# Is "Hallowe'en Party" by Agatha Christie a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Hallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie (William Collins, 1969) is identified by: UK Collins Crime Club, early November 1969, is the first edition and precedes the US Dodd, Mead edition of the same year. Both editions carry 1969, but the UK Collins Crime Club printing (early November) precedes the US Dodd, Mead edition (later November) and is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- UK Collins Crime Club, early November 1969, is the first edition and precedes the US Dodd, Mead edition of the same year
- Poirot and Ariadne Oliver novel
- Publisher imprint reads William Collins
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Agatha Christie |
| Publisher | William Collins |
| Year | 1969 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | UK Collins Crime Club, early November 1969, is the first edition and precedes the US… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
UK Collins Crime Club, early November 1969, is the first edition and precedes the US Dodd, Mead edition of the same year. Poirot and Ariadne Oliver novel.

## Is this the true first?
Both editions carry 1969, but the UK Collins Crime Club printing (early November) precedes the US Dodd, Mead edition (later November) and is the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later impressions and book club editions follow the first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Hallowe'en Party* by Agatha Christie a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/halloween-party
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.