A Tale of Two Covers, or, Which book would you be more likely to pick up in a bookstore … and why?


Okay, it's reader participation time, for any of you who are game!
Quickly – before you read any further (no cheating!) – glance at these two book covers. If you had just enough time to take a look inside only one of them, which one would it be, and why? Hold that thought, and after you finish reading, tell us your answer in the "Comments" section. Your feedback will make for interesting market-research data!

And now, A Tale of Two Covers
 You might think that a book's title would be the first, and easiest thing to write, but you'd be wrong, at least in my experience. The first Body Farm novel's title, Carved in Bone , came fairly easily. Title number two, Flesh and Bone , was also fairly easy. But after that, they got tougher. If you've followed the series, you've probably noticed that all six of the prior novels have "bone" or "bones" in the title – a way of giving some continuity to the series, and also of underscoring the emphasis on forensic anthropology: bone-detective work. But sometimes that's been a stretch, especially with novel #5, Bones of Betrayal , which included a subplot about World War II espionage and treachery. It was one of my favorite books in the series, but my least favorite title; it seemed clunky and labored, and I've wished countless times that I'd argued more forcefully for the title I wanted, which was Fallout. But at that point we were still committed to a "bone(s)" title, so I lost the argument.
Finally we came up with The Inquisitor's Key . "Inquisitor" seemed to suggest both religion and menace; "key" seemed to hint at a mystery that needed to be unlocked. Together (we hope!) the words are intriguing without giving much away. The cover art, I think, does a nice job of suggesting both the medieval religious backstory (thanks to the face framed by the oval of the key) and the modern-day setting of the main narrative (thanks to the glossy newness of the key). So that's the skinny on the U.S. title and cover.
Meanwhile (such a handy word for storytellers, "meanwhile"!), work was proceeding apace on the British edition, which actually, for the first time ever, comes out shortly before the American edition. London is quite a bit closer to France, and to Avignon; the U.K. publisher felt reasonably confident that Brits would know where Avignon was, and wouldn't be put off by the pronunciation. So although we offered the revised U.S. title, the U.K. publisher, Quercus (publisher of the year last year!) chose to stick with the original title, The Bones of Avignon . Their cover art took a more straightforward approach. It's not really a spoiler to say that the main plot revolves around a momentous question:  Could the ancient skeleton found hidden in the Palace of the Popes actually be the bones of Jesus, as the inscription on the stone box seems to suggest? "Lead with your trumps" goes one time-honored piece of card-playing advice, and in their cover design, the Brits followed that advice in spades.
So, there you have it, A Tale of Two Covers.
But forget all that, and remember instead your initial, impulsive answer to the question at the top of the blog: Which of these two books would you pick up, and why? Please tell us; inquiring minds want to know!


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Published on February 19, 2012 17:36
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message 1: by Olivia (new)

Olivia I would be most likely to pick up The Bones of Avignon, following the thought that it is part of the Bones series.


message 2: by Jan C (new)

Jan C I'd go for The Inquisitor's Key.

It has Jefferson Bass in bold so I would pick it up without even having to open the book. And it identifies it as a Body Farm book.

If I were just glancing at the covers, I would probably be put off by the cross on the cover and think it was some Christian diatribe.

I'm not sure I'd worry about Americans knowing/not knowing about Avignon. Don't they all learn about Avignon in the childhood song, Frere Jacques?


message 3: by Sandi (new)

Sandi Like Jan, I was also put off by "Jesus Christ" and the cross on the cover. It came off as being potentially too religious, even though I love the Body Farm novels. "The Inquisitor's Key" does ring slightly of religion but not in a way that makes me worry it'll be trying to promote some kind of agenda, and it says it's a Body Farm novel right there on the cover. I'm a well-educated American and I don't know anything about Avignon other than that it is probably in France. The titles themselves probably make little difference to me, when compared to the imagery and the other text.


message 4: by Teresa (new)

Teresa I agree with Sandi. I am intrigued by both the title of the book and the imagery on the cover. So I would definitely pick "The Inquisitor's Key." I love the Body Farm books, so I would buy it no matter what the title or cover looked like!


message 5: by Daphne (new)

Daphne Honestly, I'd pick the Bones of Avignon up before I picked up the other. It's the book art that does it for me and of the two Bones of Avignon is the cover that first caught my attention the second I opened this page.


message 6: by Sue (last edited Mar 02, 2012 06:16PM) (new)

Sue Definitely "Inquisitor's Key:" better artwork, looks and sounds more exciting. The other cover is too stringent and religious. Maybe it's just this particular artwork; maybe it could be a dilapidated graveyard cross with some vines. I know you like to keep the "bones" theme in the titles.


message 7: by Gloria (last edited Feb 25, 2012 08:20PM) (new)

Gloria I vote for the Inquisitor's Key, I was immediately drawn to that cover. Turned off by religious note on the cover for some reason, I am not apposed to religion but I would rather think of your books as mystery not religion.


message 8: by Nana (last edited Mar 02, 2012 05:16AM) (new)

Nana Without hesitation I would pick up the "Inquisitor's Key" edition, but only, because one regonizes the overall cover design and one can make it out to be a Body Farm novel. Personally, though, I prefer the title "Bones of Avignon". I, for my part, would have loved the American design with the British title.


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