The points of issue
Bantam mass-market paperback original, August 1987 (ISBN 0553264613). The first printing is identified by the original cover price and the lowest printing number present in the number line, with no later-printing notice. This marks Roberts's move from category romance into single-title romantic suspense.
Is this the true first?
The 1987 Bantam paperback original is the true first; there was no hardcover or trade first. A later Bantam hardcover reissue (ISBN 0553802747) is first thus only. Separately, Roberts also wrote as J.D. Robb (the In Death series); those firsts are collected on their own and the pseudonym was kept secret early on.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club hardcover of this title in 1987. For the paperback original, verify the original cover price and the number line rather than any jacket points.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Hot Ice a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Bantam mass-market paperback original, August 1987 (ISBN 0553264613). The first printing is identified by the original cover price and the lowest printing number present in the number line, with no later-printing notice. This marks Roberts's move from category romance into single-title romantic suspense.
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. The 1987 Bantam paperback original is the true first; there was no hardcover or trade first. A later Bantam hardcover reissue (ISBN 0553802747) is first thus only. Separately, Roberts also wrote as J.D. Robb (the In Death series); those firsts are collected on their own and the pseudonym was kept se
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club hardcover of this title in 1987. For the paperback original, verify the original cover price and the number line rather than any jacket points.
I have a first edition of Hot Ice — 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.