Designing book jackets is definitely an art and I doff my hat to the creative souls who have to visualise books they haven't read and keep the author, agent, editor, marketeers and sales people happy - not forgetting the retailers - before it gets anywhere near you or I.

Even the simplest typographic approach - I'm thinking of Mitch Albom's books - has been carefully thought through. However, every so often there come along some jackets that bring a rye smile. In nb56 we featured The Crimson Rooms by Katharine McMahon, a misty moody figure strolls a promenade. Then lo and behold in nb57 along comes The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, on the cover of which . . .