Cover Characteristic (35): Train

Today I'm joining in with the Cover Characteristic meme hosted by Sugar and Snark. Every week the authors choose a theme and you have to pick five of your favourite book covers featuring that object.

Today's cover characteristic is Train. Trains are often featured on book covers to symbolise journeys and new beginnings, they are especially popular for mystery and thriller novels. Keep reading to see my favourites.


These are the ones that most appeal to me:


I like how you can see the girl's reflection in the train window. It seems like this would be a novel about looking back at the past. It's possibly quite a sad, haunting read.


This classic mystery novel deserves a bold and striking cover and this one doesn't disappoint. I love how the steam looks like blood droplets.


This is another classic that has been released many, many times. I chose this cover because the others usually just feature a photograph of a steam train so this cartoon-style cover stands out from them. I like how the test is contained in the smoke bubble and how the viewer is placed in the centre of the action looking towards the oncoming train.


This cover is quite plain but there's something intriguing about it. The girl with her back towards us-what is she running to, or from? I'm interested by the bright light in the distance.



This is a childhood favourite and has to be my top pick as it brings back such a feeling of nostalgia and captures the magic and innocence of that first book.

What do you think? Which is your favourite cover and why?

If you want to have a go just pop on over to the blog and sign up with the linky.