Not the books themselves, the covers. Some of these I haven't read. Some I did and loved, others I wasn't so crazy about. But I loved the covers.
(A couple of my choices are not strictly mystery or crime thriller, but I say they're close enough.)
I got the idea for this post from The Rap Sheet, J. Kingston Pierce's sensational mystery website. They're featuring a voting gadget for their choices of the best cover. But I am gadget free.
You're welcome to vote, though. What if any of these were your favorite covers for 2011?
My favorite cover this year but it's not a mystery or crime thriller so didn't include it above.
I love most of these but am partial to The Apothecary and Paper Garden - each are true works of art. Lovely.
ReplyDeleteI'm still making my way through THE PAPER GARDEN, for some reason I've been unable to really connect with the narrative. I'm angry at myself about it. I so wanted to love this book.
ReplyDeleteBut I may yet find my way.
Still, I do appreciate the gorgeous artwork.
My issue with it was the way the author inserted herself into the narrative. The parts about the artist were really fantastic. The author, however, felt she needed to compare her own life to the artist, and it got in the way (to me).
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm finding that. I also think she stretches her metaphors to the breaking point occasionally.
ReplyDeleteBut I'm continuing to read it in bits and pieces. Setting my own pace. :)
I like your choices more than most of those "Best of" lists for cover art. None of which in my opinion constitute art in any sense of the word. THE SISTER BROTHERS is excellent example of what modern artwork o=for a book can accomplish. That book's cover got me interested in reading reviews and I eventually purchased it. So there's an example of good artwork selling a book. THE APOTHECARY is lovely. Never saw that. I like the Goreyesque cover for SWAMPLANDIA also.
ReplyDeleteI've been carrying the cover of THE APOTHECARY in my head for awhile. I saw it somewhere and never forgot it.
ReplyDeleteThough I haven't read the book. Not sure if I'm going to.
SWAMPLANDIA I'm reading for sure.
And: THE FAMILY FANG, MYSTERIOSO and probably THE TAINT OF MIDAS and PENGUIN LOST. Though the penguin series needs to begin at the beginning, I think.
Imaginative covers but I liked the Jo Nesbo cover more. Some of these authors are familiar though I haven't read any of these books yet.
ReplyDeleteThe cover is part of the reason I wasn to read Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.
ReplyDeleteI love the cover for Swamplandia, I almost bought the book based on that alone. But I've read a lot of reviews that weren't overly fond of it.
Prashant: Of the covers presented on The Rap Sheet, I think the Jo Nesbo one was the best. That's the one I voted for. No question it's a great cover.
ReplyDeleteBut my favorite crime/thriller cover of the year is MYSTERIOSO. Though I have no clue if I'll like the book or not. I have yet to read it.
My favorite mystery (?)cover is PENGUIN LOST. Haven't read any of the penguin books yet. I've been meaning to.
But I love all the other covers on my post too. Just different degrees of love. :)
I've heard good things about SWAMPLANDIA, Ryan. Just the opposite. And I think it was one of the NY Times choice books.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to take the plunge and read it. :)
I may wait until I see what you think of it then. I really am in love with the cover though.
ReplyDeleteMe too, Ryan. The book is on my active list. I'll be reading it this year for sure.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful covers!
ReplyDeleteMost covers are not really interesting or pretty, in my opinion.If a book has a hideous or an irrelevant cover I always tend to mention it in my review. One of my favourite books last year, The Diary of a Nobody, had a really ugly cover. I love the book but hate the cover!
Willow: Sometimes I've been known to not pick up a book if the cover really REALLY throws me off. Shallow of me I know. Some of my paperbacks I've actually torn the covers off.
ReplyDeleteI am most particular. :)
I love almost all of the covers. What's not to like? For all different reasons?
ReplyDeleteShows that today there can be great, imaginative covers. The Apothecary though is a Wow! But others are terrific for different reasons.
Rah, rah to good, creative covers!
Have you, our humble webmistress read Anne Zaroudi or Jeff Siger on Greece? Are they classic or contemporary? I want to learn more and what better way than a mystery?
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure on whether Zaroudi is classic or contemporary. I've never read either author. But I liked the covers, both the Brit and American versions.
ReplyDelete