The Holland Suggestions, a novel of suspense; Bobbs-Merrill, NY, (1975). There was only one small printing by the original publisher, in paper-covered boards, and many went to libraries. “First printing” is stated on the copyright page, with the publisher’s price of $7.95 on the upper front flap. The book club edition is easily distinguished from the first.
Tune In Yesterday, an encyclopedic history of old-time radio; Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, (1976). There were two hardback printings, the first printing identified by a chain of numbers beginning with ‘1’. The first printing has two sections of black-and-white photographs, and strangely, some second printings also have the pictures. Earliest dust jackets show two prices: $14.95 ’til 1/1/77; $17.95 thereafter.
Denver, a novel; Times Books, NY, (1980). Two printings: no statement on the first printing; “Second printing, February 1980” later added to the copyright page. The first had a tan cloth spine; the second is dark brown paper. First edition: about 5,000 copies.
Looking for Ginger North, a mystery novel, Fawcett Gold Medal, NY, (1980). Paperback original, one printing only. Edgar finalist.
Deadline, a mystery novel, Fawcett Gold Medal, NY, (1981). Paperback original, one Fawcett printing only. Edgar finalist.
Deadline, Gollancz, London, 1982. First hardback edition: yellow dust jacket; one small printing only, probably far fewer than 1,000 copies. A somewhat scarce book today.
Deadline, Cahill, Huntington Beach, 1995: first American hardback, about 1,300 copies, with the infamous Ragen Mendenhall dust jacket showing the little girl, nude, dead in the flames. Also published in a slipcased limited edition, 200 copies with a chapbook, The Torch Passes.
Booked to Die, the first Cliff Janeway mystery, Charles Scribner’s Sons, NY, (1992). Winner of the Nero Wolfe Award. This book has gone through five hardcover printings, all designated by the chain of numbers on the copyright page. The jackets on the first four printings are identical, with a price of $19.95. The fifth printing had a new price added to the jacket, $23, and the size was larger. There were 6,500 firsts.
The Bookman’s Wake, a Cliff Janeway Mystery, Scribner, NY, (1995). Five printings, chain of numbers on the copyright page. Finalist for best novel Edgar Award (US) and Gold Dagger Award (England). A New York Times Notable Book of the Year. More than 30,000 firsts.
Bookscout, a short story published in the limited hardback, Ten Tales, 1994, with nine other authors. James Cahill Publishing, Huntington Beach.
Bookscout, chapbook, first separate edition, Dinkytown Books, Minneapolis, (1998), sold only at six book fairs, with individual fairs mentioned on the back panels of the dust jackets.
Dreamer, a story published in hardback, 125 copies, Cahill, Huntington Beach.
On The Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio, Oxford University Press, 1998. Five printings, designated by the chain of numbers on the copyright page.
Two O’Clock, Eastern Wartime, a radio mystery, Scribner, NY, (2001). There was one large hardcover printing. A “fingerprint edition” of 2,500 copies was offered by the publisher—the regular trade edition with a satiric limitation page tipped in, containing the author’s fingerprints. There was also a specially bound real limited edition of 126 signed copies: Santa Teresa Press, Santa Barbara.
The Bookman’s Limericks, Chapbook. Dinkeytown Books, Minneapolis, 2003. Collection of book-related limericks.
The Bookman’s Promise, Scribner, 2004. The third Cliff Janeway bookman mystery involves the legendary explorer Richard Burton and takes Janeway to Maryland and South Carolina. Also in paperback by Pocket Books, 2005.
The Sign of the Book, Scribner, March 2005. Fourth book in the Janeway series, set in Denver and the central Colorado mountains.
The Bookwoman’s Last Fling, Scribner, May 2006. Fifth book in the Janeway series finds Janeway in Idaho and California hunting books and a killer on the thoroughbred horse racetrack circuit.
Some of John’s in-print paperback titles:
