# Is "Too Many Clients" by Rex Stout a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Too Many Clients by Rex Stout (Viking Press, 1960) is identified by: The Viking Press, New York, 1960; a Nero Wolfe novel. US Viking edition is the true first; Stout was an American author published first in the United States.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- The Viking Press, New York, 1960; a Nero Wolfe novel
- Bound in yellow cloth (boards) with the front cover and spine printed in red and the publisher's emblem in red on the front board; rear cover blank; pink top stain
- Issued in a mainly bright pink and yellow dust wrapper with the price printed on the flap
- Publisher imprint reads Viking Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Rex Stout |
| Publisher | Viking Press |
| Year | 1960 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | The Viking Press, New York, 1960; a Nero Wolfe novel |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
The Viking Press, New York, 1960; a Nero Wolfe novel. Bound in yellow cloth (boards) with the front cover and spine printed in red and the publisher's emblem in red on the front board; rear cover blank; pink top stain. Issued in a mainly bright pink and yellow dust wrapper with the price printed on the flap.

## Is this the true first?
US Viking edition is the true first; Stout was an American author published first in the United States.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The Viking first's back flap carries three lines about Viking Press above 'Printed in USA' (yellow cloth, red colophon, red spine lettering); the book-club back flap is almost blank and the copy runs taller (8.55" vs 8.25"). No 'Book Club Edition' flap marking. (identification per rexstoutfirsts.com)

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Too Many Clients* by Rex Stout a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/too-many-clients
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.