# Is "God Save the Mark" by Donald E. Westlake a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of God Save the Mark by Donald E. Westlake (Random House, 1967) is identified by: Random House, New York, 1967, first edition, first printing, with 'First Printing' stated on the copyright page. The US Random House hardcover first printing, so stated on the copyright page, is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Random House, New York, 1967, first edition, first printing, with 'First Printing' stated on the copyright page
- Bound in grey buckram cloth with a red top-stain
- 209 pages
- The first-issue dust jacket carries cover art by Richard Rosenblum and should retain its printed price on the front flap
- The novel won the Edgar Award for Best Novel (awarded 1968 for the 1967 book)
- Publisher imprint reads Random House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Donald E. Westlake |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Year | 1967 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Random House, New York, 1967, first edition, first printing, with 'First Printing' stated… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Random House, New York, 1967, first edition, first printing, with 'First Printing' stated on the copyright page. Bound in grey buckram cloth with a red top-stain; 209 pages. The first-issue dust jacket carries cover art by Richard Rosenblum and should retain its printed price on the front flap. The novel won the Edgar Award for Best Novel (awarded 1968 for the 1967 book).

## Is this the true first?
The US Random House hardcover first printing, so stated on the copyright page, is the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions of this era are identifiable by a blind-stamped dot or square on the rear board, thinner boards, and a jacket with no printed price on the front flap; they do not carry the 'First Printing' statement.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *God Save the Mark* by Donald E. Westlake a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/god-save-the-mark
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.