Beautiful British Book Jacket Design of the 1950s and 1960s

Presenting a permanent Existential Ennui gallery page of some of the most gorgeous British dustjackets ever to wrap around books in the 1950s and 1960s (and beyond, in some exceptional cases), especially crime and spy thrillers and science fiction. Most of these books are from my personal collection (except where otherwise stated), and to my mind each of these dustjackets evinces a very particular, instantly recognizable approach to British wrapper design during that glorious '50s/'60s era (something of a golden age for cover artwork and illustration, in my opinion), encompassing such attributes as: a keen sense of hierarchical design coupled with a willingness to experiment; elegant hand-cut lettering which is intrinsic to the overall cover; accomplished draftsmanship; bold and dynamic deployment of silhouette, chiaroscuro and limited palette; and even, in some cases, screen printing, linocut, woodcut, photography and collage. But above all, these jackets are all striking, evocative and memorable works in their own right, ones which should, I feel, be considered as art, as well as design.

I'll be adding to this gallery as and when I find further suitable examples, so do check back regularly for updates (although I will be posting reminders on the main blog when I update). The jackets – which are all, unless otherwise stated, from the British first edition of each book – are arranged alphabetically by designer (unless the designer is unknown, in which case they're grouped at the bottom of the page; do please leave a comment if you have any information on those ones), with links to whatever (if anything) I've written or found out about that particular title or author or cover artist – including, in many cases, full wrappers and back covers. Oh, and should you stumble upon this page in an image search and decide to 'borrow' a cover or two for whatever purpose, by all means do (within reason: don't take the whole blummin' lot), but please link back to the page and to Existential Ennui. Since I went to the trouble of photographing the covers, researching them and assembling the gallery, I figure it's the least you can do.

This, then, is Existential Ennui's Beautiful British Book Jacket Design of the 1950s and 1960s. Enjoy.

Existential Ennui's companion pages:

Patricia Highsmith First Edition Book Cover Gallery

British Thriller Book Cover Design of the 1970s and 1980s

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Eric Ayers

The John Wyndham Omnibus by John Wyndham (Michael Joseph, 1964)

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Cecil Walter Bacon

The Little Sister by Raymond Chandler (Hamish Hamilton, 1949)

Cold Waters by P. M. Hubbard (Geoffrey Bles, 1970)

Death in the Lebanon by John Tyndall (Geoffrey Bles, 1971)

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John Bance

The Cry of the Owl by Patricia Highsmith (Heinemann, 1963)

The Two Faces of January by Patricia Highsmith (Heinemann, 1964)

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Margaret Benyon

The Red and the Green by Iris Murdoch (Chatto & Windus, 1965); cover courtesy Rachel Day

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Dennis Beytagh

A Kiss Before Dying by Ira Levin (Michael Joseph, 1954)

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Val Biro

Secret Ministry by Desmond Cory (Frederick Muller, 1951)
A Time to Kill by Geoffrey Household (Michael Joseph, 1952)

In the Wet by Nevil Shute (Heinemann, 1953)

Requiem for a Wren by Nevil Shute (Heinemann, 1955)

 

The Big Pick-Up by Elleston Trevor (Heinemann, 1955)

A Dread of Burning by Rosemary Timperley (James Barrie, 1956); image courtesy Mike Ripley

The Dragon Tree by Victor Canning (Hodder & Stoughton, 1958)

The Burning Eye by Victor Canning (Hodder & Stoughton, 1960)

Act of Mercy by Francis Clifford (Hamish Hamilton, 1959), original dust jacket roughs

A Delivery of Furies by Victor Canning (Hodder & Stoughton, 1961)

Black Flamingo by Victor Canning (Hodder & Stoughton, 1962)

I Would Rather Stay Poor by James Hadley Chase (Robert Hale, 1962), plus original dust jacket roughs

The Hour of Maximum Danger by James Barlow (Hamish Hamilton, 1962)

A Spy in the Hand by Henry Talbot (Robert Hale, 1966)

Ladders by Rosalind Wade (Robert Hale, 1968)

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Bernard Blatch

The Quest by Frederick Karl (Heinemann, 1961)

Xenophon's Adventure by Geoffrey Household (The Bodley Head, 1961)

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S. R. Boldero

Pilgrim at the Gate by Desmond Cory (Shakespeare Head, 1958)

Pilgrim on the Island by Desmond Coy (Frederick Muller, 1959)

Johnny Goes South by Desmond Cory (Frederick Muller, 1959)

Kinds of Love, Kinds of Death by Tucker Coe, alias Donald E. Westlake (Souvenir Press, 1967)

Murder Among Children by Tucker Coe, alias Donald E. Westlake (Souvenir Press, 1968)

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Stuart Boyle

Peril for the Guy by John Kennett (Brockhampton Press, 1955)

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Oliver Brabbins

Danger in the Dark by Patricia Carlon (Ward Lock, 1962)

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Alan Breese

Catseye by Andre Norton (Gollancz, 1962)

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H. Bridgeman Grimley

The Holm Oaks by P. M. Hubbard (Michael Joseph, 1965)

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James Broom-Lynne

A Dance to the Music of Time by Anthony Powell (Heinemann, 1962)

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Graham Byfield

Anna Highbury by P. M. Hubbard (Cassell, 1963)

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Peter Calcott

The Naked Runner by Francis Clifford (Hodder & Stoughton, 1966)

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Chambers (First Name Unknown)

Johnny Goes North by Desmond Cory (Frederick Muller, 1956)

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Patricia Davey

The Mission by Ferreira de Castro (Hamish Hamilton, 1963)

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Michael Dempsey

The Damsel by Richard Stark, alias Donald E. Westlake (Hodder & Stoughton, 1968)
The Tremor of Forgery by Patricia Highsmith (Heinemann, 1969)

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Craig Dodd

The Dame by Richard Stark, alias Donald E. Westlake (Hodder & Stoughton, 1969)

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A. S. Douthwaite

The Spy's Bedside Book by Graham Greene and Hugh Greene (Rupert Hart-Davis, 1957)

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 John Dugan

Time Right Deadly by Sarah Gainham (Arthur Barker, 1956)

The Mythmaker by Sarah Gainham (Arthur Barker, 1957)

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Peter Edwards

The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene (Heinemann, 1959): Library Edition of the Works of Graham Greene, L1

Brighton Rock by Graham Greene (Heinemann, 1959): Library Edition of the Works of Graham Greene, L2

Stamboul Train by Graham Greene (Heinemann, 1959): Library Edition of the Works of Graham Greene, L3

The End of the Affair by Graham Greene (Heinemann, 1959): Library Edition of the Works of Graham Greene, L4; image courtesy Martina Weatherley

The Heart of the Matter by Graham Greene (Heinemann, 1959): Library Edition of the Works of Graham Greene, L5

It's a Battlefield by Graham Greene (Heinemann, 1959):  Library Edition of the Works of Graham Greene, L6; image courtesy Chris Fisher

England Made Me by Graham Greene (Heinemann, 1960): (Heinemann, 1959): Library Edition of the Works of Graham Greene, L7; image courtesy Martina Weatherley

The Ministry of Fear by Graham Greene (Heinemann, 1960): Library Edition of the Works of Graham Greene, L8

The Man Within by Graham Greene (Heinemann, 1960): Library Edition of the Works of Graham Greene, L9

A Gun for Sale by Graham Greene (Heinemann, 1959): Library Edition of the Works of Graham Greene, L10; image courtesy Chris Fisher

The Confidential Agent by Graham Greene (Heinemann, 1960): Library Edition of the Works of Graham Greene, L11

The Lawless Roads by Graham Greene (Heinemann, 1960): Library Edition of the Works of Graham Greene, L12; image courtesy Henk Konings.

The Quiet American by Graham Greene (Heinemann, 1960): Library Edition of the Works of Graham Greene, L13

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A. H. Eisner

Dead Man Falling by Desmond Cory (Frederick Muller, 1953)

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Oliver Elmes

Assassins Road by Simon Harvester (Jarrolds , 1965)

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Lacey Everett

A Burnt-Out Case by Graham Greene (Heinemann, 1961)

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Kenneth Farnhill

Hunting the Bismarck by C. S. Forester (Michael Joseph, 1959)

Flush as May by P. M. Hubbard (Michael Joseph, 1963)
Picture of Millie by P. M. Hubbard (Michael Joseph, 1964)

Third Girl by Agatha Christie (Collins, 1966); cover courtesy Rachel Day

Endless Night by Agatha Christie (Collins, 1967); cover courtesy Rachel Day

By the Pricking of My Thumbs by Agatha Christie (Collins, 1968); cover courtesy Rachel Day

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Klim Forster

Feramontov by Desmond Cory (Frederick Muller, 1966)

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Henry Fox

Dragon Road by Simon Harvester (Jarrolds, 1956)

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Patrick Gierth

A Rough Shoot by Geoffrey Household (Michael Joseph, 1951)

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John Strickland Goodall

Rat Trap Island by P. M. Hubbard (Cassell, 1964)

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Charles Gorham

Towards the End of the Morning by Michael Frayn (Collins, 1967)

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Graphics Partners

The Blackbird by Richard Stark, alias Donald E. Westlake (Hodder & Stoughton, 1970)

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 Donald Green

Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene (Heinemann, 1958)

The General by C. S. Forester (Michael Joseph, 1958 re-set; first published 1936) NB: credited to "Ronald" Green on jacket flap, but "DG" initials on cover suggest it is indeed by Donald Green

Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank (Constable, 1959)

Most Unnatural Murder by Fiona Sinclair (Geoffrey Bles, 1965)

The Tower by P. M. Hubbard (Geoffrey Bles, 1967)

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Roger Harris

Die Rich Die Happy by James Munro (Hammond, 1965)

Dark Blood, Dark Terror by Brian Cleeve (Hammond, 1966)

The Judas Goat by Brian Cleeve (Hammond, 1966)

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Simon Harvester

Unsung Road by Simon Harvester (Jarrolds, 1960)

Silk Road by Simon Harvester (Jarrolds, 1962)
Red Road by Simon Harvester (Jarrolds, 1963)

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Michael Harvey

To Catch a Spy by Eric Ambler et al (The Bodley Head, 1964)

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John Heseltine

The Golden Rendezvous by Alistair MacLean (Collins, 1962); image courtesy Mike Ripley

Ice Station Zebra by Alistair MacLean (Collins, 1963)

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Ionicus (Joshua Charles Armitage)

The Lonely Side of the River by Donald MacKenzie (Hodder & Stoughton, 1965)

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Ivan Lapper

A Hive of Glass by P. M. Hubbard (Michael Joseph, 1965)

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Bryan Lubrani

The Volcanoes of San Domingo by Adam Hall (Collins, 1963), plus original jacket artwork

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Gavin Lyall

The Wrong Side of the Sky by Gavin Lyall (Hodder & Stoughton, 1961)

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Christopher Macartney-Filgate

The Stone Roses by Sarah Gainham (Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1958)

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Robert MacLean

A Life for the Stars by James Blish (Faber, 1964)

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Denis McLoughlin

Trilogy in Jeopardy by Henry Kane (T. V. Boardman, 1955)

Hong Kong Kill by Bryan Peters, alias Peter George (T. V. Boardman, 1958)

A Man from the Past by Andrew MacKenzie (T. V. Boardman, 1958)
The Missile by Andrew MacKenzie (T. V. Boardman, 1959)

The Doom-Maker by B. X. Sanborn, alias Bill S. Ballinger (T. V. Boardman, 1959)
Epitaph for a Blonde by Ian Mercer (T. V. Boardman, 1960)

The Mercenaries by Donald E. Westlake (T. V. Boardman, 1961)

The Time of Terror by Lionel White (T. V. Boardman, 1961)

The Big H by Bryan Peters, alias Peter George (T. V. Boardman, 1961)

Killing Time by Donald E. Westlake (T. V. Boardman, 1962)

361 by Donald E. Westlake (T. V. Boardman, 1962)

The Siamese Coup Affair by Sidney Weintraub (T. V. Boardman, 1963)
Amateur Agent by Christopher Adams, alias Kenneth Hopkins (T. V. Boardman, 1964)

Killy by Donald E. Westlake (T. V. Boardman, 1964)

Pity Him Afterwards by Donald E. Westlake (T. V. Boardman, 1965)

The Fugitive Pigeon by Donald E. Westlake (T. V. Boardman, 1966)
The Busy Body by Donald E. Westlake (T. V. Boardman, 1966)

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Mick & Ging

Game Without Rules by Michael Gilbert (Hodder & Stoughton, 1968); illustrations by Michael Dempsey (left) and Richard Tilley (right)

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John Minton

The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury (Rupert Hart-Davis, 1952)

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M. Mohan

The Glass Cell by Patricia Highsmith (Heinemann, 1965)

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Charles Mozley

The Loving Eye by William Sansom (The Hogarth Press, 1956); cover courtesy Rachel Day

The Bell by Iris Murdoch (Chatto & Windus, 1958); cover courtesy Rachel Day

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Eric Mudge-Marriott

Brain Wave by Poul Anderson (Heinemann, 1955)

Time and Again by Clifford D. Simak (Heinemann, 1956)

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Leslie Needham

The Light of Day by Eric Ambler (Heinemann, 1962)

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Joe Mugnaini

The Golden Apples of the Sun by Ray Bradbury (Rupert Hart-Davis, 1953)

The Day It Rained Forever by Ray Bradbury (Rupert Hart-Davis, 1959)

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Edward Pagram

The Seeds of Destruction by Derrick Nabarro (Cassell, 1954)

Nowhere to Go by Donald MacKenzie (Elek, 1956)
The Juryman by Donald MacKenzie (Elek, 1957)

Crime of Silence by Patricia Carlon (Hodder & Stoughton, 1965)

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Sheila Perry

Watcher in the Shadows by Geoffrey Household (Michael Joseph, 1960); image courtesy Mike Ripley

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Bruce Petty

Pray for a Brave Heart by Helen MacInnes (Collins, 1955)

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Peter Probyn

Time is an Ambush by Francis Clifford (Hodder & Stoughton, 1962)

The Green Fields of Eden by Francis Clifford (Hodder & Stoughton, 1963)
 The Hunting-Ground by Francis Clifford (Hodder & Stoughton, 1964)

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William Randell

The Scent of Danger by Donald MacKenzie (Collins, 1958)

A Question of Time by Harry Carmichael (Collins, 1958)

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Victor Reinganum

Nuncle and Other Stories by John Wain (Macmillan, 1960)

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Ian Robertson

Where Eagles Dare by Alistair MacLean (Collins, 1967)

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John Rose

H.M.S. Ulysses by Alistair MacLean (Collins, 1955); image courtesy Mike Ripley

The Watering Place of Good Peace by Geoffrey Jenkins (Collins, 1960); image courtesy Mike Ripley

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Evadne Rowan

Ti-Coyo and His Shark by Clement Richer (Rupert Hart-Davis, 1951)

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John Rowland

The Killing-Ground by Elleston Trevor (Heinemann, 1956)

On the Beach by Nevil Shute (Heinemann, 1957)

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Peter Rudland

The Tall Dark Man by Anne Chamberlain (Rupert Hart-Davis, 1955)

A Cold Coming by Mary Kelly (Secker & Warburg, 1956)

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Stephen Russ

Sometime Never by Roald Dahl (Collins, 1949)

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Brian Russell

Undertow by Desmond Cory (Frederick Muller, 1962)

At Bertram's Hotel by Agatha Christie (Collins, 1965); cover courtesy Rachel Day

The Tin Men by Michael Frayn (Collins, 1965)

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Jim Russell

 

Alfred Hitchcock's Sinister Spies by various (Max Reinheardt, 1967)

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"BGS"

The Quiet American by Graham Greene (Heinemann, 1955)

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Roy Sanford

The Silver Locusts (The Martian Chronicles) by Ray Bradbury (Rupert Hart-Davis, 1951)

The Night of the Hunter by Davis Grubb (Hamish Hamilton, 1954)

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Derrick Sayer

Peregrination 22 by Philip Purser (Jonathan Cape, 1962); images courtesy Mike Ripley

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John Sewell

Anatomy of a Killer by Peter Rabe (Abelard-Schuman, 1960)

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Carol Smith

God Save the Mark by Donald E. Westlake (Michael Joseph, 1968)

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Stein

Deep Water by Patricia Highsmith (Heinemann, 1958)

A Game for the Living by Patricia Highsmith (Heinemann, 1959)

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Abis/Stribley/Sida

Timelock by Desmond Cory (Frederick Muller, 1967)

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Ray Theobald

The Head by Desmond Cory (Frederick Muller, 1960)

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Michael Trevithick

Dance of the Dwarfs by Geoffrey Household (Michael Joseph, 1968)

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Hugh Walker

The Accomplices by Leonard Cooper (Cresset Press, 1960)

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Barbara Walton

The Pass Beyond Kashmir by Berkely Mather (Collins, 1960)

The Zebra-Striped Hearse by Ross Macdonald (Collins, 1963)

Vote X for Treason by Brian Cleeve (Collins, 1964)

Count Not the Cost by Ian Mackintosh (Robert Hale, 1967)

The Man from Destiny by Ian Mackintosh (Robert Hale, 1969)

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Eileen Walton

After the Fine Weather by Michael Gilbert (Hodder & Stoughton, 1963)

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H. T. Watts

Calamity in Kent by John Rowland (Herbert Jenkins, 1950)

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Jack Whitsett

This Sweet Sickness by Patricia Highsmith (Heinemann, 1961)

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Brian Wildsmith

Fellow Passenger by Geoffrey Household (Michael Joseph, 1955)

White August by John Boland (Michael Joseph, 1955)

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Alan Williams

Snake Water by Alan Williams (Anthony Blond, 1965); jacket designed by author; images courtesy Mike Ripley

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Designer Unknown

The Dashiell Hammett Omnibus (Cassell, 1950)

Honour the Shrine by Francis Clifford (Jonathan Cape, 1953)

The Blunderer by Patricia Highsmith (Cresset Press, 1956)

Be Shot for Sixpence by Michael Gilbert (Hodder & Stoughton, 1956)

Pursuit Through Time by Jonathan Burke (Ward, Lock, 1956)

The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith (Cresset Press, 1957); facsimile dust jacket

The Cold Dark Night by Sarah Gainham (Arthur Barker, 1957)

Slow Burner by William Haggard (Cassell, 1958)

Venetian Blind by William Haggard (Cassell, 1959)

Passage of Arms by Eric Ambler (Heinemann, 1959)

The Man Who Sold Death by James Munro (Hammond, 1964)

Midnight Plus One by Gavin Lyall (Hodder & Stoughton, 1965)

Shooting Script by Gavin Lyall (Hodder & Stoughton, 1966)

Black Money by Ross Macdonald (Collins, 1966)