# Is "Mr. White's Confession" by Robert Clark a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Mr. White's Confession by Robert Clark (Picador USA / St. Martin's Press, 1998) is identified by: Martin's Press first edition, 1998, 341 pages, with the 'First Edition' statement and a complete number line descending to 1 on the copyright page. The US Picador USA / St.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- US Picador USA / St
- Martin's Press first edition, 1998, 341 pages, with the 'First Edition' statement and a complete number line descending to 1 on the copyright page
- The jacket should retain its printed price and is not price-clipped in first state
- Winner of the 1999 Edgar Award for Best Novel; the announced first printing was 35,000 copies
- Publisher imprint reads Picador USA / St. Martin's Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Robert Clark |
| Publisher | Picador USA / St. Martin's Press |
| Year | 1998 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | US Picador USA / St |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
US Picador USA / St. Martin's Press first edition, 1998, 341 pages, with the 'First Edition' statement and a complete number line descending to 1 on the copyright page. The jacket should retain its printed price and is not price-clipped in first state. Winner of the 1999 Edgar Award for Best Novel; the announced first printing was 35,000 copies.

## Is this the true first?
The US Picador USA / St. Martin's 1998 edition is the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A number line not descending to 1 indicates a later printing. Book-club issues, where they exist, typically lack the printed price and the full number line.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Mr. White's Confession* by Robert Clark a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/mr-whites-confession
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.