The Carnivore (paperback reprint) by Mark Sinnett, designed by Ingrid Paulson (ECW Press)
Layered with information that compels me to pick it up, this is an impeccably crafted example of intriguing cover design. There’s mystery evoked by the house reflected in a wet, icy thaw, and just the right touch of nostalgia in the stained, aged-paper background. The typeface is expertly understated, and the play between the title and the image has me coming up with various theories about exactly who, or what, “the carnivore” is. On its own, the cover is a perfect balance of the visceral and literary, but as part of a series of equally well-conceived covers (including paperback reprints of novels by Emily Schultz, Jonathan Bennett, and Nathan Whitlock), it’s simply brilliant. – Michael Vrana
