Literary Fiction Book Covers

Looking for design inspiration for your literary fiction novel? Check out this collection of thought-provoking, elegant covers designed by professionals on Reedsy. See one you love? Get your own exquisite cover from that designer on our marketplace.

It Will Last Longer book cover, by Barış Ş.

Designer: Barış Ş.

It Will Last Longer

Tara Sanders Brooks

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Designer: Steve O.

Inquies

Charles Nabbout

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“The cover uses stark imagery and negative space to mirror psychological tension and isolation, placing a lone figure beneath an oppressive landscape shaped by grief and moral weight. I leaned into a graphic, minimalist approach common in contemporary literary fiction, drawing on the existential visual language of Albert Camus and Franz Kafka. Exaggerated scale, white space, and gritty textures echo the novel’s inner world.”

Indifferent Universe book cover, by Vanessa M.

Designer: Vanessa M.

Indifferent Universe

Joseph Blackhurst

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"The cover feels playful, chaotic, and a bit unhinged. The hand drawn type and bold illustration match the A.I.’s ironic, intrusive voice. It signals a strange, funny, and slightly unsettling novel about art, humanity, and meaning."

I Love You, We Said book cover, by Peter S.

Designer: Peter S.

I Love You, We Said

Ben Human

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"For Ben Human’s autobiographical novel about an American writer newly expatriated to London, I aimed to evoke the city’s atmosphere and the book’s avant-garde spirit. Inspired by the iconic Tube map, I ultimately kept only its P22 Johnston Underground font, overlaying bright colors on a dark, shadowy background — a nod to the tension beneath Swinging London’s surface."

These Fragile Threads book cover, by Xavier C.

Designer: Xavier C.

These Fragile Threads

Christene Campbell

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Designer: Barış Ş.

Dojo Dilemmas

Joseph Henry Cucci

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When Things Go Missing book cover, by Owen G.

Designer: Owen G.

When Things Go Missing

Deborah J. Brasket

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"This was a really interesting collaboration as the author Deborah Brasket decided to use an existing, public domain painting by Paul Klee as the basis for the cover. By tweaking the artwork, adding small narrative elements and finding complimentary fonts and design, we managed to create a perfect cover for the novel whilst maintaining the feel and sprit of Klee's original painting."

The Seven Bosses of Honey Malone book cover, by Roderick B.

Designer: Roderick B.

The Seven Bosses of Honey Malone

Juli A. Herren

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"The artwork and title aim to capture the story’s youthful essence, portraying the protagonist with both strength and vulnerability as she faces seven abstract, swirling 'boss' figures. Bright, bold colors reflect youthful energy, while strong titling enhances this vibe. Blending comedy and drama, the design effectively represents both genres without conforming to the dainty, ultra-smooth style often seen in similar books."

Searching For Her book cover, by Richard L.

Designer: Richard L.

Searching For Her

Jackson Clear

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"For this darkly comic novel of a disturbed young man’s unorthodox search for his soulmate I ended up with a collage approach centered around a young woman’s face. This suited not only the love story angle, but also the edgy writing style and all the mayhem that ensues—ultimately culminating during the Rodney King riots. California is an important aspect—almost as if a character in the story—and is featured prominently in the collage through various visuals. The typography is hand-lettered."

Search for Complete book cover, by Ryan M.

Designer: Ryan M.

Search for Complete

Stephen G Hardy

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"The classical framed art reflects the book's timeless exploration of love and relationships, inspired by the Aristophanes Myth on the Origin of Love. To blend originality with current trends, I added rich, moody foliage in the background, focusing on the classical portraits. The right frame, featuring a female figure within a crescent moon, captures the ethereal themes, while the left portrait represents the main character. This unconventional romance cover suits a story that defies the genre."

Designer: Richard L.

Wu Lou

by Xinhua Lu (Author), Capella Cao (Translator)

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"The book opens with a haunting scene in a secluded Cambodian jungle temple in the early 1970s. Tutu, a young woman, finds her fiancé, a Khmer Rouge officer, crushed beneath a Buddha statue, setting Wu Lou, the temple’s master monk, on a path of exile. The cover reflects this era and setting, with a "never-ending redness" of trees, leaves, and petals evoking beauty and bloodshed. Tutu is featured prominently but tightly cropped, with a subtle Cambodian landscape and temple in the foreground."

Half a Cup of Sand And Sky book cover, by Richard L.

Designer: Richard L.

Half a Cup of Sand And Sky

Nadine Bjursten

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"Finalist for the PEN/Bellwether Prize, the book portrays one woman's search for love and belonging amid political turmoil. Bjursten immerses readers in a life, nation, and era with lasting impact. For this layered story, I aimed to depict the protagonist as a strong, visionary woman without resorting to visual clichés or a literal photo. The solution was a silhouetted collage incorporating fragments of the title and story... sand, sky, sea, rose gardens, Persian heritage, and literature."

The Lumberjills: Stronger Together book cover, by Richard L.

Designer: Richard L.

The Lumberjills: Stronger Together

Joanna Foat

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"This novel draws inspiration from the heroic true stories of the Women’s Timber Corps, a branch of the Women’s Land Army in the UK during WWII. Image research was challenging, but finding a great reenactment photo with playful, optimistic women’s gaits felt perfect. It captures camaraderie and warmth, true to the book’s spirit, while contrasting with the harder visual of crossed axes. The Union Jack takes center stage, adding a pop of color and almost becoming a character itself."

Making Up Stories book cover, by Sarah L.

Designer: Sarah L.

Making Up Stories

Susan Myhre Hayes

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The Courage of Slackers book cover, by Alexander N.

Designer: Alexander N.

The Courage of Slackers

Daniel Tiernan

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"The cover features a fictional but typical Minneapolis dive bar, grounding the story in a distinct aesthetic while hinting at key plot elements. The 'Art Deco' style, common to Minneapolis bars, influenced both the cover design and the font. It worked well for a modern minimalist design: it's readabile at small scales while remaining interesting up close. Details like the main character, a lurking figure, broken glass, and a cat stalking a pigeon on the roof add suspenseful hints to the story."

A Good Thing book cover, by Margarita C.

Designer: Margarita C.

A Good Thing

Enid Jeff

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"In the plot, the moment when the characters meet is important—it's the trigger for the story, and it happens while they are waiting for the tram. I believe the key is to introduce the tram almost as a third character. Overlaying the title on its side adds dynamism and metaphorically reinforces the idea of how fleeting that moment of meeting is. Either you act, or it never happens, and the opportunity vanishes just as the tram does."

Tunnel of Mirrors book cover, by Laura D.

Designer: Laura D.

Tunnel of Mirrors

Ferne Arfin

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"It was important that this beautiful novel have a beautiful, romantic cover without being trite. The story takes place in the 1900s and is about a young woman coming to New York from Ireland. The ocean is a big part of the story in various ways. The gull flying away from the other birds was inspired by the main character, a very independent, unique young woman. I wanted to add some interest by having the title look like it's sinking into the sea and being reflected like a mirror."

Returning to Carthage book cover, by Owen G.

Designer: Owen G.

Returning to Carthage

Ben Sharafski

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"For this short story collection, I aimed to evoke a sense of place and atmosphere without focusing on a specific narrative. The fig tree and Lorikeet, featured in multiple stories, serve as a tonal and geographical anchor. While botanical and avian illustrations are popular, I chose a less patterned approach with a mix of delicate and saturated colors. Starting with a subdued palette, I added rich, vibrant hues to bring the cover to life and reflect the warmth of the stories."

I Had to Break Me book cover, by Nuno M.

Designer: Nuno M.

I Had to Break Me

Nisha

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"Nisha’s poems are reflective and expansive, exploring a range of themes. To capture this, the cover design centers around the idea of an unfinished brushstroke, symbolizing openness and exploration. Multiple brushstrokes interact with the book's title, integrating organically with the text layout. The phrase “Break Me” in the title serves as the conceptual anchor, creating a bold and visually striking design that is both raw and arresting."

Designer: Danna Mathias S.

Toska

Elizabeth C Cabrera

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"The book is about a woman navigating adulthood. We used florals to symbolize her 'blooming beautifully' into it, with the crack representing the challenge of 'keeping it together.' The heavier serif title font, common in fiction, is balanced by the unique cover image and florals winding through the text. The contrast between the woman's cracked face and the beauty of the florals adds a unique, fun element. I also used texture in the title for cohesion and chose an unexpected title color."

Beyond The Moon book cover, by Vanessa M.

Designer: Vanessa M.

Beyond The Moon

Catherine Taylor

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"The cover features a stunning image that captures the book's themes of time travel and love. The beautiful portrait of the woman set against a war-torn landscape adds a layer of mystery. The overlapping elements and contrasting colours symbolise the connection between the past and present, inviting readers to dive into this captivating story."

Designer: Richard L.

Awoken

KT Cornelio

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"Awoken immerses readers in the lives of highly sensitive characters, diverse in age, race, gender, ability, sexuality, and even species. The novel follows parallel timelines, and the visual solution was to use the title letters as canvases, displaying fragments of these scenes while forming one unified character when viewed as a whole. Straddling the line between sci-fi and literary fiction, the design reflects this duality, capturing the novel's complexity and depth."

Confessions of a Kamikaze Geisha book cover, by Rafael A.

Designer: Rafael A.

Confessions of a Kamikaze Geisha

M. A. Cooney

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The Test For Time book cover, by Devin W.

Designer: Devin W.

The Test For Time

Craig A. Czuchna

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"The author of this sci-fi-meets-dark-academia book wanted to see the story's two main characters on the cover, but divided by spans of time and space. I used double exposure photography mixed with glitchy visual elements to create a surreal movie poster style cover, and really let the book title placement create separation in the design."

Gitmo and Back Again book cover, by Caitlin B. A.

Designer: Caitlin B. A.

Gitmo and Back Again

Glenn Fisher

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"The author initially envisioned a ship crashing into a sailboat or icebergs adorned with peace signs, reflecting the story of a young man in the 1970s eager to escape his small town and join the revolutionary events shaping his country. To bring the 1970s counter-culture concept to life without falling into clichés, I opted for a collage-style design. Instead of the overused peace signs, I "cut" the icebergs from a psychedelic print, balancing clear messaging with a fresh, original aesthetic."

Quick Bright Things book cover, by David P.

Designer: David P.

Quick Bright Things

Michael Golding

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"Set in New York City in 1948, this novel follows a production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. The cover is intended to evoke the glamour and magic of the theater. The gilded leaf suggests the forest, as the background conveys the enchantment of Shakespeare’s AND Golding’s stories."

Designer: Nada B.

Daughters of Men

J. Martain

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"This book blends contemporary women’s fiction, literary, speculative fiction, with science fiction and paranormal elements. The author wanted an intriguing, modern, and fresh approach. I chose a quirky mix of photographic and illustrated images to highlight the surreal elements while grounding the story in a relatable world. I took an abstract approach, combining characters, places, and surreal elements to create an atmosphere that invites readers into the story's unique mood."

Designer: Peter S.

Concord

Don Zancanella

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"For this historical novel set in Concord, New Hampshire, during the time of Emerson and Thoreau (both characters in the novel), I thought, 'Since the setting is the main character, why not depict it?' I searched for period prints and found an engraving that I enhanced by reinforcing the black lines and adding color. The title font, Helsing, offers a hand-drawn, period look with a touch of wit that suits the story. I finessed the sweeping descender in the capital 'R' to preserve its charm."

Literary Fiction Book Covers

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Literary Fiction Book Covers

It Will Last Longer

Inquies

Indifferent Universe

I Love You, We Said

These Fragile Threads

Dojo Dilemmas

When Things Go Missing

The Seven Bosses of Honey Malone

Searching For Her

Search for Complete

Wu Lou

Half a Cup of Sand And Sky

The Lumberjills: Stronger Together

Making Up Stories

The Courage of Slackers

A Good Thing

Tunnel of Mirrors

Returning to Carthage

I Had to Break Me

Toska

Beyond The Moon

Awoken

Confessions of a Kamikaze Geisha

The Test For Time

Gitmo and Back Again

Quick Bright Things

Daughters of Men

Concord

reedsymarketplace

Find the right designer for your book

Why is a quality book cover so important?

What are the benefits of professionally designed book covers?

How do I find the right designer for me?

How much should I expect to pay?

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