How to identify a first printing
- Reprint house: the controlling point is the FIRST-THUS statement — copyright pages typically read 'First Felony & Mayhem edition' (often with a year) marking the first Felony & Mayhem printing.
- Many titles carry no number line and no printing statement; where the dated 'First Felony & Mayhem edition' wording is present it is the identifier, and absence of a number line does not by itself prove a later printing for this house.
- Color-coded spine/category banners (Vintage, British, Hard-Boiled, etc.) signal editorial category only and do not change the copyright-page identification rule.
Notable points & cautions
- Founded June 2005 by Maggie Topkis, co-owner of New York's Partners & Crime mystery bookstore (Greenwich Village); reissues out-of-print mysteries, issues first US paperback editions of previously hardcover titles, and US editions of overseas books.
- Because most titles are reprints, these are 'first thus' / first-US-paperback collectibles rather than original first editions.
- The colored category bands are a marketing/editorial taxonomy across a single imprint — they are not distinct publishing imprints with separate identification rules.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Felony & Mayhem Press, Editorial categories (cover/spine-coded series, NOT separate imprints): Vintage, British, Foreign, Hard-Boiled, Espionage, Historical, Traditional. Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Felony & Mayhem Press book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. Reprint house: the controlling point is the FIRST-THUS statement — copyright pages typically read 'First Felony & Mayhem edition' (often with a year) marking the first Felony & Mayhem printing. Many titles carry no number line and no printing statement; where the dated 'First Felony & Mayhem edition' wording is present it is the identifier, and absence of a number line does not by itself prove a later printing for this house.
Does Felony & Mayhem Press use a number line?
Many titles carry no number line and no printing statement; where the dated 'First Felony & Mayhem edition' wording is present it is the identifier, and absence of a number line does not by itself prove a later printing for this house.
Is a book-club edition a Felony & Mayhem Press first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Founded June 2005 by Maggie Topkis, co-owner of New York's Partners & Crime mystery bookstore (Greenwich Village); reissues out-of-print mysteries, issues first US paperback editions of previously hardcover titles, and US editions of overseas books.
What era does this cover?
This covers Felony & Mayhem Press (2005–present). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.