The points of issue
Copyright page carries the St. Martin's Press statement and a full number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 ending in 1. This is the plain first trade printing (published Feb 3, 2015). Do not confuse it with the later deluxe edition, which is stated as a Deluxe Edition and adds a foil-and-embossed jacket, stenciled page edges, a ribbon marker, four-color endpapers, and a gold-foil case stamp.
Is this the true first?
US St. Martin's Press is the true first (Feb 2015); the UK Macmillan edition followed. The collectible trade first is the plain 2015 first printing, not the later deluxe edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No BCE; the main pitfall is mistaking the ornate deluxe reissue for the true trade first. The trade first lacks the deluxe edition's foil, stenciled edges, four-color endpapers, and ribbon. Confirm the number line ends in 1.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Nightingale a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Copyright page carries the St. Martin's Press statement and a full number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 ending in 1. This is the plain first trade printing (published Feb 3, 2015). Do not confuse it with the later deluxe edition, which is stated as a Deluxe Edition and adds a foil-and-embossed jacket, stenciled page edges, a ribbon marker, four-color endpapers, and a gold-foil case stamp.
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 St. Martin's Press is the true first (Feb 2015); the UK Macmillan edition followed. The collectible trade first is the plain 2015 first printing, not the later deluxe edition.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No BCE; the main pitfall is mistaking the ornate deluxe reissue for the true trade first. The trade first lacks the deluxe edition's foil, stenciled edges, four-color endpapers, and ribbon. Confirm the number line ends in 1.
I have a first edition of The Nightingale — 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.