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Gamache’s last trip before the publication of All the Devils Are Here takes him just across the pond, to visit the UK edition. As we’re sure you’ve noticed, the jackets, at first glance, look exactly the same — which is a rare example of the foreign and domestic publisher agreeing on a design that suits both the novel and the reading audience in both countries. 

There is one slight difference between the two: the UK publisher chose to add a quote to the cover, which is common practice in that country. Here, they feature a very complimentary quote by Denise Mina: “One of the greatest writers of our times.” Do quotes like these ever influence your decision to buy a book?

As this is our last visit abroad with Gamache, we’d like to thank you for traveling with us over the past few months. We hope to see you all in Paris next week with the release of All the Devils Are Here on September 1st!

 

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Buongiorno! This week, we find Gamache in Italy with the covers of Kingdom of the Blind. What strikes us about the Italian edition of the book is their literal interpretation of one of the opening scenes in the book, in which Gamache arrives at an abandoned farmhouse in a snowstorm. [Note from Paul Hochman: Who would have thought he’d drive a Jeep?] 

Also striking about the Italian jacket is the illustration, which we’ve yet to see from any of the other international editions. Is their illustration of Gamache how you’d picture him? 

In contrast, our US jacket takes a more abstract approach, while still evoking a wintry scene. It’s not hard to imagine that the icicles shown on the US jacket might be on a window, drawing similarities between our version and the Italian version. 

What do you think? Which jacket do you prefer? 

The illustration on the Italian jacket brings to mind a few other illustrated book covers. Does it remind you of any other covers in particular?

 

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This is the second time Gamache visits Germany (see the June 9th post on A Rule Against Murder for his first visit). Interestingly, our German colleagues chose the title of Hinter den drei Kiefern, which translates to “Behind the Three Pines”, instead of the German translation of Glass Houses. 

When we discussed A Rule Against Murder, we talked about the Germans’ decision to portray red leaves on the cover, which, as you readers have pointed out, is a clear reference to the Canadian setting of the series. Thanks to the keen eye of readers Marge H. and Leone S., we learned that the image depicted on the German cover for A Rule Against Murder was in fact the Prince of Wales Hotel, which is located in Waterton National Park in Southern Alberta. 

The imagery on the cover for Glass Houses is similarly evocative of a Canadian landscape, depicting a farmhouse located on a lake. In contrast, our US edition is much more austere. While the image is ice, not glass, the cover evokes imagery commonly associated with glass: jagged and shattered. 

Does anyone know where the image on the cover for Hinter den drei Kiefern is located? 
A lot of you preferred the German edition of A Rule Against Murder to the US edition. Do you feel similarly about the German edition of Glass Houses? Which do you think best encapsulates the story?

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This week’s installment of “Gamache Goes Abroad” leads us across the Atlantic to the United Kingdom for A Great Reckoning  – which is perfect, because the title comes from William Shakespeare’s “As You Like It.” 

Both jackets depict a group of trees  – a theme we’ve seen throughout the series — but what stands out with these two is the sky. The UK version highlights a dark, cloudy sky punctuated by a group of crows (referred to as “a murder”), perhaps alluding to the secrets hidden inside the Surete Academy when Gamache arrives. The US version, conversely, focuses on a night sky filled with stars, which could symbolize Gamache’s bright influence on the school. 

As we look at the US cover and think about the Shakespearean influence on the book’s title, the phrase “star-crossed” comes to mind, which speaks to the theme of destiny, a major component of the book. 

What examples of destiny are evident in A Great Reckoning?