And the cover goes to…

Just got the UK cover for The Murder of Mary Russell, out from Allison & Busby on the same date as in the US, April 5.  What do you think?murder of mary russell UK

(And no, this is not meant to show the Holmes flint house on the Downs, but a gamekeeper’s cottage from the story.)

24 Comments

  1. Barb K on February 19, 2016 at 11:37 am

    Absolutely love it….

  2. LJ on February 19, 2016 at 11:40 am

    I like it. It reminds me of some of that pre-dawn blue that paints the world sometimes in the summer.

  3. EC on February 19, 2016 at 11:46 am

    Lovely.

  4. Bear Bauman on February 19, 2016 at 11:51 am

    Laurie, I will not judge the book by the cover. Sigh!

  5. Karen Krajewski on February 19, 2016 at 11:58 am

    Lovely cover. Will we be able to buy items with this illustration or only the US cover?

    • Laurie King on February 19, 2016 at 12:44 pm

      You could buy from one of the UK bookshops, or Poisoned Pen Bookstore in Scottsdale usually imports a number of British covers, but in either case, it would be considerably more expensive.

      • Helen Martin on February 19, 2016 at 1:54 pm

        True, but there are authors whose books I want in the UK editions so I pay the premium. Question: are there any other differences between the editions? Some authors change usage between the two editions, eg. putting the U in ‘labour’, referring to lorries rather than trucks and so on. Sherlock is 100% English, while Mary’s first language was American. You could make a good argument either way or run a line down the middle of the road. I’ve been reading English-English lately so I don’t remember what you’ve done in the past. (I agree about the blue on this cover, too.)

  6. Anne B on February 19, 2016 at 12:00 pm

    Very nice. The colors give it a sense of mystery.

  7. Chris on February 19, 2016 at 12:07 pm

    Beautiful. As ever!

  8. Diane Hendricksen on February 19, 2016 at 12:26 pm

    It is lovely, and makes me wonder why the UK covers of a number of books are not only different, but evocative.

  9. Merrily Taylor on February 19, 2016 at 1:37 pm

    It’s beautiful – very haunting (as it should be).

  10. Linwood Hines on February 19, 2016 at 2:07 pm

    And, what significance does the gameskeeper’s cottage have within the mystery? If it does have particular significance, wouldn’t have the same within the story in the colonies?

    • Laurie King on February 19, 2016 at 3:14 pm

      The significance is, it’s where a part of the story is set. As for the other–You’re asking a mere author why her publishing house makes one decision or another? The author is generally grateful if the cover is vaguely related, reasonably attractive, and doesn’t give away the entire plot right there on the outside.

      • Linwood Hines on February 19, 2016 at 8:37 pm

        OH, I didn’t know. Well, it IS a very nice cover. I hope the US edition is nice too.

  11. Krasna on February 19, 2016 at 2:22 pm

    Much prefer the UK cover to the US. But it’s what’s inside that counts. Waiting eagerly….

  12. Linda Hay on February 19, 2016 at 5:14 pm

    I too prefer the British cover. I too would like the poster, T shirt, or whatever. Luckily I have a bookish friend who lives in London …. and shares my passions for books and art. My favorite ploy is going to visit her and picking up things myself, but she has been known to mail me things.

    In the old days, before the internet, I ordered quite a few books from Waterstones with a phone call and a credit card and a much better book rate for mailing. Now I do things like getting an e version for immediate reading and stuffing my suitcase with physical books as souvenirs.

    • Meredith Taylor on February 20, 2016 at 1:32 am

      May I say, Linda Hays, that you are my kinda woman. //Meredith Taylor

  13. Bear Bauman on February 19, 2016 at 6:28 pm

    Alll of the women seem sold on the cover. Just so you know I am not some bozo who wandered in off the street. I own and have read ALL of Laurie’s books, most of which she has signed for me. I am an admirer. I had forgotten that authors do not get to choose their covers. I just don’t like the cover, however, I would buy it if it came in a plain brown wrapper. Regards, The Grouchy Old Bear in Palo Alto

    • Linwood Hines on February 19, 2016 at 8:40 pm

      Well, I definitely agree with I own and have read (and really enjoy) ALL of Laurie’s books, I am an admirer. And, yes, I would buy it even without a cover/wrapper. I know it is going to be awesome!

  14. Libby Dodd on February 20, 2016 at 10:50 am

    It looks like an homage to classic British mystery covers.

  15. Annette Lessmann on February 20, 2016 at 11:27 am

    I like both covers.

  16. Garnett on February 20, 2016 at 9:55 pm

    I prefer the UK cover, it feels dark and foreboding. It certainly fits the title.

  17. Kathy Reel on February 20, 2016 at 10:06 pm

    I love it and plan on checking with Book Depository to see about ordering the British cover. They have excellent prices and free shipping.

    I usually look at Mystery Mike’s at Bouchercon to try and get different covers of your books, Laurie, and I have had some good luck doing so. There are only a few authors that I want to collect both the U.S. and UK covers.

  18. Kate on February 25, 2016 at 9:56 am

    I think this is among the best of Allison and Busby’s covers for Laurie so far. Although, having said that, I prefer the American editions (paper, print, feel etc.) so will be paying over the odds to get one imported to the UK!

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