Exclusive! See the Cover of Adam Haslett’s New Novel Here First

by Emma Adler

Next May, bestselling author Adam Haslett will reenter the literary limelight with the release of his highly anticipated novel, Imagine Me Gone. Haslett’s tale, about a family thrown off kilter by a tragic death and mental illness, promises to deliver an emotional wallop. The gravity of the book is echoed by its impeccable, disquieting cover—presented here for your ogling pleasure, in all its spine-tingling glory.

The design is the brainchild of Keith Hayes, the hotshot book cover designer behind such marquee titles as The Goldfinch and The Art of Fielding. When we talked to Keith about the tricks of his trade for the November issue of mental_floss magazine, he told us that for Imagine Me Gone, he took inspiration from the eerie and eye-catching album covers that Peter Saville designed for the band New Order.

Hayes is a fan of typography-based designs, because they let him nod at themes in a book without beating potential readers over the head with them. He told us, “Without giving spoilers, I'll just say that the book is really sad and about loss and I didn't know how to sum that up, until I decided to simply take two letters away. It's a simple, strong solution done with type.“