# Is ""M" Is for Malice" by Sue Grafton a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of "M" Is for Malice by Sue Grafton (Henry Holt, 1996) is identified by: The first printing carries the statement 'First Edition--1996' on the copyright page together with a full number line reading 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2, under the Henry Holt and Company imprint. The US Henry Holt hardcover is the true first edition; thirteenth Kinsey Millhone alphabet novel.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- The first printing carries the statement 'First Edition--1996' on the copyright page together with a full number line reading 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2, under the Henry Holt and Company imprint
- First published November 1996; thirteenth Kinsey Millhone alphabet novel
- An uncorrected proof in printed wrappers precedes the trade issue
- Publisher imprint reads Henry Holt
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Sue Grafton |
| Publisher | Henry Holt |
| Year | 1996 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | The first printing carries the statement 'First Edition--1996' on the copyright page together with a full number line reading 1 3 5 7 9 10… |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
The first printing carries the statement 'First Edition--1996' on the copyright page together with a full number line reading 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2, under the Henry Holt and Company imprint. First published November 1996; thirteenth Kinsey Millhone alphabet novel. An uncorrected proof in printed wrappers precedes the trade issue.

## Is this the true first?
The US Henry Holt hardcover is the true first edition; thirteenth Kinsey Millhone alphabet novel.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No significant book-club edition issue point affecting the true first; the 'First Edition--1996' statement with the full number line distinguishes the first printing.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *"M" Is for Malice* by Sue Grafton a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/m-is-for-malice
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.