# Is "Psycho" by Robert Bloch a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Psycho by Robert Bloch (Simon and Schuster, 1959) is identified by: Issued in Simon and Schuster's Inner Sanctum Mystery line; the first printing states "First printing" on the copyright page. The Simon and Schuster (New York) 1959 edition is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Issued in Simon and Schuster's Inner Sanctum Mystery line; the first printing states "First printing" on the copyright page
- The binding is tan/beige cloth at the spine over black paper-covered boards, with the spine title lettered in red
- The first-printing dust jacket is the black-and-white design with the title reading vertically in cracked lettering; a priced jacket (price present at the front flap, unclipped) is called for
- The book was produced on fragile stock: age-toned pages and a browned jacket are the norm, not a defect unique to a given copy
- 185 pp., octavo
- Publisher imprint reads Simon and Schuster
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Robert Bloch |
| Publisher | Simon and Schuster |
| Year | 1959 |
| True first | British edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Issued in Simon and Schuster's Inner Sanctum Mystery line; the first printing states "First printing" on the copyright page |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Issued in Simon and Schuster's Inner Sanctum Mystery line; the first printing states "First printing" on the copyright page. The binding is tan/beige cloth at the spine over black paper-covered boards, with the spine title lettered in red. The first-printing dust jacket is the black-and-white design with the title reading vertically in cracked lettering; a priced jacket (price present at the front flap, unclipped) is called for. The book was produced on fragile stock: age-toned pages and a browned jacket are the norm, not a defect unique to a given copy. 185 pp., octavo.

## Is this the true first?
The Simon and Schuster (New York) 1959 edition is the true first. The first British edition followed from Robert Hale Limited (London) in 1960, with a different, more pictorial jacket; both are collected, but the US edition has precedence.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later Simon and Schuster printings omit the "First printing" statement; copies lacking the statement or the priced jacket flap are later issues. No distinct book-club points were documented in the sources consulted.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Psycho* by Robert Bloch a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/psycho
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.