# Is "The Associate" by John Grisham a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Associate by John Grisham (Doubleday, 2009) is identified by: First Edition stated on the copyright page with the Doubleday number line reading 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2. US Doubleday first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First Edition stated on the copyright page with the Doubleday number line reading 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2
- Published January 2009 (ISBN 9780385517836) in a pictorial dust jacket; a correct first carries the original printed cover price present on the flap, unclipped
- Publisher imprint reads Doubleday
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | John Grisham |
| Publisher | Doubleday |
| Year | 2009 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First Edition stated on the copyright page with the Doubleday number line reading 1 3 5 7… |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
First Edition stated on the copyright page with the Doubleday number line reading 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2. Published January 2009 (ISBN 9780385517836) in a pictorial dust jacket; a correct first carries the original printed cover price present on the flap, unclipped.

## Is this the true first?
US Doubleday first. A signed limited numbered issue also exists but is a distinct edition, not the trade first printing.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings drop the First Edition statement, and the number line no longer ends in 1.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Associate* by John Grisham a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-associate
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.