# Is "The Elephant of Surprise" by Joe R. Lansdale a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Elephant of Surprise by Joe R. Lansdale (Mulholland Books / Little, Brown, 2019) is identified by: US Mulholland Books / Little, Brown first edition (ISBN 9780316479875). The US Mulholland Books hardcover is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- US Mulholland Books / Little, Brown first edition (ISBN 9780316479875)
- The copyright page reads 'First Edition: March 2019' and carries a complete number line ending in 1
- Twelfth Hap and Leonard novel
- Publisher imprint reads Mulholland Books / Little, Brown
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Joe R. Lansdale |
| Publisher | Mulholland Books / Little, Brown |
| Year | 2019 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | US Mulholland Books / Little, Brown first edition (ISBN 9780316479875) |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
US Mulholland Books / Little, Brown first edition (ISBN 9780316479875). The copyright page reads 'First Edition: March 2019' and carries a complete number line ending in 1. Twelfth Hap and Leonard novel.

## Is this the true first?
The US Mulholland Books hardcover is the true first. A UK edition (Hodder & Stoughton) followed.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition of note; disregard any BCE claim for this modern crime hardcover. Identify the first by the 'First Edition: March 2019' statement and the number line ending in 1.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Elephant of Surprise* by Joe R. Lansdale a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-elephant-of-surprise
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.