# Is "Lightning" by Dean Koontz a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Lightning by Dean Koontz (G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1988) is identified by: Putnam's Sons hardcover first (1988, ISBN 0-399-13319-4), with a full number line counting down to 1 on the copyright page. US G.P.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- G.P. Putnam's Sons hardcover first (1988, ISBN 0-399-13319-4), with a full number line counting down to 1 on the copyright page
- Bound in light gray cloth over dark gray boards with copper lettering stamped to the spine and orange endpapers
- The first-issue dust jacket carries the printed price on the front flap (present, not clipped) and shows no book-club statement
- Publisher imprint reads G.P. Putnam's Sons
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Dean Koontz |
| Publisher | G.P. Putnam's Sons |
| Year | 1988 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | G.P. Putnam's Sons hardcover first (1988, ISBN 0-399-13319-4), with a full number line counting down to 1 on the copyright page |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
G.P. Putnam's Sons hardcover first (1988, ISBN 0-399-13319-4), with a full number line counting down to 1 on the copyright page. Bound in light gray cloth over dark gray boards with copper lettering stamped to the spine and orange endpapers. The first-issue dust jacket carries the printed price on the front flap (present, not clipped) and shows no book-club statement.

## Is this the true first?
US G.P. Putnam's Sons edition (1988) is the true first; the UK Headline edition followed in 1988.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The Putnam book-club edition is printed on thinner/lighter stock, lacks the printed price on the jacket flap, and typically carries a blind-stamped dot (gutter code) to the rear board; it also omits the full countdown number line.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Lightning* by Dean Koontz a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/lightning
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.