The points of issue
Copyright page states 'First Printing: September 1987' with the full number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1. Black cloth backed lavender/purple boards, title stamped in metallic purple on spine; lavender endpapers. First-issue blood-red Dahlia jacket with the printed price on the flap. Octavo, 325 pp. ISBN 0-89296-206-2.
Is this the true first?
US Mysterious Press (1987) is the true first and the first of the L.A. Quartet; scarce, as a small first printing reportedly sold slowly with copies remaindered/pulped.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club edition lacks the 'First Printing: September 1987' statement and the priced flap, is on lighter bulked paper, and often shows a blind-stamped dot or depression on the rear board.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Black Dahlia a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Copyright page states 'First Printing: September 1987' with the full number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1. Black cloth backed lavender/purple boards, title stamped in metallic purple on spine; lavender endpapers. First-issue blood-red Dahlia jacket with the printed price on the flap. Octavo, 325 pp. ISBN 0-89296-206-2.
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 Mysterious Press (1987) is the true first and the first of the L.A. Quartet; scarce, as a small first printing reportedly sold slowly with copies remaindered/pulped.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club edition lacks the 'First Printing: September 1987' statement and the priced flap, is on lighter bulked paper, and often shows a blind-stamped dot or depression on the rear board.
I have a first edition of The Black Dahlia — 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.