# Is "The Big Blowdown" by George Pelecanos a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Big Blowdown by George Pelecanos (St. Martin's Press, 1996) is identified by: First Edition stated on the copyright page with a full number line descending to 1. The US St.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First Edition stated on the copyright page with a full number line descending to 1
- Cloth-backed boards in a pictorial dust jacket bearing the printed price on the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads St. Martin's Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | George Pelecanos |
| Publisher | St. Martin's Press |
| Year | 1996 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First Edition stated on the copyright page with a full number line descending to 1 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First Edition stated on the copyright page with a full number line descending to 1. Cloth-backed boards in a pictorial dust jacket bearing the printed price on the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
The US St. Martin's Press hardcover (June 1996) is the true first; it is the first novel of the DC Quartet. The UK Serpent's Tail edition did not appear until 2000, so the US issue is the genuine first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition; scarce.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Big Blowdown* by George Pelecanos a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-big-blowdown
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.