Since I discovered that I can borrow ebooks from the library, I got caught up on a couple mystery series this year.

  

Sherry Thomas is writing a Lady Sherlock series, which has good some beautiful covers.

A Conspiracy in Belgravia (2017)
The Hollow of Fear (2018)

You can see these are historicals, and are both from the same series.

I love the fancy dresses, and the woman walking away from you into the unknown. And I love the color changes.

Publisher: Berkley

Anna Lee Huber is writing two series that I’m reading.

Verity Kent
This Side of Murder (2017)
Treacherous Is the Night (2018)

The setting is post The Great War, and the art has a look that I (for whatever reason) associate with the Roaring 20s.

They’re interesting, and draw my attention to the woman. Also, as with her other series, the woman is facing away from the viewer, looking out into the world.

Publisher: Kensington

Lady Darby
A Brush with Shadows (2018)

This is obviously set at an earlier time than the other series, and the portrayal of the woman is more realistic than the other series, but the theme of the woman standing alone and looking out away from you is still there.

I like that although the covers are very different, they still have common elements.

Publisher: Berkley

A Treacherous Curse (2018) Deanna Raybourn

The covers for this series have all been beautiful. I enjoy looking at the different elements.

Publisher: Berkley

Lady Helena Investigates (2018) Jane Steen

This is far simpler than the previous covers, but it’s still very appealing.

Publisher: Aspidistra Press

Why Kill the Innocent (2018) C.S. Harris

I actually didn’t much care for several of the covers in this series, primarily because the model used for Sebastian didn’t look a thing like Sebastian should have looked like.

This lets you imagine more what the character looks like, which I very much prefer. I really did not like the model facing you–at least when that model didn’t look like the main character. But I think in general I prefer the looks of the main character to be left to your imagination.

I also really like the starkness of the cover. The series has been rather dark the past several books, and this matches that feel very well.

Publisher: Berkley

Berkley almost swept the field with their covers this year–they’re all beautiful and evocative.

The Books of 2018