The points of issue
UK Snowbooks edition, April 2010, is the true first. Snowbooks issued the title in two simultaneous April 2010 formats: a trade paperback (ISBN 9781906727208, about 511 pp) and a hardcover (ISBN 9781906727505). Hodder's debut and Burton & Swinburne #1.
Is this the true first?
The UK Snowbooks April 2010 issue is the true first. The US Pyr edition (September 2010, about 371 pp, ISBN 9781616142407) is the first US edition and the Philip K. Dick Award-eligible edition that won the award presented for 2010; do not conflate the award-winning Pyr printing with the true first. Because Snowbooks issued both a hardcover and a paperback in April 2010, the original record's 'trade paperback only' framing was incomplete.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The Pyr 2010 edition is the first US, not the true first (different pagination). Later reissues are reprints.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Strange Affair of Spring-Heeled Jack a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: UK Snowbooks edition, April 2010, is the true first. Snowbooks issued the title in two simultaneous April 2010 formats: a trade paperback (ISBN 9781906727208, about 511 pp) and a hardcover (ISBN 9781906727505). Hodder's debut and Burton & Swinburne #1.
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 UK Snowbooks April 2010 issue is the true first. The US Pyr edition (September 2010, about 371 pp, ISBN 9781616142407) is the first US edition and the Philip K. Dick Award-eligible edition that won the award presented for 2010; do not conflate the award-winning Pyr printing with the true first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The Pyr 2010 edition is the first US, not the true first (different pagination). Later reissues are reprints.
I have a first edition of The Strange Affair of Spring-Heeled Jack — 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.