The points of issue
New York: Harper & Row, 1986. Copyright page carries the 'FIRST EDITION' statement with the publisher's number line. Quarter red cloth over white paper boards, gilt spine lettering; 216 pages; cover art by Peter Thorpe. First-issue dust jacket is price-printed and unclipped. This is the first of Hillerman's Navajo novels to bring Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee together, and the book that lifted him to bestseller status.
Is this the true first?
The US Harper & Row edition of 1986 is the true first. Pairing Leaphorn and Chee in one book for the first time, it marked Hillerman's commercial breakthrough; the UNM Hillerman Portal documents the first edition and the advance reading copy.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club copies lack the printed jacket price and the number line, and are typically blind-stamped on the rear board; later printings drop the first-edition statement.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Skinwalkers a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: New York: Harper & Row, 1986. Copyright page carries the 'FIRST EDITION' statement with the publisher's number line. Quarter red cloth over white paper boards, gilt spine lettering; 216 pages; cover art by Peter Thorpe. First-issue dust jacket is price-printed and unclipped. This is the first of Hillerman's Navajo novels to bring Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee together, and the book that lifted him to bestseller status.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. The US Harper & Row edition of 1986 is the true first. Pairing Leaphorn and Chee in one book for the first time, it marked Hillerman's commercial breakthrough; the UNM Hillerman Portal documents the first edition and the advance reading copy.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club copies lack the printed jacket price and the number line, and are typically blind-stamped on the rear board; later printings drop the first-edition statement.
I have a first edition of Skinwalkers — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.