# Is "The Eye in the Door" by Pat Barker a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Eye in the Door by Pat Barker (Viking, 1993) is identified by: First UK hardcover, Viking 1993, stating 'First published 1993' with a full number line descending to 1. The UK Viking 1993 hardcover is the true first; the US Dutton edition followed in 1994, so the UK precedes.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First UK hardcover, Viking 1993, stating 'First published 1993' with a full number line descending to 1
- Second novel of the Regeneration trilogy; won the Guardian Fiction Prize
- Look for the unclipped jacket
- Publisher imprint reads Viking
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Pat Barker |
| Publisher | Viking |
| Year | 1993 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First UK hardcover, Viking 1993, stating 'First published 1993' with a full number line descending to 1 |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
First UK hardcover, Viking 1993, stating 'First published 1993' with a full number line descending to 1. Second novel of the Regeneration trilogy; won the Guardian Fiction Prize. Look for the unclipped jacket.

## Is this the true first?
The UK Viking 1993 hardcover is the true first; the US Dutton edition followed in 1994, so the UK precedes.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No notable book-club edition.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Eye in the Door* by Pat Barker a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-eye-in-the-door
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.