Cover Story: The Traitor in the Tunnel

Hello, friends! I'm so excited to share with you the behind-the-scenes photos from Candlewick Press's recent photo shoot for the cover of The Traitor in the Tunnel. As you'll see, it's the same team as last time. The model, Amber Ahlquist, looks a wee bit older (I guess even models are subject to the passage of time) and we found the same stylist, Crystal Thompson, which particularly thrills me to pieces, because she's an expert on nineteenth-century fashion. Without further burbling:

The shoot took place in New York. The severe black gown is part of Mary's uniform as a housemaid at Buckingham Palace. Her hairstyle is equally plain, to suit her assignment.

Oh, that vexing apron. Aprons are meant, in theory, to protect your dress from the muck and filth of housework (open fires, stone-flagged floors…). Yet white aprons show every bit of dirt and wear, so they're incredibly difficult to keep clean and crisp. Yes, Mary finds this annoying.

The model is photographed against a white backdrop.

Afterwards, her image is placed into context: this time, it's a drawing room at the Palace.

From these images, to this:

And that's the cover story! What do you think?