The points of issue
First U.S. trade hardcover from Overlook Press with full number line ending in 1 on the copyright page and a price present on the dust jacket flap. The novel, narrated in the second person, was a simultaneous trade release; the U.K. edition appeared from Duckworth/Overlook around the same time, but the Overlook printing is the standard true first for U.S. collectors.
Is this the true first?
True first edition is the 2010 Overlook Press hardcover.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No notable book-club edition.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Noir a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First U.S. trade hardcover from Overlook Press with full number line ending in 1 on the copyright page and a price present on the dust jacket flap. The novel, narrated in the second person, was a simultaneous trade release; the U.K. edition appeared from Duckworth/Overlook around the same time, but the Overlook printing is the standard true first for U.S. collectors.
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. True first edition is the 2010 Overlook Press hardcover.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No notable book-club edition.
I have a first edition of Noir — 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.