# Is "Persuader" by Lee Child a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Persuader by Lee Child (Delacorte Press, 2003) is identified by: On the US Delacorte edition, look for 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page together with a complete number line descending to 1, and a priced dust jacket. The true first edition is the UK Bantam Press hardcover, published April 2003, which preceded the US Delacorte Press edition (May 2003).

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- On the US Delacorte edition, look for 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page together with a complete number line descending to 1, and a priced dust jacket
- Quarter black paper over white boards
- Publisher imprint reads Delacorte Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Lee Child |
| Publisher | Delacorte Press |
| Year | 2003 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | On the US Delacorte edition, look for 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
On the US Delacorte edition, look for 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page together with a complete number line descending to 1, and a priced dust jacket. Quarter black paper over white boards.

## Is this the true first?
The true first edition is the UK Bantam Press hardcover, published April 2003, which preceded the US Delacorte Press edition (May 2003). The Delacorte printing is the genuine US first edition but not the first appearance in print. Seventh Reacher novel.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No significant book-club edition issue on the stated-first US Delacorte printing; identify it by the stated 'First Edition' plus the number line to 1.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Persuader* by Lee Child a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/persuader
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.