The points of issue
Both the UK Heinemann and the US Doubleday editions appeared in 1969. The Doubleday US edition is documented with a March 1969 release. A first printing of either carries the jacket price on the flap and no later-printing statement. Collect the edition whose priority you can establish for your copy rather than assuming one nation precedes.
Is this the true first?
Priority between the two 1969 editions is not reliably established. The record's assertion that UK Heinemann precedes US Doubleday could not be confirmed; the documented March 1969 Doubleday date may in fact precede or run concurrent with Heinemann. Treat US-versus-UK precedence as unresolved and verify against a standard Highsmith bibliography for the specific copy.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A US book-club edition is common (blind-stamp to the board, no price on the jacket).
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Tremor of Forgery a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Both the UK Heinemann and the US Doubleday editions appeared in 1969. The Doubleday US edition is documented with a March 1969 release. A first printing of either carries the jacket price on the flap and no later-printing statement. Collect the edition whose priority you can establish for your copy rather than assuming one nation precedes.
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. Priority between the two 1969 editions is not reliably established. The record's assertion that UK Heinemann precedes US Doubleday could not be confirmed; the documented March 1969 Doubleday date may in fact precede or run concurrent with Heinemann. Treat US-versus-UK precedence as unresolved and ve
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
A US book-club edition is common (blind-stamp to the board, no price on the jacket).
I have a first edition of The Tremor of Forgery — 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.