#11 The Mystery of the Talking Skull
By Robert Arthur, 1969
First Printed: 1969
Cover Art: Harry Kane
Internal Illustrations: Harry Kane
ISBN's: Trade Ed. 0-394-81380-4; GLB 0-394-91380-9
Trade Edition First Printing Identifier: Lists to "The Mystery of the Laughing Shadow" on the back cover.
Other Trade Edition First Printing Traits:
- Matte cover finish
- Blue graveyard endpapers
- No ISBN
Notes: The last printing of the Trade Edition was manufactured with the glossy cover finish. This printing lists to "The Mystery of the Invisible Dog" on the back cover and has plain white endpapers.
Scholastic Book Services Paperback Edition
First Printed: September 1974
Cover Art: Harry Kane
Internal Illustrations: None
ID#: TK 2922
First Printing Identifier: "First Printing" stated on the copyright page.
Random House First Paperback Edition
First Printed: 1978
Cover Art: Stephen Marchesi
Internal Illustrations: Harry Kane
ISBN: 0-394-83774-6
First Printing Identifier: 1234567890 number line on the copyright page.
Notes: There were 8 Printings of this title with the Marchesi Cover art in this edition printed between 1978 and 1981. With the 9th Printing, below, the new Adragna cover art was used.
"Hitchcock Cover" Paperback
First Printed: circa 1981 (9th Printing)
Cover Art: Robert Adragna
Internal Illustrations: Harry Kane
ISBN: Same as for Marchesi Cover above.
Earliest Printing Identifier: 90 number line on the copyright page.
Notes: The title list inside suggests that this book was first printed as late as 1981, but I suspect that 1982 or even 1983 is a more likely date.
Random House Revised Paperback Edition
"Keyhole Cover"
First Printed: 1984
Cover Art: Robert Adragna
Internal Illustrations: None
ISBN: 0-394-86411-5
First Printing Identifier: 1234567890 number line on the copyright page.
Back to the Original Series page.
"Bullseye Edition"
First Printed: December 1992
Cover Art: Roger Loveless
Internal Illustrations: None
ISBN: 0-679-83260-2
First Printing Identifier: 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 number line on the copyright page.
Notes: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. is a subsidiary of Random House.
Random House "Dodge" Paperback Edition
"Dodge Cover"
First Printed: 2000
Cover Art: Bill Dodge
Internal Illustrations: None
ISBN: Same as the "Bullseye" Edition (see Notes below)
First Printing Identifier: 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 number line on the copyright page.
Notes:
1.) Confusion Alert! This title is a continuation of the Knopf "Bullseye Edition" paperback with new cover art and a new set of printings. Although there has been a change in the publisher, the ISBNs are the same and most of this book utilizes the printing plates from the Bullseye Edition.
2.) Confusion Alert! Random House also issued a hardbound library edition with the Dodge Covers. The ISBN found inside the hardbound edition is the same as that found in the paperback edition but the ISBN on the back cover is different: 0-613-26337-5
Hollow Tree Press Paperback Edition (Print on Demand)
First Printed: June 10, 2024, Amazon; July 20, 2024, Barnes & Noble
Jacket Design: Elizabeth Arthur
Internal Illustrations: None
ISBN: 979-8-322-97480-2 Amazon; 979-8-331-43388-8 B&N
First Printing Identifier: None. However, the books printed by Amazon will have the city and the date that the book was manufactured printed on one of the last blank pages of the book.
Notes:
1."Talking Skull" was always the 11th book in the series, but because this HTP edition is comprised of only the 10 Robert Arthur titles, this title is now the 10th book in the series. It is now numbered as such.
2.) This edition utilizes the 1985 Revised Text.
3.) This book features a 2-page "About the Author" section and 12 pages of Endnotes covering The Romani, Criminals and Their Nicknames, and Magicians and Magic.
