I'm very much looking forward to the publication next spring of The Golden Age of Murder. This week, I completed work on the final edit of the manuscript, and I've been impressed with (and hugely grateful for) the care lavished on the book so far by Harper Collins. Their enthusiasm really is good for morale, and as all writers know, morale does matter.
The cover artwork is, at the moment, still "work in progress", but with my editor's okay, I thought I'd share with you the latest version, as some readers may be interested in gaining an insight into the thought processes of a major publisher when working on such things.The jacket is envisaged as being in matt black,with the figures picked out in gloss varnish, and the gold areas foiled, to give the book a rather sumptuous feel and reflect the 'Golden' aspect of the 'Golden Age'. The hope is that it will not only look good, but stand out in the bookshops.
Only a minority of readers will, perhaps, spot the fact that the artwork also reflects the Golden Age in another way - this is a twenty-first century take on the artwork used back in the Thirties for the Colliins Crime White Circle paperback series. This strikes me as a lovely idea. And here, by way of illustration, is a White Circle cover from one of the most famous of all detective novels...
A great reminder of those Collins covers - can't wait Martin!
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to buying and reading this Martin. It would be nice to have the opportunity to purchase a signed copy if these are available
ReplyDeleteYes, I did recognise the style. Great cover. So much looking forward to reading this, Martin.
ReplyDeleteI am really looking forward to your new book, and -- if I can twist my editor's arm at Mystery Scene -- I hope to be among the first to read it and review it. (Psst! If you can put a word in to the marketing department at your publisher, let them know I am ready at Mystery Scene, and tell them to ask Teri Duerr to assign the book to me -- Tim Davis.) In any case, I wish you considerable success on this one (again).
ReplyDeleteI can not wait to buy it. Especially the part about Berkeley
ReplyDeleteMany congratulations, Martin! And the cover is gorgeous. I have a handful of Collins paperback with that cover design and they are wonderful as objects (and as books!).
ReplyDeleteLooking fwd to this
ReplyDeleteLove it! Eager to get my hands on a copy. Tell HarperCollins to step it up. ;^)
ReplyDeleteGreat cover & I'm looking forward to reading the contents. Lovely idea to refer back to the Collins covers.
ReplyDeleteI'm hugely appreciative of the reaction I've had to the draft artwork, which is truly encouraging. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteScott, thanks, that opportunity will definitely arise!
ReplyDeleteTim - thanks very much. I will mention this to the US branch of Harper Collins.
ReplyDeletePietro, there is plenty in the book about Berkeley, I can promise you!
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