# Is "Flowers in the Attic" by V.C. Andrews a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews (Pocket Books, 1979) is identified by: Paperback original, Pocket Books #82531. The 1979 Pocket paperback is the true first format; there is no hardcover first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Paperback original, Pocket Books #82531
- The first printing carries the full Pocket Books descending number line and 1979 date with no later-printing notice, and shows the die-cut "attic window" keyhole cover with step-back interior art
- Andrews' debut
- Publisher imprint reads Pocket Books
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | V.C. Andrews |
| Publisher | Pocket Books |
| Year | 1979 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Paperback original, Pocket Books #82531 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Paperback original, Pocket Books #82531. The first printing carries the full Pocket Books descending number line and 1979 date with no later-printing notice, and shows the die-cut "attic window" keyhole cover with step-back interior art. Andrews' debut.

## Is this the true first?
The 1979 Pocket paperback is the true first format; there is no hardcover first. A 1980 hardcover reissue exists but is later. First-printing copies are scarce due to the fragility of the format.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition of the paperback original; later Pocket printings add higher printing numbers to the line, and the 1980 hardcover is a later reissue rather than the true first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Flowers in the Attic* by V.C. Andrews a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/flowers-in-the-attic
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.