The points of issue
The correct title is 'Indemnity Only', the US Dial Press first, 1982. The first printing is identified on the copyright page by a number line that includes the 1, with an unclipped dust jacket carrying the original 1982 price. This is Paretsky's debut and the first V.I. Warshawski novel, a cornerstone of the female private-eye school of crime fiction.
Is this the true first?
The US Dial Press 1982 edition is the true first. The UK Gollancz edition is a later first-thus.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions are typically smaller, lack the printed jacket price, and may show a blind stamp or dot on the rear board; later trade printings drop the 1 from the number line.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Eye of the Beholder (Indemnity Only) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: The correct title is 'Indemnity Only', the US Dial Press first, 1982. The first printing is identified on the copyright page by a number line that includes the 1, with an unclipped dust jacket carrying the original 1982 price. This is Paretsky's debut and the first V.I. Warshawski novel, a cornerstone of the female private-eye school of crime fiction.
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 US Dial Press 1982 edition is the true first. The UK Gollancz edition is a later first-thus.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club editions are typically smaller, lack the printed jacket price, and may show a blind stamp or dot on the rear board; later trade printings drop the 1 from the number line.
I have a first edition of The Eye of the Beholder (Indemnity Only) — 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.