March 1950 Pocket paperback, first printing
cover painting by Harvey Kidder
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.
1959, third printing
cover art by Jerry Allison
1990 Warner edition
cover art by Gary Kelley
[updated 9/6/25 ~ all copies mine]
December 1959 Pocket paperback, 2nd print
2nd Lew Archer, an August 1950 Knopf hardcover
cover painting by James Meese
1953 Knopf hardcover, 1st edition – cover by Bill English
one of the two non-series that he wrote amongst the Archers
better image than previously posted
cover art by Clark Hulings
cover art by Sam Peffer
May 1959 Pocket paperback, 3rd print
better image than previously posted
1972 Bantam edition, 2nd print
2010 Vintage/Black Lizard reissue
[updated 9/13/25]
SMB Noir 