# Is "Whispers" by Dean R. Koontz a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Whispers by Dean R. Koontz (G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1980) is identified by: Putnam's Sons hardcover, 1980. The US Putnam edition is the true first, Koontz's breakout title.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- US G. P. Putnam's Sons hardcover, 1980
- The first printing is identified by no statement of printing on the copyright page (Putnam did not print a 'First Edition' line for this title); the absence of any printing statement is the point
- First printing was about 7,000 copies
- The dust jacket is priced 12.the printed price
- Publisher imprint reads G.P. Putnam's Sons
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Dean R. Koontz |
| Publisher | G.P. Putnam's Sons |
| Year | 1980 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | US G. P. Putnam's Sons hardcover, 1980 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
US G. P. Putnam's Sons hardcover, 1980. The first printing is identified by no statement of printing on the copyright page (Putnam did not print a 'First Edition' line for this title); the absence of any printing statement is the point. First printing was about 7,000 copies. The dust jacket is priced 12.the printed price.

## Is this the true first?
The US Putnam edition is the true first, Koontz's breakout title. The UK W. H. Allen edition is the UK first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions lack the printed 12.the printed price jacket price, are smaller and lighter, and carry a blind-stamp on the rear board. The same Putnam imprint can mislead, so confirm by the priced jacket and the absence of a printing statement on the copyright page.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Whispers* by Dean R. Koontz a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/whispers
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.