# Is "The Turquoise Lament" by John D. MacDonald a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Turquoise Lament by John D. MacDonald (J.B. Lippincott, 1973) is identified by: Lippincott, Philadelphia, 1973. The US Lippincott hardcover is the true first edition, as this title was issued in hardcover ahead of any paperback.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- J.B. Lippincott, Philadelphia, 1973
- Travis McGee #15, and the first novel in the series to be published originally in hardcover (the earlier Lippincott McGee titles, beginning with Darker Than Amber in 1970, were hardcover reprints of Gold Medal paperback originals)
- First-printing dust jackets carry the code 1073 at the top of the front flap; most surviving first-printing jackets are price-clipped
- Publisher imprint reads J.B. Lippincott
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | John D. MacDonald |
| Publisher | J.B. Lippincott |
| Year | 1973 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | J.B. Lippincott, Philadelphia, 1973 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
J.B. Lippincott, Philadelphia, 1973. Travis McGee #15, and the first novel in the series to be published originally in hardcover (the earlier Lippincott McGee titles, beginning with Darker Than Amber in 1970, were hardcover reprints of Gold Medal paperback originals). First-printing dust jackets carry the code 1073 at the top of the front flap; most surviving first-printing jackets are price-clipped.

## Is this the true first?
The US Lippincott hardcover is the true first edition, as this title was issued in hardcover ahead of any paperback.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions are smaller, printed on cheaper bulked paper, carry a blind-stamped dot on the rear board, and have no price on the jacket flap.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Turquoise Lament* by John D. MacDonald a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-turquoise-lament
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.