# Is "King Suckerman" by George Pelecanos a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of King Suckerman by George Pelecanos (Little, Brown, 1997) is identified by: First edition stated on the copyright page with the number line descending to 1, in the Little, Brown style of the period. The US Little, Brown hardcover (Boston, 1997) is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition stated on the copyright page with the number line descending to 1, in the Little, Brown style of the period
- Issued in a priced dust jacket whose front flap should retain the printed price on the true first state
- Second novel of the DC Quartet
- Publisher imprint reads Little, Brown
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | George Pelecanos |
| Publisher | Little, Brown |
| Year | 1997 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition stated on the copyright page with the number line descending to 1, in the… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First edition stated on the copyright page with the number line descending to 1, in the Little, Brown style of the period. Issued in a priced dust jacket whose front flap should retain the printed price on the true first state. Second novel of the DC Quartet.

## Is this the true first?
The US Little, Brown hardcover (Boston, 1997) is the true first. The UK Serpent's Tail edition followed in 1998, so the American edition precedes all others.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No significant book club edition; the Little, Brown first printing is the first state.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *King Suckerman* by George Pelecanos a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/king-suckerman
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.