# Is "Blood on the Moon" by James Ellroy a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Blood on the Moon by James Ellroy (Mysterious Press, 1984) is identified by: First hardcover in red cloth with gilt spine lettering (approx. The US Mysterious Press edition of 1984 is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First hardcover in red cloth with gilt spine lettering (approx
- 263 pp.), octavo, in a photo-pictorial dust jacket
- The copyright page states the first printing; the jacket carries its original printed front-flap price
- Publisher imprint reads Mysterious Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | James Ellroy |
| Publisher | Mysterious Press |
| Year | 1984 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First hardcover in red cloth with gilt spine lettering (approx |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First hardcover in red cloth with gilt spine lettering (approx. 263 pp.), octavo, in a photo-pictorial dust jacket. The copyright page states the first printing; the jacket carries its original printed front-flap price.

## Is this the true first?
The US Mysterious Press edition of 1984 is the true first. It was Ellroy's first US hardcover and the first Lloyd Hopkins novel. The Allison & Busby UK edition followed. Uncorrected page proofs precede the trade issue and are distinguished by a photocopied copyright page pasted to a preliminary leaf.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club copies are a smaller format, lack a jacket price, and typically show a blind-stamp (dimple) on the lower rear board. The stated first printing with priced jacket distinguishes the true trade first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Blood on the Moon* by James Ellroy a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/blood-on-the-moon
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.