# Is "Hornet's Nest" by Patricia Cornwell a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Hornet's Nest by Patricia Cornwell (G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1997) is identified by: First printing carries a complete number line reading 10 down to 1 on the copyright page, alongside Putnam's First Edition statement. US G.P.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing carries a complete number line reading 10 down to 1 on the copyright page, alongside Putnam's First Edition statement
- Illustrated dust jacket with the first-issue price at the top of the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads G.P. Putnam's Sons
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Patricia Cornwell |
| Publisher | G.P. Putnam's Sons |
| Year | 1997 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First printing carries a complete number line reading 10 down to 1 on the copyright page… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First printing carries a complete number line reading 10 down to 1 on the copyright page, alongside Putnam's First Edition statement. Illustrated dust jacket with the first-issue price at the top of the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
US G.P. Putnam's Sons is the true first. First novel in the Andy Brazil / Judy Hammer / Virginia West series, set in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Cornwell's first departure from the Kay Scarpetta character.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No significant book-club or reprint state complicates the true first; confirm by the full number line ending in 1 rather than the jacket alone.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Hornet's Nest* by Patricia Cornwell a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/hornets-nest
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.