# Is "The Concrete Blonde" by Michael Connelly a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Concrete Blonde by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown, 1994) is identified by: Little, Brown and Company, Boston, published June 1994. The US Little, Brown edition is the true first edition; third Harry Bosch novel, preceding the UK Orion/Serpent's Tail printings.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Little, Brown and Company, Boston, published June 1994. 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page with a complete descending number line reading to 1
- ISBN 0-316-15383-4
- Octavo, 382 pages, bound with a black cloth spine over black marbled boards and issued in the publisher's dust jacket carrying the printed price on the front flap (present, unclipped, on a first-state copy)
- First printing of the third Harry Bosch novel
- Publisher imprint reads Little, Brown
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Michael Connelly |
| Publisher | Little, Brown |
| Year | 1994 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Little, Brown and Company, Boston, published June 1994. 'First Edition' stated on the… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Little, Brown and Company, Boston, published June 1994. 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page with a complete descending number line reading to 1; ISBN 0-316-15383-4. Octavo, 382 pages, bound with a black cloth spine over black marbled boards and issued in the publisher's dust jacket carrying the printed price on the front flap (present, unclipped, on a first-state copy). First printing of the third Harry Bosch novel.

## Is this the true first?
The US Little, Brown edition is the true first edition; third Harry Bosch novel, preceding the UK Orion/Serpent's Tail printings.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions lack the number line and carry an unpriced jacket; they typically show a small blindstamped dot on the rear board and a slightly reduced trim size versus the marbled-board Little, Brown trade first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Concrete Blonde* by Michael Connelly a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-concrete-blonde
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.