The points of issue
Australian Text Publishing first, 2005 — the true first, preceding all overseas editions. Hardcover in dust jacket from the Text imprint; the copyright page shows 'First published 2005' with the Text colophon. Won the 2006 Ned Kelly Award for Best Fiction and the 2007 CWA Duncan Lawrie (Gold) Dagger, Temple being the first Australian to win the Gold Dagger.
Is this the true first?
The Australian Text 2005 edition is the true first; the UK Quercus (2007) and US Farrar, Straus & Giroux (2007) editions are first-thus and post-date it by two years — a common collector trap.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
UK and US 2007 settings and any later printing are not the true first. Because the Gold Dagger was won in 2007, a genuine 2005 first does NOT carry any 'Winner of the Duncan Lawrie Dagger' banner; that wording appears only on later printings and editions.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Broken Shore a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Australian Text Publishing first, 2005 — the true first, preceding all overseas editions. Hardcover in dust jacket from the Text imprint; the copyright page shows 'First published 2005' with the Text colophon. Won the 2006 Ned Kelly Award for Best Fiction and the 2007 CWA Duncan Lawrie (Gold) Dagger, Temple being the first Australian to win the Gold Dagger.
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 Australian Text 2005 edition is the true first; the UK Quercus (2007) and US Farrar, Straus & Giroux (2007) editions are first-thus and post-date it by two years — a common collector trap.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
UK and US 2007 settings and any later printing are not the true first. Because the Gold Dagger was won in 2007, a genuine 2005 first does NOT carry any 'Winner of the Duncan Lawrie Dagger' banner; that wording appears only on later printings and editions.
I have a first edition of The Broken Shore — 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.