1961 Collins hardcover, true first with original title – cover designed by Pino Dell-Orco
1962 Collins hardcover, 2nd printing
1962 Scribners hardcover in the US
1963 Popular Library reissue, a paperback original in the US
the back of the book gave away the author’s true name
1968 Fontana reissue – cover art by Renato Fratini
1970 Fawcett reissue – cover art by Bill Johnson
1947 UK hardcover from Collins and US hardcover from Dodd Mead
1949 Bantam reissue – cover art by C.C. Beall
sketch for the cover by Sam Peffer
1959 Avon edition – cover art by Darcy
1960 UK paperback reissue – cover art by Sam Peffer
1962 Fontana reissue – cover art by John L. Baker
1965 Fontana UK reissue – cover art by Renato Fratini.
1971 Knopf hardcover, first edition – cover design by Hal Seigel (owner’s copy)
London: Collins Crime Club, 1971. First UK Edition. The 16th novel in the Lew Archer series.
1979 Bantam reissue – cover art by Mitchell Hooks
1992 Warner reissue – cover art by Gary Kelley
1996 Vintage/Black Lizard reissue
Australian 2012 Penguin reissue
Australian 2024 Penguin reissue
[post updated 8/20/26]
THE FIRST LEW ARCHER
1949 Knopf hardcover – cover illustration by Bill English
first in the long-running and deservedly respected Lew Archer series by Kenneth Millar, aka Ross Macdonald. After using his father’s name as the pen name for this novel, he was forced by John D. MacDonald to alter it for future novels, and Ross Macdonald was born.
March 1950 Pocket paperback, first printing
cover painting by Harvey Kidder
British 1951 Cassell hardcover
1954 Pan reissue – cover by Sax
better image than previously posted
1959 Pocket reissue, third printing – cover art by Jerry Allison (owner’s copy)
1966 Fontana movie tie-in edition
1977 Bantam reissue – cover art by Mitchell Hooks
1984 Bantam reissue – cover art by James Marsh
1998 Vintage/Black Lizard reissue
1990 Warner edition – cover art by Gary Kelley (owner’s copy)
[updated 9/6/25, 8/27/26]
1959 Dell paperback original anthology of short stories by women crime writers, an idea initiated by MacDonald
cover painting by Ron Lesser
1962 Fontana edition from the UK
cover art by John L. Baker
better image than previously posted
[post updated 10/8/25]
1962 Fontana paperback reissue
20th with Superindendent Roderick Alleyn
cover art by Renato Fratini
SMB Noir 
