The points of issue
First printing has a full number line ending in 1 with 'First Scribner hardcover edition' stated, and the first-issue jacket shows the printed retail price. Won the Edgar Award for Best Novel in 2015. Cemetery Dance and other signed or limited states exist separately.
Is this the true first?
The US Scribner edition (June 2014) is the conventionally collected true first for King; the UK Hodder and Stoughton edition also appeared in 2014, and firm precedence between the two is not established.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition for the trade first; later printings advance the number line. Distinguish the trade first from signed or limited states.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Mr. Mercedes a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing has a full number line ending in 1 with 'First Scribner hardcover edition' stated, and the first-issue jacket shows the printed retail price. Won the Edgar Award for Best Novel in 2015. Cemetery Dance and other signed or limited states exist separately.
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 Scribner edition (June 2014) is the conventionally collected true first for King; the UK Hodder and Stoughton edition also appeared in 2014, and firm precedence between the two is not established.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition for the trade first; later printings advance the number line. Distinguish the trade first from signed or limited states.
I have a first edition of Mr. Mercedes — 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.