# Is "Lord John and the Private Matter" by Diana Gabaldon a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Lord John and the Private Matter by Diana Gabaldon (Delacorte Press, 2003) is identified by: US Delacorte Press first printing (September 30, 2003), ISBN 0-385-33747-7, identified by a full number line ending in 1 on the copyright page and a first-issue dust jacket bearing the original printed price. US Delacorte Press is the American first (September 2003); a UK Century (Random House) edition also appeared in 2003, so specify the US issue when the American first is intended.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- US Delacorte Press first printing (September 30, 2003), ISBN 0-385-33747-7, identified by a full number line ending in 1 on the copyright page and a first-issue dust jacket bearing the original printed price
- First full-length Lord John Grey novel
- Publisher imprint reads Delacorte Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Diana Gabaldon |
| Publisher | Delacorte Press |
| Year | 2003 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | US Delacorte Press first printing (September 30, 2003), ISBN 0-385-33747-7, identified by a full number line ending in 1 on the copyright… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
US Delacorte Press first printing (September 30, 2003), ISBN 0-385-33747-7, identified by a full number line ending in 1 on the copyright page and a first-issue dust jacket bearing the original printed price. First full-length Lord John Grey novel.

## Is this the true first?
US Delacorte Press is the American first (September 2003); a UK Century (Random House) edition also appeared in 2003, so specify the US issue when the American first is intended.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings advance or lack the number line ending in 1; book-club printings lack the printed jacket price.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Lord John and the Private Matter* by Diana Gabaldon a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/lord-john-and-the-private-matter
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.