NMLP P-040530 · True-first precedence · minted 2026-07-19

The House Without a Key

Earl Derr Biggers · The Bobbs-Merrill Company (Indianapolis) · 1925

Sole true first: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, Indianapolis, 1925 — the census claim is confirmed. There is no competing UK or original-language claimant with precedence, and this is the first appearance of Charlie Chan. Later British issues and every subsequent edition are reprints of the American text.

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New Mexico Literacy Project — True-first precedence NMLP P-040530 for "The House Without a Key" by Earl Derr Biggers (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/id/point/p-040530, CC BY 4.0, dataset DOI 10.5281/zenodo.21184548).