# Is "In the Dark" by Richard Laymon a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of In the Dark by Richard Laymon (Headline, 1994) is identified by: London: Headline, 1994. The UK Headline hardcover is the true first; the US edition appeared only years later as a Leisure paperback.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- London: Headline, 1994
- Copyright page states First published in Great Britain in 1994 by Headline Book Publishing PLC, with a complete number line running down to 1
- ISBN 0747209944
- Jacket art by Steve Crisp
- Publisher imprint reads Headline
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Richard Laymon |
| Publisher | Headline |
| Year | 1994 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | London: Headline, 1994 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
London: Headline, 1994. Copyright page states First published in Great Britain in 1994 by Headline Book Publishing PLC, with a complete number line running down to 1. ISBN 0747209944. Jacket art by Steve Crisp.

## Is this the true first?
The UK Headline hardcover is the true first; the US edition appeared only years later as a Leisure paperback.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
UK book club (BCA) reprints of Laymon's Headline titles exist: they carry a BCA imprint rather than the Headline ISBN and number line, and the jacket lacks a printed price.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *In the Dark* by Richard Laymon a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/in-the-dark
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.