# Is "Vintage Murder" by Ngaio Marsh a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Vintage Murder by Ngaio Marsh (Geoffrey Bles, 1937) is identified by: UK Geoffrey Bles 1937 first printing in the publisher's original red cloth, issued in a pictorial dust wrapper. UK Geoffrey Bles (1937) is the true first; Marsh was still with Bles at this point in her career, before her later move to Collins.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- UK Geoffrey Bles 1937 first printing in the publisher's original red cloth, issued in a pictorial dust wrapper
- Fifth Roderick Alleyn novel, set in New Zealand while a touring theatrical company plays there
- A genuine 1937 Bles first in its original wrapper is notably scarce; the printed jacket should be present, though early copies are commonly found without the fragile wrapper
- Publisher imprint reads Geoffrey Bles
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Ngaio Marsh |
| Publisher | Geoffrey Bles |
| Year | 1937 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | UK Geoffrey Bles 1937 first printing in the publisher's original red cloth, issued in a pictorial dust wrapper |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
UK Geoffrey Bles 1937 first printing in the publisher's original red cloth, issued in a pictorial dust wrapper. Fifth Roderick Alleyn novel, set in New Zealand while a touring theatrical company plays there. A genuine 1937 Bles first in its original wrapper is notably scarce; the printed jacket should be present, though early copies are commonly found without the fragile wrapper.

## Is this the true first?
UK Geoffrey Bles (1937) is the true first; Marsh was still with Bles at this point in her career, before her later move to Collins.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later Bles reprints and the American edition follow the 1937 Bles first; a first-printing copy shows no statement of a later impression.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Vintage Murder* by Ngaio Marsh a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/vintage-murder
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.