# Is "Fletch" by Gregory Mcdonald a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Fletch by Gregory Mcdonald (The Bobbs-Merrill Company, 1974) is identified by: US Bobbs-Merrill first, 1974: first printing carries the Bobbs-Merrill imprint with no later-printing statement; black binding with gilt-lettered spine and a pictorial dust jacket. US Bobbs-Merrill 1974 is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- US Bobbs-Merrill first, 1974: first printing carries the Bobbs-Merrill imprint with no later-printing statement; black binding with gilt-lettered spine and a pictorial dust jacket
- Won the 1975 Edgar for Best First Novel
- Jacket priced for 1974
- Publisher imprint reads The Bobbs-Merrill Company
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Gregory Mcdonald |
| Publisher | The Bobbs-Merrill Company |
| Year | 1974 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | US Bobbs-Merrill first, 1974: first printing carries the Bobbs-Merrill imprint with no later-printing statement; black binding with… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
US Bobbs-Merrill first, 1974: first printing carries the Bobbs-Merrill imprint with no later-printing statement; black binding with gilt-lettered spine and a pictorial dust jacket. Won the 1975 Edgar for Best First Novel. Jacket priced for 1974.

## Is this the true first?
US Bobbs-Merrill 1974 is the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions are smaller, lack the jacket price; later printings are stated on the verso.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Fletch* by Gregory Mcdonald a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/fletch
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.