# Is "Out on the Cutting Edge" by Lawrence Block a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Out on the Cutting Edge by Lawrence Block (William Morrow, 1989) is identified by: First edition so stated on the copyright page with a complete Morrow number line running down to 1. US William Morrow hardcover of 1989 is the true first; seventh Matthew Scudder novel.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition so stated on the copyright page with a complete Morrow number line running down to 1
- Bound in cloth-backed boards lettered in gold script; the first-state dust jacket should retain the printed price on the front flap (an unclipped example carries it)
- ISBN 0-688-09069-9
- Publisher imprint reads William Morrow
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Lawrence Block |
| Publisher | William Morrow |
| Year | 1989 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition so stated on the copyright page with a complete Morrow number line running… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First edition so stated on the copyright page with a complete Morrow number line running down to 1. Bound in cloth-backed boards lettered in gold script; the first-state dust jacket should retain the printed price on the front flap (an unclipped example carries it). ISBN 0-688-09069-9.

## Is this the true first?
US William Morrow hardcover of 1989 is the true first; seventh Matthew Scudder novel.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions are printed from the same setting but lack the number line and priced jacket, and typically carry a blindstamp on the rear board.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Out on the Cutting Edge* by Lawrence Block a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/out-on-the-cutting-edge
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.