The points of issue
The first English-language edition is the UK MacLehose/Quercus 2008 hardcover (translated by Reg Keeland, a pseudonym of Steven T. Murray), with the number line ending in 1. This precedes the US Knopf edition (2009). UK first-state jacket without bestseller slugs.
Is this the true first?
The Swedish first (Man som hatar kvinnor, Norstedts, 2005) is the absolute true first. For English collectors the UK Quercus/MacLehose 2008 is the first English edition and the sought issue; the US Knopf (2009) is the first American. Posthumous publication.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition; distinguish the Swedish true first from the UK first-English from the US first-American. The US Knopf edition is not the first English-language printing.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: The first English-language edition is the UK MacLehose/Quercus 2008 hardcover (translated by Reg Keeland, a pseudonym of Steven T. Murray), with the number line ending in 1. This precedes the US Knopf edition (2009). UK first-state jacket without bestseller slugs.
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 Swedish first (Man som hatar kvinnor, Norstedts, 2005) is the absolute true first. For English collectors the UK Quercus/MacLehose 2008 is the first English edition and the sought issue; the US Knopf (2009) is the first American. Posthumous publication.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition; distinguish the Swedish true first from the UK first-English from the US first-American. The US Knopf edition is not the first English-language printing.
I have a first edition of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo — 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.