# Is "The Cut" by George Pelecanos a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Cut by George Pelecanos (Reagan Arthur/Little, Brown, 2011) is identified by: First edition stated on the copyright page over a complete number line descending to 1, carrying the Reagan Arthur Books / Little, Brown imprint (Boston, 2011). US Reagan Arthur/Little, Brown is the true first, preceding the UK Orion edition; confirm the American first by the stated 'First edition' and full number line.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition stated on the copyright page over a complete number line descending to 1, carrying the Reagan Arthur Books / Little, Brown imprint (Boston, 2011)
- The first printing issues in a hardcover binding with a pictorial dust jacket; a correct first-issue jacket retains the printed cover price on the front flap and is not clipped
- This is the first Spero Lucas novel
- Publisher imprint reads Reagan Arthur/Little, Brown
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | George Pelecanos |
| Publisher | Reagan Arthur/Little, Brown |
| Year | 2011 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition stated on the copyright page over a complete number line descending to 1… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First edition stated on the copyright page over a complete number line descending to 1, carrying the Reagan Arthur Books / Little, Brown imprint (Boston, 2011). The first printing issues in a hardcover binding with a pictorial dust jacket; a correct first-issue jacket retains the printed cover price on the front flap and is not clipped. This is the first Spero Lucas novel.

## Is this the true first?
US Reagan Arthur/Little, Brown is the true first, preceding the UK Orion edition; confirm the American first by the stated 'First edition' and full number line.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No significant book-club issue affecting the trade first-printing point.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Cut* by George Pelecanos a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-cut
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.