Judging Books By Their Covers: Hangfire

Today in aesthetic central: Mick Jagger goes to Washington. Let’s join him!

Hangfire by Ty Patterson

Published: 2021

Cover Artist: Unknown

Just looking- ♪ In the sweet old country where I come from / Nobody ever works, nothing ever gets done / We hang fire, we hang fire ♪

What it makes me think – I typed in lyrics from “Hang Fire” featured in the Rolling Stones’ 1981 album Tatoo You. What do they have to do with the Ty Patterson novel? Nothing, I think (I haven’t read it yet). This just shows you how much music is on my mind. Let’s leave the Stones behind and focus on this cover. The title looks to be something like the Akkordeon font with a distress treatment. It’s commanding and draws me in. It makes me think something chaotic and exciting is about to happen. Discuss politics with anyone from any side, and they’ll probably associate Washington with rogues and scoundrels. It’s a perfect setting for any number of genres from action to suspense.

Would I buy it? ♪ Say what the hell / Say what the hell / We hang fire ♪ That’s a musical yes (with an asterisk: I would look for Book 1 first). Find it here.