# Is "Eye of the Needle" by Ken Follett a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Eye of the Needle by Ken Follett (Arbor House, 1978) is identified by: The true first is the UK edition titled Storm Island (Macdonald & Jane's, London, 1978), 322 pp, with a first-printing copyright statement. Precedence and title point: the UK Macdonald & Jane's edition (1978) was published first, under the title 'Storm Island', and is the true first edition of the work.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- The true first is the UK edition titled Storm Island (Macdonald & Jane's, London, 1978), 322 pp, with a first-printing copyright statement
- The original first-issue dust jacket exists in two accepted states: priced for the UK market and unpriced on export copies; both are recognized as first-issue
- The US Eye of the Needle (Arbor House, 1978) is the first American edition under the retitled, better-known name
- Publisher imprint reads Arbor House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Ken Follett |
| Publisher | Arbor House |
| Year | 1978 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | The true first is the UK edition titled Storm Island (Macdonald & Jane's, London, 1978), 322 pp, with a first-printing copyright statement |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
The true first is the UK edition titled Storm Island (Macdonald & Jane's, London, 1978), 322 pp, with a first-printing copyright statement. The original first-issue dust jacket exists in two accepted states: priced for the UK market and unpriced on export copies; both are recognized as first-issue. The US Eye of the Needle (Arbor House, 1978) is the first American edition under the retitled, better-known name.

## Is this the true first?
Precedence and title point: the UK Macdonald & Jane's edition (1978) was published first, under the title 'Storm Island', and is the true first edition of the work. The US Arbor House 'Eye of the Needle' (1978) is the first appearance under the now-familiar title. Buyers should confirm which they want.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
US book-club editions of Eye of the Needle carry a blind-stamp on the rear board, lack a printed jacket price, and have a smaller trim. The title alone is the quickest discriminator: Storm Island indicates the UK true first; an Eye of the Needle hardcover indicates the US edition. Confirm the publisher imprint and first-printing statement.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Eye of the Needle* by Ken Follett a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/eye-of-the-needle
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.