# Is "The Bad Place" by Dean Koontz a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Bad Place by Dean Koontz (G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1990) is identified by: Putnam trade first edition (January 1990) with the full number line 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (reading down to 1) on the copyright page. The Putnam US trade edition is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Putnam trade first edition (January 1990) with the full number line 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (reading down to 1) on the copyright page
- Bound in black paper boards with a green cloth spine stamped in silver, issued in a printed dust jacket that carries the publisher's price at the flap corner, which should be present on a first-issue jacket
- Publisher imprint reads G.P. Putnam's Sons
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Dean Koontz |
| Publisher | G.P. Putnam's Sons |
| Year | 1990 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Putnam trade first edition (January 1990) with the full number line 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (reading down to 1) on the copyright page |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Putnam trade first edition (January 1990) with the full number line 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (reading down to 1) on the copyright page. Bound in black paper boards with a green cloth spine stamped in silver, issued in a printed dust jacket that carries the publisher's price at the flap corner, which should be present on a first-issue jacket.

## Is this the true first?
The Putnam US trade edition is the true first. A signed limited edition of 250 numbered copies was issued simultaneously, slipcased and without a dust jacket, its binding distinct from the trade issue.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The book-club reprint lacks the number line, is bound in different (typically fully paper-covered) boards, and its jacket has no printed price; club copies usually carry a blind-stamp or club identification code on the rear board.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Bad Place* by Dean Koontz a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-bad-place
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.