The points of issue
True first is the UK Headline hardcover, London 1995, under Ketchum's original title Only Child (ISBN 0747211671). The US first is the Berkley paperback original Stranglehold, September 1995 (ISBN 0425149463). No Dutton hardcover exists.
Is this the true first?
UK Headline hardcover Only Child (1995) precedes the US Berkley paperback Stranglehold (September 1995); Berkley retitled the book for the US market. Later US reissues restored the title Only Child.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition reported; the US first is a paperback original, so any US hardcover is a later limited reissue.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Stranglehold (Only Child) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: True first is the UK Headline hardcover, London 1995, under Ketchum's original title Only Child (ISBN 0747211671). The US first is the Berkley paperback original Stranglehold, September 1995 (ISBN 0425149463). No Dutton hardcover exists.
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. UK Headline hardcover Only Child (1995) precedes the US Berkley paperback Stranglehold (September 1995); Berkley retitled the book for the US market. Later US reissues restored the title Only Child.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book club edition reported; the US first is a paperback original, so any US hardcover is a later limited reissue.
I have a first edition of Stranglehold (Only Child) — 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.