The Cozy Mystery List Blog

Part 2 of: Do you think that you can judge a (Cozy Mystery) book by its cover?

I have noticed that there seem to be different “categories” of cozy mystery book covers these days: There are some book covers that are scenes that (I feel) invite the cozy mystery reader to read the book… These covers almost scream: “This book is for you! This is a cozy scene with you in mind!” These would be the covers with idyllic settings on them.

These covers are usually in soft, inviting colors, with artists’ renditions of something we expect in our cozies: a far-away, (very British) looking landscape or building (preferably a cottage overlooking the sea or a hotel that caters to old colonels with their very young wives), a beautiful room in a house/mansion (again very British looking!), or a lovely item in a beautiful room>>> in a terrific house>>>> in a far-away, wondrous setting.

I have to admit to being drawn to this particular “Agatha Christie-Setting” cover. I love the scenes of crashing water on the cliffs, beautiful bed and breakfasts covered with ivy, libraries with all of their books (and the murder weapons!), fireplaces blazing, etc.

Here are some examples of these idyllic book covers:

Ann Granger            P. B. Ryan                   Patricia Houck Sprinkle

Ann Waldron           Robin Paige                Camille Minichino

Ngaio Marsh           Hailey Lind                   Victoria Thompson

Hazel Holt                Roberta Isleib              Caroline Graham

Would any of these book covers help you decide whether or not you would like to start reading these authors? I KNOW that they would have a big part in my decision!

Here are the other two parts of this theme:

Mystery Books’ Covers Part 1

Mystery Books’ Covers Part 3

Do you think that you can judge a (Cozy Mystery) book by its cover?

A while back I got a letter from a Cozy Mystery Site reader who complained about one of her very favorite authors changing her book covers. She asked my why the author’s covers had changed. Of course, I didn’t know the answer to that question. That question, however, started me thinking about the whole array of  mystery book covers. I began to wonder if they affect us when we contemplate adding a new author to our queue of mystery authors. There are so many types of book covers, and some speak to us more than others. The good news is that every reader is “seeing” a different thing when they look at a book’s cover… which is why there are so many different illustrators and photographers designing the different book covers.

Well, I have to admit that I do think that the covers of books have a lot to do with whether or not we decide to “take up” with a new author. I know that when I am looking at the books of an author with whom I’m not familiar, I tend to be swayed by the covers of their books. Of course, that doesn’t mean that I make my decision solely on the book’s cover. Obviously, the first thing I do is to see the book’s cover but then I read the synopsis of  the given book AND I read what other people have to say about the book.

I have several examples of mystery books in mind. If you have the time, please click on the following authors and take a look at some of the very different types of book covers…

Robert Barnard        Nancy Atherton            Mignon F. Ballard

Donna Andrews       Nancy Fairbanks         Harley Jane Kozak

Carola Dunn             Jacqueline Winspear

Kate Kingsbury        Joyce & Jim Lavene

Donald Bain              Lee Goldberg

Jo Bannister              Kathryn R. Wall            Margaret Maron

Do you think that any of the above authors’ book covers would help you decide on whether or not you want to read the particular authors books? Do any of the above authors’ book covers catch your attention… making you want to know more about the books? If yes is the answer to either of those questions, then mission accomplished! The book covers have at least served the purpose of getting your attention.

Here are the other two parts of this theme:

Mystery Books’ Covers Part 2

Mystery Books’ Covers Part 3