#11 The Mystery of the Talking Skull

By Robert Arthur, 1969
1969 RH hardbound, Harry Kane cover art.
1978 RH paperback, Stephen Marchesi cover art.
1992 Bullseye paperback, Roger Loveless cover art.
2000 Latest Issue RH paperback, Bill Dodge cover art.
Hitchcock Cover RH paperback circa 1983, Robert Adragna cover art.
Scholastic Books, Harry Kane cover.
1984 RH Keyhole paperback, Adragna cover art.

Random House Trade and GLB Hardbound Editions
 
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: 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.
Back to the Original Series page.
Knopf Paperback Edition 
"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 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