The points of issue
The Last Coyote is the fourth Harry Bosch novel (not Connelly's debut). The true first is the US Little, Brown edition, 1995: copyright page states 'First Edition' with a complete number line ending in 1; quarter blue cloth over blue paper-covered boards with gilt spine lettering; first-issue jacket priced for 1995. It won the 1996 Dilys Award. Note: the record as supplied described The Black Echo, which is Connelly's 1992 debut and a different book entirely.
Is this the true first?
US Little, Brown 1995 is the true first edition of The Last Coyote. UK editions (Orion/Eburon) are first-thus. The Black Echo (1992) is a separate, earlier title and should not be conflated with this one.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions are smaller, lack the jacket price, and often carry a blind stamp or gutter code; later printings lack the complete number line ending in 1.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Last Coyote (The Black Echo) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: The Last Coyote is the fourth Harry Bosch novel (not Connelly's debut). The true first is the US Little, Brown edition, 1995: copyright page states 'First Edition' with a complete number line ending in 1; quarter blue cloth over blue paper-covered boards with gilt spine lettering; first-issue jacket priced for 1995. It won the 1996 Dilys Award. Note: the record as supplied described The Black Echo, which is Connelly's 1992 debut and a different book entirely.
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. US Little, Brown 1995 is the true first edition of The Last Coyote. UK editions (Orion/Eburon) are first-thus. The Black Echo (1992) is a separate, earlier title and should not be conflated with this one.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club editions are smaller, lack the jacket price, and often carry a blind stamp or gutter code; later printings lack the complete number line ending in 1.
I have a first edition of The Last Coyote (The Black Echo) — 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.