# Is "Live by Night" by Dennis Lehane a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Live by Night by Dennis Lehane (William Morrow, 2012) is identified by: 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. 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.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- 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
- Publisher imprint reads William Morrow
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Dennis Lehane |
| Publisher | William Morrow |
| Year | 2012 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Morrow first printing has 'First Edition' stated together with a number line ending in 1, and the first-issue jacket shows the printed… |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## 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.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Live by Night* by Dennis Lehane a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/live-by-night
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.