# Is "The Hellfire Club" by Peter Straub a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Hellfire Club by Peter Straub (Random House, 1996) is identified by: Random House US first edition: copyright page states First Edition with a number line beginning at 2 (Random House house style retains the 2 on first printings; the First Edition slug is dropped on later printings). US Random House is the true first; a UK HarperCollins edition appeared the same year.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Random House US first edition: copyright page states First Edition with a number line beginning at 2 (Random House house style retains the 2 on first printings; the First Edition slug is dropped on later printings)
- Publisher imprint reads Random House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Peter Straub |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Year | 1996 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Random House US first edition: copyright page states First Edition with a number line beginning at 2 (Random House house style retains the… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Random House US first edition: copyright page states First Edition with a number line beginning at 2 (Random House house style retains the 2 on first printings; the First Edition slug is dropped on later printings).

## Is this the true first?
US Random House is the true first; a UK HarperCollins edition appeared the same year.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club editions lack the number line and the jacket flap price and may have a blind stamp on the rear board.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Hellfire Club* by Peter Straub a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-hellfire-club
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.