# Is "Island" by Richard Laymon a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Island by Richard Laymon (Headline, 1995) is identified by: Headline hardcover first edition, London, published 13 July 1995, running to 346 pages; the first-issue dust jacket carries art by Steve Crisp and should retain its printed price. The UK Headline hardcover is the true first; Laymon's mid-1990s novels appeared in Britain first, well ahead of any US publication.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Headline hardcover first edition, London, published 13 July 1995, running to 346 pages; the first-issue dust jacket carries art by Steve Crisp and should retain its printed price
- A first printing shows a complete descending number line
- Publisher imprint reads Headline
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Richard Laymon |
| Publisher | Headline |
| Year | 1995 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Headline hardcover first edition, London, published 13 July 1995, running to 346 pages; the first-issue dust jacket carries art by Steve… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Headline hardcover first edition, London, published 13 July 1995, running to 346 pages; the first-issue dust jacket carries art by Steve Crisp and should retain its printed price. A first printing shows a complete descending number line.

## Is this the true first?
The UK Headline hardcover is the true first; Laymon's mid-1990s novels appeared in Britain first, well ahead of any US publication.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club and later printings lack the complete number line; a first printing shows the full line ending in 1 with the jacket price intact.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Island* by Richard Laymon a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/island-richard-laymon
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.