# Is "Ghost Story" by Peter Straub a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Ghost Story by Peter Straub (Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, 1979) is identified by: US Coward, McCann & Geoghegan hardcover, 1979. The US Coward, McCann & Geoghegan edition (1979) is the true first and precedes the UK Jonathan Cape edition (a reversal from Straub's earlier UK-first titles).

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- US Coward, McCann & Geoghegan hardcover, 1979
- Coward-McCann firsts of this period are identified by the absence of any later-printing statement on the copyright page rather than by a printed number line, so a true first shows no added printing notice
- The dust jacket carries its printed price on the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads Coward, McCann & Geoghegan
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Peter Straub |
| Publisher | Coward, McCann & Geoghegan |
| Year | 1979 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | US Coward, McCann & Geoghegan hardcover, 1979 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
US Coward, McCann & Geoghegan hardcover, 1979. Coward-McCann firsts of this period are identified by the absence of any later-printing statement on the copyright page rather than by a printed number line, so a true first shows no added printing notice. The dust jacket carries its printed price on the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
The US Coward, McCann & Geoghegan edition (1979) is the true first and precedes the UK Jonathan Cape edition (a reversal from Straub's earlier UK-first titles). Underwood-Miller later issued a signed limited edition, which is a first thus rather than the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions are smaller and lighter, lack the printed jacket price, and typically carry a blind-stamp on the rear board. Confirm a first by the priced jacket and the absence of any later-printing statement.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Ghost Story* by Peter Straub a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/ghost-story
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.