The points of issue
Morrow first printing has 'First Edition' stated together with a number line ending in 1, and the first-issue jacket shows the printed retail price. Won the Edgar Award for Best Novel in 2013. Signed first printings and signed indie-store states exist.
Is this the true first?
The US William Morrow edition of 2012 is generally taken as the true first; the UK first was Little, Brown, also issued in 2012 and roughly contemporaneous rather than clearly later.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No meaningful book-club edition; later printings advance the number line.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Live by Night a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Morrow first printing has 'First Edition' stated together with a number line ending in 1, and the first-issue jacket shows the printed retail price. Won the Edgar Award for Best Novel in 2013. Signed first printings and signed indie-store states exist.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. The US William Morrow edition of 2012 is generally taken as the true first; the UK first was Little, Brown, also issued in 2012 and roughly contemporaneous rather than clearly later.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No meaningful book-club edition; later printings advance the number line.
I have a first edition of Live by Night — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.