The points of issue
Maroon cloth, title gilt to spine, author's initials to front board; 'First Printing' stated on the copyright page with the Random House colophon on the title page; first-state dust jacket priced five dollars ninety-five cents on the front flap with the code '1/66' at the foot of the front flap.
Is this the true first?
US Random House (New York) true first; title page dated 1965 though the trade edition was published January 1966. UK Hamish Hamilton followed in 1966. The work first appeared serialized in The New Yorker.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-of-the-Month Club issue lacks the 'First Printing' statement and the jacket price and carries a blind-stamp to the rear board; very common.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of In Cold Blood: A True Account of a Multiple Murder and Its Consequences a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Maroon cloth, title gilt to spine, author's initials to front board; 'First Printing' stated on the copyright page with the Random House colophon on the title page; first-state dust jacket priced five dollars ninety-five cents on the front flap with the code '1/66' at the foot of the front flap.
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 Random House (New York) true first; title page dated 1965 though the trade edition was published January 1966. UK Hamish Hamilton followed in 1966. The work first appeared serialized in The New Yorker.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-of-the-Month Club issue lacks the 'First Printing' statement and the jacket price and carries a blind-stamp to the rear board; very common.
I have a first edition of In Cold Blood: A True Account of a Multiple Murder and Its Consequences — 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.