The points of issue
Collins Crime Club, January 1934. Orange cloth, spine and front board lettered black. Copyright page reads 'Copyright 1934' with NO reference to any subsequent impression (second/third impressions of Jan 1934 are explicitly noted as such). The list of 'Agatha Christie' titles facing the title page ends with 'Lord Edgware Dies' (her most recent prior title). Top edge and endpapers orange.
Is this the true first?
UK Collins Crime Club (Jan 1934) is the true first, preceding the US edition titled 'Murder in the Calais Coach' (Dodd, Mead, 1934). Because the small first impression sold out, second and third impressions appeared within January 1934 — these are NOT firsts and far less valuable. The first-issue wrap-around 'Book of the Month' band is exceedingly scarce.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
US 'Murder in the Calais Coach' is a different-titled first for the US market, not a club edition. Later Collins impressions state 'Second Impression'/'Third Impression' on the copyright page — check for the absence of any impression statement.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Murder on the Orient Express a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Collins Crime Club, January 1934. Orange cloth, spine and front board lettered black. Copyright page reads 'Copyright 1934' with NO reference to any subsequent impression (second/third impressions of Jan 1934 are explicitly noted as such). The list of 'Agatha Christie' titles facing the title page ends with 'Lord Edgware Dies' (her most recent prior title). Top edge and endpapers orange.
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. UK Collins Crime Club (Jan 1934) is the true first, preceding the US edition titled 'Murder in the Calais Coach' (Dodd, Mead, 1934). Because the small first impression sold out, second and third impressions appeared within January 1934 — these are NOT firsts and far less valuable. The first-issue wr
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
US 'Murder in the Calais Coach' is a different-titled first for the US market, not a club edition. Later Collins impressions state 'Second Impression'/'Third Impression' on the copyright page — check for the absence of any impression statement.
I have a first edition of Murder on the Orient Express — 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.