The points of issue
Mass-market paperback original; first printing identified on the copyright page. There was no 1983 US hardcover.
Is this the true first?
US Berkley mass-market paperback original (1983) is the true first; the first hardcover edition is the UK Severn House edition (1993).
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No contemporary book-club or hardcover issue; any early hardcover offered as such is the later Severn House edition.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Hart's Hope a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Mass-market paperback original; first printing identified on the copyright page. There was no 1983 US hardcover.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. US Berkley mass-market paperback original (1983) is the true first; the first hardcover edition is the UK Severn House edition (1993).
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No contemporary book-club or hardcover issue; any early hardcover offered as such is the later Severn House edition.
I have a first edition of Hart's Hope — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.