line and typically carry a blind-stamped board.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Dance Hall of the Dead* by Tony Hillerman a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/dance-hall-of-the-dead
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.