# Is "The Instant Enemy" by Ross Macdonald a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Instant Enemy by Ross Macdonald (Alfred A. Knopf, 1968) is identified by: Knopf, New York, 1968, with 'First edition' stated on the copyright page. The US Knopf edition is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1968, with 'First edition' stated on the copyright page
- Yellow boards with blue cloth spine, title stamped in silver
- 227 pp, top edge stained yellow
- A Lew Archer novel
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Ross Macdonald |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 1968 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1968, with 'First edition' stated on the copyright page |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1968, with 'First edition' stated on the copyright page. Yellow boards with blue cloth spine, title stamped in silver; 227 pp, top edge stained yellow. A Lew Archer novel.

## Is this the true first?
The US Knopf edition is the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings and book-club editions lack the 'First edition' statement on the copyright page.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Instant Enemy* by Ross Macdonald a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-instant-enemy
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.