# Is "Old Bones" by Aaron Elkins a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Old Bones by Aaron Elkins (The Mysterious Press, 1987) is identified by: US Mysterious Press first, 1987: the copyright page states the printing month (December 1987) with a full number line counting down 10 to 1. The US Mysterious Press 1987 hardcover is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- US Mysterious Press first, 1987: the copyright page states the printing month (December 1987) with a full number line counting down 10 to 1
- Won the 1988 Edgar Award for Best Novel; fourth Gideon Oliver ('skeleton detective') novel
- Publisher imprint reads The Mysterious Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Aaron Elkins |
| Publisher | The Mysterious Press |
| Year | 1987 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | US Mysterious Press first, 1987: the copyright page states the printing month (December 1987) with a full number line counting down 10 to 1 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
US Mysterious Press first, 1987: the copyright page states the printing month (December 1987) with a full number line counting down 10 to 1. Won the 1988 Edgar Award for Best Novel; fourth Gideon Oliver ('skeleton detective') novel.

## Is this the true first?
The US Mysterious Press 1987 hardcover is the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A number line that does not end in 1 indicates a later printing; book-club editions are typically smaller and lack the jacket price.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Old Bones* by Aaron Elkins a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/old-bones
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.