# Is "Overture to Death" by Ngaio Marsh a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Overture to Death by Ngaio Marsh (Collins, 1939) is identified by: UK Collins (The Crime Club) 1939 first edition. UK Collins (The Crime Club, 1939) is the true first; US Lee Furman follows in 1939.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- UK Collins (The Crime Club) 1939 first edition
- This was Marsh's first title for Collins after leaving Geoffrey Bles
- Eighth Alleyn novel
- US first edition Lee Furman, Inc., 1939
- Publisher imprint reads Collins
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Ngaio Marsh |
| Publisher | Collins |
| Year | 1939 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | UK Collins (The Crime Club) 1939 first edition |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
UK Collins (The Crime Club) 1939 first edition. This was Marsh's first title for Collins after leaving Geoffrey Bles. Eighth Alleyn novel. US first edition Lee Furman, Inc., 1939.

## Is this the true first?
UK Collins (The Crime Club, 1939) is the true first; US Lee Furman follows in 1939.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Reprints follow the Collins first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Overture to Death* by Ngaio Marsh a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/overture-to-death
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.