Publishers are always looking to refresh the backlist of authors and sell more copies. In the 70’s the beautiful painted book cover went out of fashion and photo covers came into vogue. The UK publisher Fontana had paperback rights to many of the well known thriller writers of the time like Desmond Bagley, Alistair MacLean, Hammond Innes, Helen MacInnes and Eric Ambler.

I would imagine that if you’re a successful writer the occasional wonky cover art comes with the territory but these covers in particular were very, very odd. Broken Covers is an occasional series looking at some of these crazy covers.

Broken Covers – Helen MacInnes

Broken Covers – Eric Ambler

Broken Covers – Alistair MacLean

Broken Covers – Desmond Bagley

Broken Covers – Hammond Innes

Broken Covers – John Creasey

Broken Covers – John Creasey Part Two

Broken Covers – Andrew Garve

Broken Covers – Adam Hall

Broken Covers – Jack Higgins

Broken Covers – John le Carré