# Is "Killing Floor" by Lee Child a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Killing Floor by Lee Child (G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1997) is identified by: US Putnam first, dated 17 March 1997: 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page with a complete Putnam number line ending in '1'. The US Putnam edition (17 March 1997) is the true first and Jack Reacher's debut; it precedes the UK Bantam Press hardcover, an unusual case where the American edition is the true first for a British-born author then resident in the US.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- US Putnam first, dated 17 March 1997: 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page with a complete Putnam number line ending in '1'
- Bound in quarter red paper over white paper boards, black lettering to the spine, with black endpapers
- First-issue jacket priced on the front flap and unclipped
- Publisher imprint reads G. P. Putnam's Sons
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Lee Child |
| Publisher | G. P. Putnam's Sons |
| Year | 1997 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | US Putnam first, dated 17 March 1997: 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page with a complete Putnam number line ending in '1' |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
US Putnam first, dated 17 March 1997: 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page with a complete Putnam number line ending in '1'. Bound in quarter red paper over white paper boards, black lettering to the spine, with black endpapers. First-issue jacket priced on the front flap and unclipped.

## Is this the true first?
The US Putnam edition (17 March 1997) is the true first and Jack Reacher's debut; it precedes the UK Bantam Press hardcover, an unusual case where the American edition is the true first for a British-born author then resident in the US. Won the Anthony and Barry awards for best first novel.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions lack the stated 'First Edition' and complete number line, typically carry a blind-stamped dot or indentation on the rear board, have no price on the jacket flap, and are printed on lighter bulked paper. The UK Bantam Press first is collectible but secondary to the US Putnam first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Killing Floor* by Lee Child a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/killing-floor
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.