# Is "Hallowe'en Party" by Agatha Christie a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Hallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie (William Collins, 1969) is identified by: The UK Collins Crime Club edition of early November 1969 is the first edition and precedes the US Dodd, Mead edition of the same year. Both editions carry 1969, but the UK Collins Crime Club printing (early November) precedes the US Dodd, Mead edition (later November) and is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- The UK Collins Crime Club edition of early November 1969 is the first edition and precedes the US Dodd, Mead edition of the same year
- It is an octavo bound in red cloth with gilt lettering and the Crime Club device on the spine
- The first-issue dust jacket, depicting a yellow gourd or pumpkin (artist uncredited), carries on the front flap both the pre-decimal printed price and the equivalent 1.25 in the new currency, printed in anticipation of decimalisation; a correct first jacket shows the original printed prices
- Poirot and Ariadne Oliver novel
- Publisher imprint reads William Collins
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Agatha Christie |
| Publisher | William Collins |
| Year | 1969 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | The UK Collins Crime Club edition of early November 1969 is the first edition and precedes the US Dodd, Mead edition of the same year |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
The UK Collins Crime Club edition of early November 1969 is the first edition and precedes the US Dodd, Mead edition of the same year. It is an octavo bound in red cloth with gilt lettering and the Crime Club device on the spine. The first-issue dust jacket, depicting a yellow gourd or pumpkin (artist uncredited), carries on the front flap both the pre-decimal printed price and the equivalent 1.25 in the new currency, printed in anticipation of decimalisation; a correct first jacket shows the original printed prices. Poirot and Ariadne Oliver novel.

## Is this the true first?
Both editions carry 1969, but the UK Collins Crime Club printing (early November) precedes the US Dodd, Mead edition (later November) and is the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Many hardbacks offered are later Collins book club editions; identify the first by the November 1969 Crime Club sheets and the dual-priced pumpkin jacket rather than by reprint or club sheets.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Hallowe'en Party* by Agatha Christie a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/halloween-party
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.