# Is "Light of the World" by James Lee Burke a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Light of the World by James Lee Burke (Simon & Schuster, 2013) is identified by: The copyright page states First Edition together with a complete descending Simon & Schuster number line in the form 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1, the final 1 confirming the first printing; the volume runs to roughly 548 pages. The US Simon & Schuster hardcover of 2013 is the true first; it is the twentieth Dave Robicheaux novel.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- The copyright page states First Edition together with a complete descending Simon & Schuster number line in the form 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1, the final 1 confirming the first printing; the volume runs to roughly 548 pages
- The unclipped dust jacket bears the front-panel art and the author photograph and biography, and the printed price should be present on the front flap
- Trade first printings signed by Burke are signed on the title page
- Distinct from the trade first, a signed numbered limited edition of sixty-five copies was issued in quarter leather over marbled-paper boards with a stamped spine and a transparent glassine outer wrapper, each signed by the author on a limitation leaf preceding the half-title
- Publisher imprint reads Simon & Schuster
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | James Lee Burke |
| Publisher | Simon & Schuster |
| Year | 2013 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | The copyright page states First Edition together with a complete descending Simon &… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
The copyright page states First Edition together with a complete descending Simon & Schuster number line in the form 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1, the final 1 confirming the first printing; the volume runs to roughly 548 pages. The unclipped dust jacket bears the front-panel art and the author photograph and biography, and the printed price should be present on the front flap. Trade first printings signed by Burke are signed on the title page. Distinct from the trade first, a signed numbered limited edition of sixty-five copies was issued in quarter leather over marbled-paper boards with a stamped spine and a transparent glassine outer wrapper, each signed by the author on a limitation leaf preceding the half-title.

## Is this the true first?
The US Simon & Schuster hardcover of 2013 is the true first; it is the twentieth Dave Robicheaux novel. Alongside the trade first, a signed limited of sixty-five numbered copies in quarter leather and marbled boards was issued.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No significant book-club issue; the stated First Edition with full number line ending in 1 identifies the first printing.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Light of the World* by James Lee Burke a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/light-of-the-world
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.