# Is "Red Dragon" by Thomas Harris a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Red Dragon by Thomas Harris (G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1981) is identified by: Putnam first printing: copyright page with no later-printing statement (per Putnam's practice; first state shows no number-line indicating a later printing). US Putnam 1981 is the true first, preceding the UK Bodley Head edition (1981).

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Putnam first printing: copyright page with no later-printing statement (per Putnam's practice; first state shows no number-line indicating a later printing)
- First-state dust jacket with its printed price
- First appearance of Hannibal Lecter (spelled 'Lecter' in the book)
- Publisher imprint reads G.P. Putnam's Sons
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Thomas Harris |
| Publisher | G.P. Putnam's Sons |
| Year | 1981 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Putnam first printing: copyright page with no later-printing statement (per Putnam's practice; first state shows no number-line indicating… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Putnam first printing: copyright page with no later-printing statement (per Putnam's practice; first state shows no number-line indicating a later printing). First-state dust jacket with its printed price. First appearance of Hannibal Lecter (spelled 'Lecter' in the book).

## Is this the true first?
US Putnam 1981 is the true first, preceding the UK Bodley Head edition (1981). The US first is the collected copy.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book Club Edition has the rear-board blind stamp, no jacket price, and smaller dimensions. Confirm trade first by the printed priced jacket and Putnam first-printing indicia.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Red Dragon* by Thomas Harris a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/red-dragon
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.