# Is "Mystic River" by Dennis Lehane a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Mystic River by Dennis Lehane (William Morrow, 2001) is identified by: William Morrow (New York), 2001, first printing: the copyright page carries the Morrow first-edition statement together with the full number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1. The US Morrow 2001 hardcover is the true first, preceding the UK Bantam edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- William Morrow (New York), 2001, first printing: the copyright page carries the Morrow first-edition statement together with the full number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
- Bound in quarter black paper over grey boards with orange spine lettering and orange endpapers and pastedowns; the Chip Kidd-designed dust jacket bears its printed first-issue price on the front flap
- Lehane's breakout standalone (ISBN 0-688-16316-5)
- Publisher imprint reads William Morrow
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Dennis Lehane |
| Publisher | William Morrow |
| Year | 2001 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | William Morrow (New York), 2001, first printing: the copyright page carries the Morrow first-edition statement together with the full… |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
William Morrow (New York), 2001, first printing: the copyright page carries the Morrow first-edition statement together with the full number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1. Bound in quarter black paper over grey boards with orange spine lettering and orange endpapers and pastedowns; the Chip Kidd-designed dust jacket bears its printed first-issue price on the front flap. Lehane's breakout standalone (ISBN 0-688-16316-5).

## Is this the true first?
The US Morrow 2001 hardcover is the true first, preceding the UK Bantam edition. The stated first edition with full number line to 1 is the collectible; signed copies are sought.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings show a number line not reaching 1. The stated first edition, full number line to 1, and priced Kidd jacket together confirm the trade first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Mystic River* by Dennis Lehane a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/mystic-river
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.