# Is "The Deep Blue Good-by" by John D. MacDonald a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Deep Blue Good-by by John D. MacDonald (Gold Medal Books, 1964) is identified by: True first is the paperback original, Fawcett Gold Medal k1405 (1964), the printed price. Paperback is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- True first is the paperback original, Fawcett Gold Medal k1405
- , the printed price
- First Travis McGee novel
- Paperback wraps; no hardcover precedes it
- Gold Medal logo and catalog number k1405; first printing has the printed price and no later-printing statement
- A key, sought first-in-series PBO
- Publisher imprint reads Gold Medal Books

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | John D. MacDonald |
| Publisher | Gold Medal Books |
| Year | 1964 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | True first is the paperback original, Fawcett Gold Medal k1405 |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
True first is the paperback original, Fawcett Gold Medal k1405 (1964), the printed price. First Travis McGee novel. Paperback wraps; no hardcover precedes it. Gold Medal logo and catalog number k1405; first printing has the printed price and no later-printing statement. A key, sought first-in-series PBO.

## Is this the true first?
Paperback is the true first. The series was conceived and launched as paperback originals; later hardcover collected editions are first-thus only.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition. First Gold Medal k1405 printing has the original the printed price; later printings raise price and add printing data.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Deep Blue Good-by* by John D. MacDonald a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-deep-blue-good-by
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.