The points of issue
Australian Pan Macmillan first, 2016 — the true first, preceding the UK and US editions. The first Aaron Falk novel; the copyright page shows 'First published 2016' with a number line. Won the 2017 Ned Kelly Award for Best First Fiction and the 2017 CWA Gold Dagger (the main best-crime-novel award).
Is this the true first?
The Australian Pan Macmillan 2016 edition is the true first; the UK Little, Brown/Abacus and US Flatiron Books editions (2017) are first-thus and later.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
UK and US 2017 settings and any book-club editions are not the true first; the Australian 2016 edition has priority.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Dry a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Australian Pan Macmillan first, 2016 — the true first, preceding the UK and US editions. The first Aaron Falk novel; the copyright page shows 'First published 2016' with a number line. Won the 2017 Ned Kelly Award for Best First Fiction and the 2017 CWA Gold Dagger (the main best-crime-novel award).
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. The Australian Pan Macmillan 2016 edition is the true first; the UK Little, Brown/Abacus and US Flatiron Books editions (2017) are first-thus and later.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
UK and US 2017 settings and any book-club editions are not the true first; the Australian 2016 edition has priority.
I have a first edition of The Dry — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.