# Is "Eight Million Ways to Die" by Lawrence Block a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Eight Million Ways to Die by Lawrence Block (Arbor House, 1982) is identified by: First hardcover edition; first printing has a complete number line on the copyright page and a priced dust jacket. US Arbor House hardcover of 1982 is the true first; fifth Matthew Scudder novel and a key title in the series.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First hardcover edition; first printing has a complete number line on the copyright page and a priced dust jacket
- Dealer copies confirm the full number line and the priced jacket as the identifying points
- Publisher imprint reads Arbor House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Lawrence Block |
| Publisher | Arbor House |
| Year | 1982 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First hardcover edition; first printing has a complete number line on the copyright page… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First hardcover edition; first printing has a complete number line on the copyright page and a priced dust jacket. Dealer copies confirm the full number line and the priced jacket as the identifying points.

## Is this the true first?
US Arbor House hardcover of 1982 is the true first; fifth Matthew Scudder novel and a key title in the series.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions lack the priced jacket and are identified by the absence of a number line and, commonly, a blindstamp on the rear board.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Eight Million Ways to Die* by Lawrence Block a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/eight-million-ways-to-die
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.