# Is "The Two-Bear Mambo" by Joe R. Lansdale a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Two-Bear Mambo by Joe R. Lansdale (Mysterious Press, 1995) is identified by: Third Hap and Leonard novel. The US Mysterious Press hardcover is the true first; the UK Gollancz edition followed and is not the first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Third Hap and Leonard novel
- US Mysterious Press first edition hardcover, 1995 (quarter black cloth over grey boards, spine title in red), with a number line on the copyright page
- Publisher imprint reads Mysterious Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Joe R. Lansdale |
| Publisher | Mysterious Press |
| Year | 1995 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Third Hap and Leonard novel |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Third Hap and Leonard novel. US Mysterious Press first edition hardcover, 1995 (quarter black cloth over grey boards, spine title in red), with a number line on the copyright page.

## Is this the true first?
The US Mysterious Press hardcover is the true first; the UK Gollancz edition followed and is not the first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition point is confirmed for this title; the Mysterious Press trade hardcover is the first. Do not assume book-club markings are present.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Two-Bear Mambo* by Joe R. Lansdale a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-two-bear-mambo
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.