# Is "Last Car to Elysian Fields" by James Lee Burke a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Last Car to Elysian Fields by James Lee Burke (Simon & Schuster, 2003) is identified by: "First Edition" stated on the copyright page with a complete number line ending in 1. US Simon & Schuster edition (New York, 2003) is the true first; thirteenth Dave Robicheaux novel.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- "First Edition" stated on the copyright page with a complete number line ending in 1
- Publisher imprint reads Simon & Schuster
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | James Lee Burke |
| Publisher | Simon & Schuster |
| Year | 2003 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | "First Edition" stated on the copyright page with a complete number line ending in 1 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
"First Edition" stated on the copyright page with a complete number line ending in 1.

## Is this the true first?
US Simon & Schuster edition (New York, 2003) is the true first; thirteenth Dave Robicheaux novel.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition is likely to be confused with the true first; the stated First Edition with full number line identifies the first printing.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Last Car to Elysian Fields* by James Lee Burke a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/last-car-to-elysian-fields
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.