Tuesday, August 23, 2022

I Have Michael Stanley's A Deadly Covenant Covered!

 


I recently told all of you about Michael Stanley's newest Detective Kubu mystery, A Deadly Covenant, which will be officially released on September 1, so I thought it was time for a Cover-Off.
 
Let's jump right in!
 
 

 
 
Once again, we have two very different covers, don't we? Normally when this happens, I tend to strongly prefer one cover over the other, but that isn't what happened this time.
 
Both covers have bold colors. Both covers have well-chosen fonts that stand out well against their backgrounds. Neither cover contains a blurb (!), and both have strong graphics that are fully capable of grabbing the attention of any browsing reader in a bookstore or library.
 
So... which one do I choose?
 
I really like the African graphics. They're eye-catching and strong, and it's easy to see from them that the book is a mystery. But, for me, there are so many emotions that come to the surface when I see those two clasped hands on the US cover. Yes, those two clasped hands make quite a statement on the more understated US cover, so... by a gnat's whisker... I choose the US cover as my favorite.
 
What about you? Which cover do you prefer? US? UK? Neither one? Too close to call? Inquiring minds would love to know! 

9 comments:

  1. Happy dance! A new Michael Stanley! That's such a great series, isn't it, Cathy? And I like the US cover just a little better, myself. Those African graphics do it for me.

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    1. Now you've got me confused, Margot (which, granted, isn't all that difficult today)-- You said you prefer the US cover but mention the African graphics which are on the UK cover...

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    2. Really sorry, Cathy! Should have commented *after* I finished my coffee! I do prefer the US cover. But I like the African graphics, too. Normally, that would be my choice. But I think the US cover is better focused and for me, more appealing. Apologies for the confusion!

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    3. No problem! It sounds as though we felt much the same way about the covers.

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  2. Definitely the US cover. The UK one is too busy for my taste.

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  3. Another vote for the US cover here. As you noted, the clasped hands are thought-provoking, as are the drops of blood, while the border provides an African pattern. The UK cover is too busy and garish for my taste.

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    1. It's interesting. Here, the votes are for the US cover. The responses I received on Twitter were for the UK cover. Perhaps it's due to the time of day I sent my tweet out into the world.

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  4. I like the U.S. cover. What could be clearer as a pact than two clasped hands?

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