The points of issue
The correct debut is 'The Cold Dish', the US Viking first, 2004. The first printing shows 'FIRST EDITION' on the copyright page together with a number line that includes the 1, and an unclipped jacket with the original price. It is Johnson's debut and the first Walt Longmire novel, an increasingly collected modern crime debut.
Is this the true first?
The US Viking 2004 edition of 'The Cold Dish' is the true first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings drop the 1 from the number line; book-club editions lack the printed jacket price and are often physically lighter.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Sticks & Scones (The Cold Dish) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: The correct debut is 'The Cold Dish', the US Viking first, 2004. The first printing shows 'FIRST EDITION' on the copyright page together with a number line that includes the 1, and an unclipped jacket with the original price. It is Johnson's debut and the first Walt Longmire novel, an increasingly collected modern crime debut.
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 Viking 2004 edition of 'The Cold Dish' is the true first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings drop the 1 from the number line; book-club editions lack the printed jacket price and are often physically lighter.
I have a first edition of Sticks & Scones (The Cold Dish) — 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.