The points of issue
True first is the US Little, Brown printing, with the copyright-page statement Published May, 1936 and no later-printing notice. This is the second Mr. Moto novel. The first printing is genuinely scarce in a jacket because the trade printing was small.
Is this the true first?
US Little, Brown edition (1936) is the true first. The first British edition was published by Herbert Jenkins in 1937, not by Robert Hale.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings are reprints; Grosset and Dunlap photoplay-style reprints exist and are not the first edition.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Thank You, Mr. Moto a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: True first is the US Little, Brown printing, with the copyright-page statement Published May, 1936 and no later-printing notice. This is the second Mr. Moto novel. The first printing is genuinely scarce in a jacket because the trade printing was small.
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. US Little, Brown edition (1936) is the true first. The first British edition was published by Herbert Jenkins in 1937, not by Robert Hale.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings are reprints; Grosset and Dunlap photoplay-style reprints exist and are not the first edition.
I have a first edition of Thank You, Mr. Moto — 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.