# Is "Black Money" by Ross Macdonald a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Black Money by Ross Macdonald (Alfred A. Knopf, 1966) is identified by: Knopf, New York, 1966, with 'First edition' stated on the copyright page beneath the Borzoi imprint. The US Knopf edition is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1966, with 'First edition' stated on the copyright page beneath the Borzoi imprint
- Octavo, 238 pages, bound in burgundy cloth spine over blue paper boards with the spine lettered in gilt; the text is followed by the customary 'A Note on the Type' and 'A Note About the Author' leaves
- A Lew Archer novel
- The first-issue jacket retains its printed price on the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Ross Macdonald |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 1966 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1966, with 'First edition' stated on the copyright page beneath the Borzoi imprint |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1966, with 'First edition' stated on the copyright page beneath the Borzoi imprint. Octavo, 238 pages, bound in burgundy cloth spine over blue paper boards with the spine lettered in gilt; the text is followed by the customary 'A Note on the Type' and 'A Note About the Author' leaves. A Lew Archer novel. The first-issue jacket retains its printed price on the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
The US Knopf edition is the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings and book-club editions lack the 'First edition' statement on the copyright page; club copies typically show a blind-stamped code on the rear board and carry a price-absent jacket.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Black Money* by Ross Macdonald a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/black-money
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.