# Is "Dust" by Patricia Cornwell a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Dust by Patricia Cornwell (G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2013) is identified by: First printing carries the complete number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 on the copyright page; 495 pages. US G.P.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing carries the complete number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 on the copyright page
- 495 pages
- The first-issue dust jacket shows the printed code 1311 at the front flap and the printed retail price, which should be present on a collectible first
- Publisher imprint reads G.P. Putnam's Sons
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Patricia Cornwell |
| Publisher | G.P. Putnam's Sons |
| Year | 2013 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First printing carries the complete number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 on the copyright page |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First printing carries the complete number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 on the copyright page; 495 pages. The first-issue dust jacket shows the printed code 1311 at the front flap and the printed retail price, which should be present on a collectible first.

## Is this the true first?
US G.P. Putnam's Sons is the true first; twenty-first Scarpetta novel and the final Scarpetta title published by Putnam before the William Morrow move.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No significant book-club issue distinct enough to confuse with the trade first; the trade first is fixed by the descending number line and the 1311 jacket code.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Dust* by Patricia Cornwell a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/dust
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.