# Is "Opening Night (US: Night at the Vulcan)" by Ngaio Marsh a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Opening Night (US: Night at the Vulcan) by Ngaio Marsh (Collins, 1951) is identified by: An Inspector Alleyn mystery. Both 1951 editions are recognized firsts under their respective titles; clear precedence between the UK Opening Night and the US Night at the Vulcan is not established (the author's bibliography lists Boston first).

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- An Inspector Alleyn mystery
- Published in 1951 under two titles: Opening Night by Collins in London and Night at the Vulcan by Little, Brown in Boston
- The two 1951 editions are effectively simultaneous, so the variant title is the reliable identification point rather than a firm precedence
- Publisher imprint reads Collins
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Ngaio Marsh |
| Publisher | Collins |
| Year | 1951 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | An Inspector Alleyn mystery |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
An Inspector Alleyn mystery. Published in 1951 under two titles: Opening Night by Collins in London and Night at the Vulcan by Little, Brown in Boston. The two 1951 editions are effectively simultaneous, so the variant title is the reliable identification point rather than a firm precedence.

## Is this the true first?
Both 1951 editions are recognized firsts under their respective titles; clear precedence between the UK Opening Night and the US Night at the Vulcan is not established (the author's bibliography lists Boston first).

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later reprints and book-club printings follow the first editions.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Opening Night (US: Night at the Vulcan)* by Ngaio Marsh a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/opening-night-us-night-at-the-vulcan
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.