# Is "Port Mortuary" by Patricia Cornwell a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Port Mortuary by Patricia Cornwell (G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2010) is identified by: Putnam's Sons hardcover, 2010 (ISBN 9780399157219), the eighteenth Kay Scarpetta novel. US G.P.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- G.P. Putnam's Sons hardcover, 2010 (ISBN 9780399157219), the eighteenth Kay Scarpetta novel
- The first printing states 'First edition' (Putnam house style) and carries a complete number line including the numeral 1 on the copyright page
- Issued with color illustrated endpapers and the publisher's dust jacket, which on a first-state example retains its printed price on the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads G.P. Putnam's Sons
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Patricia Cornwell |
| Publisher | G.P. Putnam's Sons |
| Year | 2010 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | G.P. Putnam's Sons hardcover, 2010 (ISBN 9780399157219), the eighteenth Kay Scarpetta… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
G.P. Putnam's Sons hardcover, 2010 (ISBN 9780399157219), the eighteenth Kay Scarpetta novel. The first printing states 'First edition' (Putnam house style) and carries a complete number line including the numeral 1 on the copyright page. Issued with color illustrated endpapers and the publisher's dust jacket, which on a first-state example retains its printed price on the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
US G.P. Putnam's Sons is the true first edition (ISBN 9780399157219); eighteenth Kay Scarpetta novel. The UK Little, Brown printing is a separate edition, not the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No significant book-club issue affecting first-edition identification.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Port Mortuary* by Patricia Cornwell a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/port-mortuary
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.