# Is "Rose Madder" by Stephen King a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Rose Madder by Stephen King (Viking, 1995) is identified by: Viking trade hardcover first, bound in black boards with a black cloth spine, red foil decoration to the front board and red spine lettering. US Viking is the true first (June 1995); the UK Hodder & Stoughton edition follows.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Viking trade hardcover first, bound in black boards with a black cloth spine, red foil decoration to the front board and red spine lettering
- The copyright page carries the number line 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 and states 'First published in 1995 by Viking Penguin.' Issued in the original dust jacket, which should retain its printed price with the 0795 date code on the front flap
- ISBN 0670858692
- Publisher imprint reads Viking
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Stephen King |
| Publisher | Viking |
| Year | 1995 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Viking trade hardcover first, bound in black boards with a black cloth spine, red foil decoration to the front board and red spine lettering |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Viking trade hardcover first, bound in black boards with a black cloth spine, red foil decoration to the front board and red spine lettering. The copyright page carries the number line 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 and states 'First published in 1995 by Viking Penguin.' Issued in the original dust jacket, which should retain its printed price with the 0795 date code on the front flap. ISBN 0670858692.

## Is this the true first?
US Viking is the true first (June 1995); the UK Hodder & Stoughton edition follows.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions lack the printed price and date code on the jacket flap and are typically noticeably lighter and smaller than the Viking trade first, often without the full number line.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Rose Madder* by Stephen King a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/rose-madder
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.