The points of issue
US Bantam mass-market paperback original, 1987, a true paperback original with no preceding hardcover. It is Crais's debut and the first Elvis Cole and Joe Pike novel. The first printing is identified by a complete number line ending in 1 and the original Bantam cover art. It won the Anthony Award for Best Paperback Original and the Macavity Award for Best First Novel.
Is this the true first?
The US Bantam 1987 paperback is the true first. Any later hardcover issue is a first-thus in hardback, not the true first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Reissue printings carry altered cover art or a number line that does not end in 1; the true first is the 1987 Bantam mass-market.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Monkey's Raincoat a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: US Bantam mass-market paperback original, 1987, a true paperback original with no preceding hardcover. It is Crais's debut and the first Elvis Cole and Joe Pike novel. The first printing is identified by a complete number line ending in 1 and the original Bantam cover art. It won the Anthony Award for Best Paperback Original and the Macavity Award for Best First Novel.
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. The US Bantam 1987 paperback is the true first. Any later hardcover issue is a first-thus in hardback, not the true first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Reissue printings carry altered cover art or a number line that does not end in 1; the true first is the 1987 Bantam mass-market.
I have a first edition of The Monkey's Raincoat — 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.