# Is "Garden of Shadows" by V.C. Andrews a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Garden of Shadows by V.C. Andrews (Poseidon Press, 1987) is identified by: Published by Poseidon Press (a Simon & Schuster imprint) in 1987 as the true first-edition hardcover with dust jacket (ISBN 0-671-64259-6). The Poseidon Press 1987 hardcover is the true first edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Published by Poseidon Press (a Simon & Schuster imprint) in 1987 as the true first-edition hardcover with dust jacket (ISBN 0-671-64259-6)
- Pocket Books issued the Book Club Edition and the later mass-market paperback — neither is the true first
- Publisher imprint reads Poseidon Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | V.C. Andrews |
| Publisher | Poseidon Press |
| Year | 1987 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Published by Poseidon Press (a Simon & Schuster imprint) in 1987 as the true first-edition hardcover with dust jacket (ISBN 0-671-64259-6) |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Published by Poseidon Press (a Simon & Schuster imprint) in 1987 as the true first-edition hardcover with dust jacket (ISBN 0-671-64259-6). Pocket Books issued the Book Club Edition and the later mass-market paperback — neither is the true first.

## Is this the true first?
The Poseidon Press 1987 hardcover is the true first edition. A Pocket Books hardcover exists but is the Book Club Edition (BCE); Pocket Books also published the mass-market paperback. Identify the first by the Poseidon Press imprint, a complete number line, and no book-club gutter code or blind-stamp.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club edition is a separate 1987 Pocket hardcover carrying a blind gilt stamp on the rear board and lacking the publisher's first-printing statement; distinguish it from the trade first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Garden of Shadows* by V.C. Andrews a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/garden-of-shadows
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.