The points of issue
UK Collins Crime Club first edition, published 6 January 1936, retailing at 7/6, orange cloth, first-issue jacket priced 7/6. The copyright/printing statement should show no later-impression note.
Is this the true first?
The UK Collins edition (6 January 1936) precedes the US Dodd, Mead edition (February 1936). The UK is the true first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later reprints reset the title page. Book-club copies lack the original printed price and use cheaper cloth. Note that the original record's aside about an 'Alphabet Murders' title is unreliable: that title belongs to a later film tie-in, not a standard US first-printing variant, and should not be used as an identification point.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The A.B.C. Murders a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: UK Collins Crime Club first edition, published 6 January 1936, retailing at 7/6, orange cloth, first-issue jacket priced 7/6. The copyright/printing statement should show no later-impression note.
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 UK Collins edition (6 January 1936) precedes the US Dodd, Mead edition (February 1936). The UK is the true first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later reprints reset the title page. Book-club copies lack the original printed price and use cheaper cloth. Note that the original record's aside about an 'Alphabet Murders' title is unreliable: that title belongs to a later film tie-in, not a standard US first-printing variant, and should not be used as an identification point.
I have a first edition of The A.B.C. Murders — 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.