The points of issue
UK Collins Crime Club first, published 1 November 1937, priced 7s 6d. Orange cloth lettered in black. Copyright page reads Copyright 1937 with no later-printing notice. First-state jacket (design by Robin Macartney) carries reviews for the immediately preceding titles to the rear flap and generic review matter to the rear panel.
Is this the true first?
UK Collins (November 1937) precedes the US Dodd, Mead edition (1938), so the UK printing is the true first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Reprints reset and add later-impression notices; book-club editions lack the priced jacket.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Death on the Nile a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: UK Collins Crime Club first, published 1 November 1937, priced 7s 6d. Orange cloth lettered in black. Copyright page reads Copyright 1937 with no later-printing notice. First-state jacket (design by Robin Macartney) carries reviews for the immediately preceding titles to the rear flap and generic review matter to the rear panel.
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. UK Collins (November 1937) precedes the US Dodd, Mead edition (1938), so the UK printing is the true first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Reprints reset and add later-impression notices; book-club editions lack the priced jacket.
I have a first edition of Death on the Nile — 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.