# Is "Free Fall in Crimson" by John D. MacDonald a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Free Fall in Crimson by John D. MacDonald (Harper & Row, 1981) is identified by: Harper & Row, New York, 1981. The US Harper & Row hardcover is the true first edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Harper & Row, New York, 1981
- Travis McGee #19; this title marks the series' move from Lippincott to Harper & Row
- First printing is bound in quarter black cloth over red boards with gilt spine lettering; the first-issue jacket carries its original front-flap price and is unclipped
- Publisher imprint reads Harper & Row
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | John D. MacDonald |
| Publisher | Harper & Row |
| Year | 1981 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Harper & Row, New York, 1981 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Harper & Row, New York, 1981. Travis McGee #19; this title marks the series' move from Lippincott to Harper & Row. First printing is bound in quarter black cloth over red boards with gilt spine lettering; the first-issue jacket carries its original front-flap price and is unclipped.

## Is this the true first?
The US Harper & Row hardcover is the true first edition.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions lack the flap price and bear a blind-stamped dot on the rear board.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Free Fall in Crimson* by John D. MacDonald a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/free-fall-in-crimson
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.