# Is "The Burglar on the Prowl" by Lawrence Block a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Burglar on the Prowl by Lawrence Block (William Morrow, 2004) is identified by: William Morrow, New York, 2004; the first printing states 'First Edition' on the copyright page together with a full number line descending to 1. US William Morrow is the true first edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- William Morrow, New York, 2004; the first printing states 'First Edition' on the copyright page together with a full number line descending to 1
- Bound in green and blue paper boards with red imprinting on the spine; the first-issue pictorial dust jacket should retain its printed price on the front flap (ISBN 0060198303)
- Publisher imprint reads William Morrow
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Lawrence Block |
| Publisher | William Morrow |
| Year | 2004 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | William Morrow, New York, 2004; the first printing states 'First Edition' on the… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
William Morrow, New York, 2004; the first printing states 'First Edition' on the copyright page together with a full number line descending to 1. Bound in green and blue paper boards with red imprinting on the spine; the first-issue pictorial dust jacket should retain its printed price on the front flap (ISBN 0060198303).

## Is this the true first?
US William Morrow is the true first edition. This is the tenth Bernie Rhodenbarr (Burglar) novel, not the ninth.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No significant book-club issue identified.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Burglar on the Prowl* by Lawrence Block a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-burglar-on-the-prowl
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.