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: A later 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. This is the most difficult "glossy cover" title to find.
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
"Marchesi Cover"
First Printed: 1978
Cover Art: Stephen Marchesi
Internal Illustrations: Harry Kane
ISBN: 0-394-83774-6
First Printing Identifier: 1234567890 numberline 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) See NOTES below.
Cover Art: Robert Adragna
Internal Illustrations: Harry Kane
ISBN: Same as for Marchesi Cover above.
Earliest Printing Identifier: 90 numberline 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 numberline on the copyright page.
First Printing Identifier: 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 numberline on the copyright page.
Notes: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. is a subsidiary of Random House.
Random House Latest Paperback Issue
"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 numberline 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 ISBN's 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
