# Is "Marriages" by Peter Straub a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Marriages by Peter Straub (André Deutsch, 1973) is identified by: True first: André Deutsch, London, 1973. The André Deutsch London edition is the true first; the record's attribution to Cape was wrong.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- True first: André Deutsch, London, 1973
- The US edition, Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, New York, 1973, states First American Edition 1973 on the copyright page, wording that house reserved for books first published abroad
- Straub's first novel, following his poetry collections
- Publisher imprint reads André Deutsch
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Peter Straub |
| Publisher | André Deutsch |
| Year | 1973 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | True first: André Deutsch, London, 1973 |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
True first: André Deutsch, London, 1973. The US edition, Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, New York, 1973, states First American Edition 1973 on the copyright page, wording that house reserved for books first published abroad. Straub's first novel, following his poetry collections.

## Is this the true first?
The André Deutsch London edition is the true first; the record's attribution to Cape was wrong. The US Coward, McCann & Geoghegan edition is explicitly marked First American Edition, confirming prior UK publication.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Club tells: no printed jacket price and cheaper binding; a genuine US first carries the First American Edition statement.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Marriages* by Peter Straub a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/marriages
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.