# Is "The Tommyknockers" by Stephen King a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Tommyknockers by Stephen King (G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1987) is identified by: True first is the Putnam trade hardcover with the printed jacket price present and a full number line reading 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 on the copyright page (the numeral 1 present marks the first printing). US Putnam, released 10 November 1987, is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- True first is the Putnam trade hardcover with the printed jacket price present and a full number line reading 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 on the copyright page (the numeral 1 present marks the first printing)
- Green cloth boards with King's embossed signature; two simultaneous jacket states exist with the author's name in red or in gold, neither having precedence
- Publisher imprint reads G. P. Putnam's Sons
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Stephen King |
| Publisher | G. P. Putnam's Sons |
| Year | 1987 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | True first is the Putnam trade hardcover with the printed jacket price present and a full number line reading 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 on the… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
True first is the Putnam trade hardcover with the printed jacket price present and a full number line reading 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 on the copyright page (the numeral 1 present marks the first printing). Green cloth boards with King's embossed signature; two simultaneous jacket states exist with the author's name in red or in gold, neither having precedence.

## Is this the true first?
US Putnam, released 10 November 1987, is the true first. UK Hodder & Stoughton also published in 1987 but later than the US edition.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club edition has no price on the front jacket flap and a small blind-stamp on the rear board; boards and overall production are lighter.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Tommyknockers* by Stephen King a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-tommyknockers
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.