The points of issue
First printing identified by the complete number line on the copyright page; original price-intact (unclipped) dust jacket.
Is this the true first?
True first is the 1975 Simon & Schuster hardcover.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club edition is typically blind-stamped on the rear board with no printed jacket price.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Willard and His Bowling Trophies: A Perverse Mystery a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing identified by the complete number line on the copyright page; original price-intact (unclipped) dust jacket.
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. True first is the 1975 Simon & Schuster hardcover.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club edition is typically blind-stamped on the rear board with no printed jacket price.
I have a first edition of Willard and His Bowling Trophies: A Perverse Mystery — 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.