# Is "The Chill" by Ross Macdonald a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Chill by Ross Macdonald (Alfred A. Knopf, 1964) is identified by: 'FIRST EDITION' stated on the copyright page (Borzoi). US Knopf is the true first; the UK Collins Crime Club edition (1964) followed.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- 'FIRST EDITION' stated on the copyright page (Borzoi)
- Quarter red cloth over light-blue paper-covered boards, gilt spine lettering; light-red top-stain
- First-issue jacket bears the printed price with 'the printed price' at the base of the front flap; jacket design by Arthur Hawkins
- Bruccoli A18.1.a
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Ross Macdonald |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 1964 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | 'FIRST EDITION' stated on the copyright page (Borzoi) |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
'FIRST EDITION' stated on the copyright page (Borzoi). Quarter red cloth over light-blue paper-covered boards, gilt spine lettering; light-red top-stain. First-issue jacket bears the printed price with 'the printed price' at the base of the front flap; jacket design by Arthur Hawkins. Bruccoli A18.1.a.

## Is this the true first?
US Knopf is the true first; the UK Collins Crime Club edition (1964) followed. The novel won the CWA Silver Dagger. One of Macdonald's strongest Lew Archer novels.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club edition has a blind-stamped dot on the rear cover, no 'the printed price' code on the flap, often no price, lacks the stated 'FIRST EDITION', and is on lighter bulked paper.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Chill* by Ross Macdonald a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-chill
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.