# Is "Strangers" by Dean R. Koontz a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Strangers by Dean R. Koontz (G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1986) is identified by: The true first states "First Edition" on the copyright page AND carries a complete number line ending in 1 (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1). US Putnam is the true first; a key early title published under Koontz's own name following his pseudonym years.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- The true first states "First Edition" on the copyright page AND carries a complete number line ending in 1 (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1)
- Black quarter-bound boards with silver lettering to the spine and red endpapers; jacket carries the printed retail price unclipped
- The original record's claim of "no number line" is incorrect — a full number line is present on a genuine first printing
- Publisher imprint reads G.P. Putnam's Sons
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Dean R. Koontz |
| Publisher | G.P. Putnam's Sons |
| Year | 1986 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | The true first states "First Edition" on the copyright page AND carries a complete number line ending in 1 (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1) |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
The true first states "First Edition" on the copyright page AND carries a complete number line ending in 1 (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1). Black quarter-bound boards with silver lettering to the spine and red endpapers; jacket carries the printed retail price unclipped. The original record's claim of "no number line" is incorrect — a full number line is present on a genuine first printing.

## Is this the true first?
US Putnam is the true first; a key early title published under Koontz's own name following his pseudonym years.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The book club edition lacks the full number line, has an unpriced jacket, shows a blind-stamped code on the rear board, and runs to slightly reduced dimensions. Watch for price-clipped jackets used to disguise BCEs.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Strangers* by Dean R. Koontz a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/strangers-dean-r-koontz
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.