# Is "Death and the Dancing Footman" by Ngaio Marsh a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Death and the Dancing Footman by Ngaio Marsh (Collins, 1942) is identified by: An Inspector Alleyn mystery. The true first is the US Little, Brown edition (Boston, 1941), preceding the UK Collins edition (1942).

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- An Inspector Alleyn mystery
- The US Little, Brown edition (Boston, 1941) precedes the UK Collins Crime Club edition (London, 1942); the 1941 American printing is the earliest published state
- Publisher imprint reads Collins
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Ngaio Marsh |
| Publisher | Collins |
| Year | 1942 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | An Inspector Alleyn mystery |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
An Inspector Alleyn mystery. The US Little, Brown edition (Boston, 1941) precedes the UK Collins Crime Club edition (London, 1942); the 1941 American printing is the earliest published state.

## Is this the true first?
The true first is the US Little, Brown edition (Boston, 1941), preceding the UK Collins edition (1942). Confirmed against the author's bibliography.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later reprints and book-club printings follow the first editions.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Death and the Dancing Footman* by Ngaio Marsh a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/death-and-the-dancing-footman
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.