# Is "Three for the Chair" by Rex Stout a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Three for the Chair by Rex Stout (Viking Press, 1957) is identified by: Collection of three Nero Wolfe novellas (A Window for Death, Immune to Murder, Too Many Detectives) published by The Viking Press, New York, 1957; subtitled A Nero Wolfe Threesome. The US Viking Press edition is the true first, preceding the UK Collins Crime Club edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Collection of three Nero Wolfe novellas (A Window for Death, Immune to Murder, Too Many Detectives) published by The Viking Press, New York, 1957; subtitled A Nero Wolfe Threesome
- First edition in yellow cloth
- Publisher imprint reads Viking Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Rex Stout |
| Publisher | Viking Press |
| Year | 1957 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Collection of three Nero Wolfe novellas (A Window for Death, Immune to Murder, Too Many… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Collection of three Nero Wolfe novellas (A Window for Death, Immune to Murder, Too Many Detectives) published by The Viking Press, New York, 1957; subtitled A Nero Wolfe Threesome. First edition in yellow cloth.

## Is this the true first?
The US Viking Press edition is the true first, preceding the UK Collins Crime Club edition.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Reprints and book-club editions follow the Viking first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Three for the Chair* by Rex Stout a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/three-for-the-chair
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.