# Is "The Eighth Circle" by Stanley Ellin a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Eighth Circle by Stanley Ellin (Random House, 1958) is identified by: Random House first printing states 'FIRST PRINTING' on the copyright page with no later-printing notice. The US Random House edition (1958) is the true first; the UK Boardman edition (London, 1959) follows.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Random House first printing states 'FIRST PRINTING' on the copyright page with no later-printing notice
- First-issue dust jacket carries the printed price on the front flap
- The novel introduces private investigator Murray Kirk
- Winner of the Edgar Award for Best Novel
- Publisher imprint reads Random House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Stanley Ellin |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Year | 1958 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Random House first printing states 'FIRST PRINTING' on the copyright page with no later-printing notice |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Random House first printing states 'FIRST PRINTING' on the copyright page with no later-printing notice. First-issue dust jacket carries the printed price on the front flap. The novel introduces private investigator Murray Kirk. Winner of the Edgar Award for Best Novel (1959).

## Is this the true first?
The US Random House edition (1958) is the true first; the UK Boardman edition (London, 1959) follows.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions are common, identifiable by a blind-stamp and absence of a flap price.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Eighth Circle* by Stanley Ellin a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-eighth-circle
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.