It's not my type of book. I tend not to read mysteries, but had to read it because it was King. I enjoyed it, but can't see myself rereading it like I have so many others.

I try not to, but, especially when I am browsing used books, I wont even pick up certain books if the cover is cheesy. Sometimes the title on the spine looks promising, pull it out... looks like a Harelquin! Definite deal breaker for me.

Colorado Kid-I LOVED the cover. I agree, this must be a tribute to his reading preferences as a kid. I remember these kinds of books, along with Louis L'Amour, on the spinning rack in the drug store. Sweetly nostalgic.
The story was good, but oh! what an incredibly frustrating non-ending! I read it a few years ago, but have not re-read it because I remember being so irritated by the lack of a finish!

Tim (Mole) The Gunslinger wrote: "Ok but that is not technically judging a book for its cover it may grab your eye thats marketing but would you still read after reading the flap if you thought it sounded bad?"

If I thought it sounded bad? Nope.

Too many books and not enough time for me to be unbiased in what I choose to read. If the blurb on the back doesn't intrigue me, the book goes back on the shelf and I move on.

If I think it isn't going to entertain me, I'm not going to waste my time when there are plenty of books out there that I know WILL entertain me. But that's a good reason for me to be on GR... I can get recommendations for books that I otherwise wouldn't read. :)

No, unless it was an author that I loved and was hoping that there was still more to the book! My judging by covers is strictly left to after I've already decided to read a book and I have a choice of cover versions....then why not! :)

Ok but that is not technically judging a book for its cover it may grab your eye thats marketing but would you still read after reading the flap if you thought it sounded bad?

King Dinösaur wrote: "Yeah, Mole, I think in this case the cover is almost deliberately misleading. It's packaged as a hard-boiled crime novel like the others in the series (and I love the look of those retro-covers, b..."


I couldn't agree more. I haven't seen any of the other covers in the series, but the King cover definitely gave me the feel of those old crime pocketbooks that my dad used to carry around. I love the retro look. I really liked the story, too. "Gentle" is a good word, King Dinosaur, to describe it compared to that genre.

I know Dung, it's really a terrible habit to have. But I don't care if the cover is embarrassing so much as I just don't "see" books if they don't have an appealing cover.

You already did one better than me Dung, you picked up the book even though you weren't really fond of the cover. I'd probably just dismiss the book completely.

But I don't think that Blood Lite has a bad cover.

<-- One I'd pick up without knowing anything more of the book.

<-- One I probably wouldn't.

I had a book in my to-be-read pile that I knew was going to be good (Blood Lite, a short story anthology edited by the Horror Writers’ Association), but I kept putting it off because the cover art was so lame I was embarrassed for people to see me reading it!
Then I enjoyed the hell out of it. So, um, don’t judge a book by its cover and stuff…but it’s hard not to.

The Colorado Kid was okay. It got me into the Hardcase Crime Series even though it's probably my least favorite one. The covers are great!

Yeah, Mole, I think in this case the cover is almost deliberately misleading. It's packaged as a hard-boiled crime novel like the others in the series (and I love the look of those retro-covers, by the way) when the SK story is more of a gentle mystery.

I liked it, though. Pretty good book - not his best by any means, but I enjoyed it.

I do that too Kathy! But, I am a card-carrying member of the IBCJS: Insane Book-Cover Judger Society. Wait, is "judger" even a word?

Assuming I know nothing about a book, I won't be tempted to pick it up if the cover doesn't grab my attention. And, to make matters worse, I have pretty finicky taste as to what makes a good, eye-catching, attention-grabbing cover. I like simplicity. I like to be intrigued by the image on a cover, not feel like the entire story is there. I also like abstracts and bright colors- even though I'm a more subdued kind of girl IRL.

It's inaccurate as hell I'm sure, but if the cover doesn't do it for me, I don't feel like the contents will either. But, like I said, I'm working on it!

I have to say I also judge books by their covers, but only in 1 instance.....if I decide to read a book and find that there are several different covers for the book (this happens so often, it's crazy!)....I will go with the cover that attracts me most. Now I was going to read the book anyway, the cover didn't make that decision for me....so I don't know if that counts.

Mole, I actually do judge books by their cover. If the cover doesn't grab my attention, I will pass it up. I do this a lot with fantasy books, since a lot of them have (excuse me for saying so fantasy book-cover artists) cheesy artwork on the cover.

I'm working on it, because I know that this is wrong of me, and a terrible habit to have. That's one of the reasons I love GR so much, because I can get great recommendations for books that I'd have passed up in a bookstore.

Thank you for having faith in my intelligence anyway, though... However short-lived it was. ;)

As with the majority of posts i agree it is very different than any other S.K its a good read it will make you use your imagination if nothing else!

What do you mean Agrimorfee I doubt anyone that is on goodreads would actually judge a book by its cover!

Not being rude just think were all a tad more intelligent than that I think anyone thats an avid reader would never no pun intended judge a book by its cover!

I also enjoyed this book. I donated it to the Hiroshima English library after reading it. Kind of wish I had kept it in my library since I am now moving out of town. It's a good read and won't take you long. Enjoy!

BTW--don't let the cover mislead you as to its contents! ;)

I read it, maybe a year ago. I thought it was a really good little read. Very different from his usual offerings. I read that he was quite the fan of these crime, mysteries when he was a young fella. I guess that's the reason he wanted to contribute one. I really enjoyed it. And I love the cover!

Angie, You should. It's an interesting story, not at all like King's usual stories. This was written for the Hard Case Crime series of books.

This review actually explains it much better than I can... I actually just upped the rating from 2 to 3 stars after reading it! I can't give it 5 like she did, but she made me appreciate it more. I think I'll go tell her so now. :)

Discuss what you think about this book here. I have not read it yet, maybe I should pick it up?