# Is "Unnatural Death" by Patricia Cornwell a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Unnatural Death by Patricia Cornwell (Grand Central Publishing, 2023) is identified by: 'First Edition' stated with a number line ending in 1 on the copyright page. US Grand Central Publishing (Hachette) is the true first, published November 2023; twenty-seventh Kay Scarpetta novel.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- 'First Edition' stated with a number line ending in 1 on the copyright page
- Publisher imprint reads Grand Central Publishing
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Patricia Cornwell |
| Publisher | Grand Central Publishing |
| Year | 2023 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | 'First Edition' stated with a number line ending in 1 on the copyright page |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
'First Edition' stated with a number line ending in 1 on the copyright page.

## Is this the true first?
US Grand Central Publishing (Hachette) is the true first, published November 2023; twenty-seventh Kay Scarpetta novel.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition of significance.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Unnatural Death* by Patricia Cornwell a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/unnatural-death
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.