Designing the detective

Since it's Agatha Christie's 125th birthday, The Guardian newspaper has celebrated it so that people to submit their own artwork of their favourite novels, written by Christie. I was given the book 'Death on the Nile'.

Summary:
1Death on the Nile is a Hercule Poirot mystery novel by the best-selling author Agatha Christie. The story follows the main character, Hercule Poirot, where he embarks on a vacation in Egypt, but finds himself solving two murder cases. Hercule Poirot is a French private investigator that is famous for solving some of the world's most perplexing mysteries. While he is on vacation and sailing on a river boat up the Nile, he finds himself in the middle of not one, but actually two murder mysteries.

It all starts when Linnet Ridgeway, one of the richest young ladies in London, steals the fiancé of her best friend, Jacqueline de Bellefort. Linnet Ridgeway not only steals Simon Doyle away from her friend Jackie, but she marries Simon and they head off on their honeymoon to Egypt. In revenge for stealing her man, Jackie starts showing up at all the locations where the newlyweds are present and harasses them. Coincidentally, Hercule Poirot is vacationing in Egypt and boards the same ship to sail up the Nile that the Doyles and Jackie de Bellefort take.

While on board, Jackie shoots Simon Doyle in the leg one night in the saloon. On the same night, Linnet Doyle is shot in the head while she's sleeping. Hrecule Poirot takes on the case with his friend and fellow investigator who has come aboard the ship, Colonel Race. During the investigation, two more people are shot and killed, including Linnet's maid and one of the other passengers, Mrs. Otterbourne. Just in the nick of time, Hercule Poirot finds the murderers as the ship returns to port and justice triumphs.

Research on exiting book covers:

Since the book is about Egypt, there are cultural aspects in the books such as palm trees, pyramids, camels, statues. Iconic items from the book is also included such as guns and also an image of a couple or just the woman to represent the romantic aspect of the novel.

Design ideas:

• River Nile
• Egyptian lettering
• Cruise ship
• Pearl necklace
• Palm trees
• Nail polish ('Cardinal' - deep, dark red and 'Rose' - pale pink)
• Gun

This is the novel cover I created. I wanted it to be simplistic and also iconic to the plot therefore I chose to use the River Nile on the cover as well as Egyptian pyramids to represent Egypt. The background does have a sandy/grainy effect to it so it represents the desert. I made the type very simple an because I thought it would go well with the simplicity of the background. The River Nile also represent leading lines so it leads the reader throughout the entirety of the book cover. I have submitted my work onto The Guardian's website shown below.

1 BOOKRAGS. Death on the Nile Summary & Study Guide. [Online] Available on: http://www.bookrags.com/studyguide-death-on-the-nile/#gsc.tab=0