# Is "The Wycherly Woman" by Ross Macdonald a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Wycherly Woman by Ross Macdonald (Alfred A. Knopf, 1961) is identified by: Knopf 1961, 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page. US Knopf is the true first; the novel was Macdonald's first book nominated for the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Knopf 1961, 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page
- Ninth Lew Archer novel
- Bound in maroon boards with a green cloth spine, title stamped in gilt on the spine; octavo, 278 pages
- First-state dust jacket carries the original printed price on the front flap (present, unclipped); jacket art by Muni Lieblein
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Ross Macdonald |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 1961 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Knopf 1961, 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Knopf 1961, 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page. Ninth Lew Archer novel. Bound in maroon boards with a green cloth spine, title stamped in gilt on the spine; octavo, 278 pages. First-state dust jacket carries the original printed price on the front flap (present, unclipped); jacket art by Muni Lieblein.

## Is this the true first?
US Knopf is the true first; the novel was Macdonald's first book nominated for the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Reprints and book-club copies lack the 'First Edition' statement on the copyright page.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Wycherly Woman* by Ross Macdonald a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-wycherly-woman
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.