Wednesday, October 19, 2016

I Have J.D. Robb Covered!


This week, I've decided to take a look at the US and UK covers of one of J.D. Robb's Eve Dallas mysteries. Eve is a homicide lieutenant in a futuristic New York City, and this is quite the long-running series. First published in 1995, it's still going strong-- over forty novels and ten novellas in print so far.

I have to admit that I did try one of Robb's Eve Dallas books several years ago, and it just didn't grab me. One of these days I may see if that opinion still holds true, but I'm in no hurry. I have several friends and acquaintances who love the books, and that's good enough for me. 

It's also not going to keep me from taking a look at the cover of Devoted in Death. I may miss some symbolism, but it wouldn't be the first time. Let's get started!


   

The US Cover...

Non-reader of this series as I am, I still recognize the cover style of the US edition. Robb is like Sue Grafton in that they both have distinctive cover art. In this case, it's bright bands of color, the author's name in huge capital letters, and a little swatch of art at the bottom.  Clean, simple, and easy for her fans to grab the latest one off the shelf. Does this cover do much for me? No, but it probably would snag my attention as I walked by in the bookshop.


The UK Cover...

On the other hand, the UK cover tells a little story and leaves me hanging. A cold winter scene, a bright red pair of stilettos abandoned in the snow, and the author's name in huge red capital letters. I don't think anything good came of the person who'd been wearing those shoes....


My Verdict...

Both covers are clean and simple in their own ways. J.D. Robb is such an established name that neither cover is buried under blurbs, which is a decided plus.

I've already admitted that I know of J.D. Robb (AKA Nora Roberts), but I'm not a fan. Seeing her name in huge letters would mean that I would not stop to pick up the book, so I'm going to "trick" myself. By pretending that the author's name is not on the cover, which do I prefer? Which one would make me pick it up and see what it was about?

The UK cover. That lonely pair of bright red shoes in the snow raises a lot of questions in my mind, and I'd have to at least read the synopsis on the back.

What about you? Which cover do you prefer? US? UK? Neither one? Too close to call? Inquiring minds would love to know! 



   

6 comments:

  1. I was immediately drawn to the UK cover, Cathy. As you say, it tells a story, and makes me want to know what happened. It's also got more of a focus, if that makes sense.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, it does make sense. The US cover says, "We've got our formula, so we don't have to think about this too much."

      Delete
  2. No question: the UK cover is the one that grabs me.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I agree fully with your preference and reasons for it.

    I would not pick up the U.S. edition if I saw the book with that cover, but I would be intrigued by the British cover. I would look at the inside blurb and back cover even though I probably wouldn't read the book.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know so many readers who love these books, but they just aren't my cuppa. Fortunately I've had no trouble in finding other things to read!

      Delete

Thank you for taking the time to make a comment. I really appreciate it!