The points of issue
UK Michael Joseph first edition, London, 1941, in wartime-standard cloth. The thirteenth Mrs Bradley novel and a scarce wartime first. The first printing shows the Michael Joseph imprint and no later-impression statement on the copyright page.
Is this the true first?
UK Michael Joseph 1941 is the true first; the US Alfred A. Knopf edition followed in 1942 and is a first-thus.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later Joseph reprints and Penguin paperbacks are reprints. Wartime firsts in the dust jacket are genuinely scarce.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of When Last I Died a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: UK Michael Joseph first edition, London, 1941, in wartime-standard cloth. The thirteenth Mrs Bradley novel and a scarce wartime first. The first printing shows the Michael Joseph imprint and no later-impression statement on the copyright page.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. UK Michael Joseph 1941 is the true first; the US Alfred A. Knopf edition followed in 1942 and is a first-thus.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later Joseph reprints and Penguin paperbacks are reprints. Wartime firsts in the dust jacket are genuinely scarce.
I have a first edition of When Last I Died — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.