# Is "World Gone By" by Dennis Lehane a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of World Gone By by Dennis Lehane (William Morrow, 2015) is identified by: The copyright page states 'First Edition' with a full descending number line ending in 1. The US William Morrow hardcover (New York, 2015) is the true first edition; third of the Joe Coughlin novels following 'The Given Day' and 'Live by Night.' No earlier printing precedes it.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- The copyright page states 'First Edition' with a full descending number line ending in 1
- The first-issue dust jacket carries the printed publisher's price on the front flap (US price over Canadian price) and should be unclipped on a true first-state jacket, with the author's name rendered in the title treatment on the front panel
- Bound in publisher's cloth-and-board with spine stamping
- Publisher imprint reads William Morrow
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Dennis Lehane |
| Publisher | William Morrow |
| Year | 2015 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | The copyright page states 'First Edition' with a full descending number line ending in 1 |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
The copyright page states 'First Edition' with a full descending number line ending in 1. The first-issue dust jacket carries the printed publisher's price on the front flap (US price over Canadian price) and should be unclipped on a true first-state jacket, with the author's name rendered in the title treatment on the front panel. Bound in publisher's cloth-and-board with spine stamping.

## Is this the true first?
The US William Morrow hardcover (New York, 2015) is the true first edition; third of the Joe Coughlin novels following 'The Given Day' and 'Live by Night.' No earlier printing precedes it.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
None significant. The stated 'First Edition' together with the complete number line ending in 1 identifies the first printing.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *World Gone By* by Dennis Lehane a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/world-gone-by
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.