# Is "Holly" by Stephen King a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Holly by Stephen King (Scribner, 2023) is identified by: The copyright page states First Scribner hardcover edition September 2023 and carries a complete number line ending in 1 (Scribner's descending-then-ascending key, with the 1 present). The US Scribner and UK Hodder & Stoughton editions were published essentially simultaneously in September 2023; collectors treat the US Scribner hardcover as the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- The copyright page states First Scribner hardcover edition September 2023 and carries a complete number line ending in 1 (Scribner's descending-then-ascending key, with the 1 present)
- The book is bound in boards with foil spine lettering and issued in a pictorial dust jacket that must retain its printed cover prices (US and Canada figures on the upper front flap); a first-issue jacket is not price-clipped
- Publisher imprint reads Scribner
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Stephen King |
| Publisher | Scribner |
| Year | 2023 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | The copyright page states First Scribner hardcover edition September 2023 and carries a complete number line ending in 1 (Scribner's… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
The copyright page states First Scribner hardcover edition September 2023 and carries a complete number line ending in 1 (Scribner's descending-then-ascending key, with the 1 present). The book is bound in boards with foil spine lettering and issued in a pictorial dust jacket that must retain its printed cover prices (US and Canada figures on the upper front flap); a first-issue jacket is not price-clipped.

## Is this the true first?
The US Scribner and UK Hodder & Stoughton editions were published essentially simultaneously in September 2023; collectors treat the US Scribner hardcover as the true first. The Scribner text is the primary appearance of this Holly Gibney novel.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Copies without the 1 in the number line are later Scribner printings. Book club editions typically lack the number line, are printed on lighter bulk, and carry a jacket with no printed price; a blind-stamped dimple on the rear board is the usual book-club tell.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Holly* by Stephen King a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/holly
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.