One of the first thing that draws me as a reader to a book is the cover. As an author, I’m always curious about the design involved in a cover: the colors, the fonts, the imagery, etc. The covers I share here are not a promotion for the book itself, simply an admiration of the cover or aspects of it.
THE LOCKSMITH’S DAUGHTER, by Karen Brooks
In Queen Elizabeth’s England, where no one can be trusted and secrets are currency, one woman stands without fear.
Mallory Bright is the only daughter of London’s most ingenious locksmith. She has apprenticed with her father since childhood, and there is no lock too elaborate for her to crack. After scandal destroys her reputation, Mallory has returned to her father’s home and lives almost as a recluse, ignoring the whispers and gossip of their neighbors. But Sir Francis Walsingham, Queen Elizabeth’s spymaster and a frequent client of Mallory’s father, draws her into his world of danger and deception. For the locksmith’s daughter is not only good at cracking locks, she also has a talent for codes, spycraft, and intrigue. With Mallory by Sir Francis’s side, no scheme in England or abroad is safe from discovery.
But Mallory’s loyalty wavers when she witnesses the brutal and bloody public execution of three Jesuit priests and realizes the human cost of her espionage. And later, when she discovers the identity of a Catholic spy and a conspiracy that threatens the kingdom, she is forced to choose between her country and her heart.
Once Sir Francis’s greatest asset, Mallory is fast becoming his worst threat—and there is only one way the Queen’s master spy deals with his enemies…
My impression: The hues of this cover grabbed my attention. I love the vibrant gold paired with the shades of blue and green. There is an air of mystery to the cover: the woman is dressed elegantly, but the setting is shadowed and foreboding. I love the tagline and the font used with the title, and the ornate filigree of the keys is the perfect finishing touch.
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Cover Crush is a weekly series that originated at Flashlight Commentary. These lovely book bloggers also feature eye-catching covers:
Of Quills & Vellum 