# Is "Grave Mistake" by Ngaio Marsh a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Grave Mistake by Ngaio Marsh (Collins, 1978) is identified by: First published in 1978 both in the UK by Collins Crime Club and in the US by Little, Brown. The Collins UK and Little, Brown US editions both carry 1978; global precedence is not reliably UK-first for Marsh's late novels, so establish it per title.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First published in 1978 both in the UK by Collins Crime Club and in the US by Little, Brown
- A Roderick Alleyn novel
- Verify a UK first by the Collins Crime Club imprint with 1978 on the title and copyright pages and a British-priced dust jacket
- Publisher imprint reads Collins
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Ngaio Marsh |
| Publisher | Collins |
| Year | 1978 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First published in 1978 both in the UK by Collins Crime Club and in the US by Little… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First published in 1978 both in the UK by Collins Crime Club and in the US by Little, Brown. A Roderick Alleyn novel. Verify a UK first by the Collins Crime Club imprint with 1978 on the title and copyright pages and a British-priced dust jacket.

## Is this the true first?
The Collins UK and Little, Brown US editions both carry 1978; global precedence is not reliably UK-first for Marsh's late novels, so establish it per title. The Collins Crime Club printing is the UK first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club editions and reprints follow, usually without a jacket price and with book-club markings.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Grave Mistake* by Ngaio Marsh a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/grave-mistake
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.