# Is "The Ivory Grin (UK: Marked for Murder)" by Ross Macdonald (as John Ross Macdonald) a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Ivory Grin (UK: Marked for Murder) by Ross Macdonald (as John Ross Macdonald) (Alfred A. Knopf, 1952) is identified by: Knopf, 1952, with 'FIRST EDITION' stated on the copyright page and no later-printing notice. The US Knopf edition (1952) is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Alfred A. Knopf, 1952, with 'FIRST EDITION' stated on the copyright page and no later-printing notice
- Fourth Lew Archer novel; bylined John Ross Macdonald
- The binding has patterned boards with black lettering and a black-stained top edge, with rough-trimmed edges
- The dust jacket art is by H. Lawrence Hoffman and should retain its printed price on the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Ross Macdonald (as John Ross Macdonald) |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 1952 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Alfred A. Knopf, 1952, with 'FIRST EDITION' stated on the copyright page and no… |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
Alfred A. Knopf, 1952, with 'FIRST EDITION' stated on the copyright page and no later-printing notice. Fourth Lew Archer novel; bylined John Ross Macdonald. The binding has patterned boards with black lettering and a black-stained top edge, with rough-trimmed edges. The dust jacket art is by H. Lawrence Hoffman and should retain its printed price on the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
The US Knopf edition (1952) is the true first. Note: the aggregate title is misleading. 'Marked for Murder' was the retitled US Pocket Books paperback (1953), not a UK title. The UK Cassell edition retained the title The Ivory Grin.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later Knopf printings drop the 'FIRST EDITION' statement and add a printing notice on the copyright page.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Ivory Grin (UK: Marked for Murder)* by Ross Macdonald (as John Ross Macdonald) a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-ivory-grin-uk-marked-for-murder
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.