# Is "Busman's Honeymoon" by Dorothy L. Sayers a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Busman's Honeymoon by Dorothy L. Sayers (Victor Gollancz, 1937) is identified by: First edition of the novel, Victor Gollancz, London, 1937, in publisher's black cloth lettered in gilt on the spine; the last full-length Lord Peter Wimsey novel. The UK Gollancz 1937 edition is the true first of the novel.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition of the novel, Victor Gollancz, London, 1937, in publisher's black cloth lettered in gilt on the spine; the last full-length Lord Peter Wimsey novel
- First-issue text points include 'errific' for 'terrific' at page 227 and an exclamation mark in place of a full stop at page 378, and the issue carries an erratum slip at page 335
- The scarce first-state dust jacket should retain its printed spine price
- The US first edition (Harcourt, Brace, New York) also appeared in 1937
- Publisher imprint reads Victor Gollancz
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Dorothy L. Sayers |
| Publisher | Victor Gollancz |
| Year | 1937 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition of the novel, Victor Gollancz, London, 1937, in publisher's black cloth lettered in gilt on the spine; the last full-length… |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
First edition of the novel, Victor Gollancz, London, 1937, in publisher's black cloth lettered in gilt on the spine; the last full-length Lord Peter Wimsey novel. First-issue text points include 'errific' for 'terrific' at page 227 and an exclamation mark in place of a full stop at page 378, and the issue carries an erratum slip at page 335. The scarce first-state dust jacket should retain its printed spine price. The US first edition (Harcourt, Brace, New York) also appeared in 1937.

## Is this the true first?
The UK Gollancz 1937 edition is the true first of the novel. Note the stage play (co-written with Muriel St. Clare Byrne) preceded the novel, premiering in 1936, so the novel is not the earliest appearance of the story in any form. One isolated dealer listing claims the American Harcourt edition precedes the English; this runs against the bibliographic consensus that Gollancz is the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later Gollancz impressions and reprints follow the first and lack the first-issue text points and erratum slip.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Busman's Honeymoon* by Dorothy L. Sayers a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/busmans-honeymoon
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.