The Paris Mysteries

A dramatic cover for the first-ever detective stories

Dupin investigates

I was asked by Pushkin Vertigo to design the cover for a collection of Edgar Allan Poe’s detective stories. The three short mysteries are widely acknowledged to be the first detective stories ever written and are believed to have influenced Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes series.

Set in Paris during the mid-nineteenth century, the stories follow the brilliant Chevalier Auguste Dupin as he investigates grisly and confounding mysteries with his trusty companion.

Paris Mysteries Book Cover Lettering and illustration

Edgar Allan Poe, Paris Mysteries, illustration, lettering, book sketches | Jamie Clarke Type

Thumbnails exploring various lock-ups of image and lettering.

On reading the books, I was surprised to discover the prominence of the meerschaum pipe, now more synonymous with the famous Baker Street detective.

One of my favourite elements of the design is the Parisian skyline above the author’s name. It hints at architecture from the period, including the Notre-Dame cathedral, which suffered the horrific fire while I was designing the cover.