# Is "Silent Partner" by Jonathan Kellerman a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Silent Partner by Jonathan Kellerman (Bantam, 1989) is identified by: The words First Edition are stated on the copyright page with a number line ending in 1, and the dust jacket carries a printed price. US Bantam hardcover is the true first, 1989; the fourth Alex Delaware novel.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- The words First Edition are stated on the copyright page with a number line ending in 1, and the dust jacket carries a printed price
- Publisher imprint reads Bantam
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Jonathan Kellerman |
| Publisher | Bantam |
| Year | 1989 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | The words First Edition are stated on the copyright page with a number line ending in 1… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
The words First Edition are stated on the copyright page with a number line ending in 1, and the dust jacket carries a printed price.

## Is this the true first?
US Bantam hardcover is the true first, 1989; the fourth Alex Delaware novel.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
None significant noted; if a club issue exists it would follow the usual pattern of an unpriced jacket and a rear-board blindstamp.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Silent Partner* by Jonathan Kellerman a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/silent-partner
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.