# Is "Listening Woman" by Tony Hillerman a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Listening Woman by Tony Hillerman (Harper & Row, 1978) is identified by: Harper & Row first edition, New York 1978. The US Harper & Row edition (1978) is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Harper & Row first edition, New York 1978
- The copyright page carries the stated line 'FIRST EDITION' followed by the date-and-number key '78 79 80 81 82 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'; the presence of the numeral 1 marks the first printing
- Binding is light yellow cloth-covered boards with a yellow cloth spine lettered in black
- The first-issue dust jacket bears the full-color illustration by Frank Bozzo in yellow and orange tones and carries the printed price on the front flap (present, unclipped, on an unaltered jacket)
- The text includes black-and-white drawings by Navajo artist Ernest Franklin
- Publisher imprint reads Harper & Row
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Tony Hillerman |
| Publisher | Harper & Row |
| Year | 1978 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Harper & Row first edition, New York 1978 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Harper & Row first edition, New York 1978. The copyright page carries the stated line 'FIRST EDITION' followed by the date-and-number key '78 79 80 81 82 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'; the presence of the numeral 1 marks the first printing. Binding is light yellow cloth-covered boards with a yellow cloth spine lettered in black. The first-issue dust jacket bears the full-color illustration by Frank Bozzo in yellow and orange tones and carries the printed price on the front flap (present, unclipped, on an unaltered jacket). The text includes black-and-white drawings by Navajo artist Ernest Franklin.

## Is this the true first?
The US Harper & Row edition (1978) is the true first. Third Leaphorn novel.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club copies lack the printed jacket price and the full number line, and the boards and jacket illustration are reproduced at reduced quality.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Listening Woman* by Tony Hillerman a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/listening-woman
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.