The points of issue
First UK edition in boards with gilt-lettered spine and dust jacket; complete number line descending to 1. The exact jacket price is not asserted here.
Is this the true first?
Jonathan Cape (London) issued the UK edition in 2017; the US Random House edition was published 5 September 2017. UK and US are effectively simultaneous, so neither is asserted as the unequivocal true first ahead of the other.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings carry an impression statement; the true first shows the full number line ending in 1.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Golden House a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First UK edition in boards with gilt-lettered spine and dust jacket; complete number line descending to 1. The exact jacket price is not asserted here.
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. Jonathan Cape (London) issued the UK edition in 2017; the US Random House edition was published 5 September 2017. UK and US are effectively simultaneous, so neither is asserted as the unequivocal true first ahead of the other.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings carry an impression statement; the true first shows the full number line ending in 1.
I have a first edition of The Golden House — 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.