Today we’re proud to unveil the cover image for Cop Out, a novel by Ellery Queen, which is returning to the shelves thanks to Hard Case Crime and Titan Books. Originally published in 1969, the book hasn’t appeared in print in nearly 50 years. On 2 February 2027, Cop Out will be back with the perfect kind of pulp-style jacket illustration Hard Case Crime is known for.
The image was painted by the award-winning artist and illustrator Ricky Mujica. At a time when AI-generated cover art is appearing more and more, we tip our hat to Hard Case Crime for commissioning a painter to deftly create an image in the pulp art tradition for this wonderful looking edition.
The story inside sounds like it could have been inspired by a contemporary news piece. A cop from a small town is coerced into helping three robbers escape justice because they’ve abducted his young daughter. How can he turn the tables on them to preserve his career, but more importantly save his child?
Included in this 272-page binding will be two bonus stories: Child Missing! and The Case Against Carroll.
Cop Out is an anomaly in the Ellery Queen bibliography. It’s one of just two novels by Ellery Queen that don’t feature a detective called Ellery Queen. The other was Glass Village. Cop Out was written to celebrate 40 years of Ellery Queen – the pseudonym for Brooklyn cousins Frederic Dannay (1905-1982) and Manfred B Lee (1905-1971). Writing as Ellery Queen, from 1929 onwards they helped shape pulp, hardboiled and noir detective fiction in the US and around the world. Their work has been recognised through many awards, including the Mystery Writers of America’s Grandmaster Edgar Award.
The pair set up Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine in 1941, which has been published continuously to this day. It’s still seen as a prestigious stepping stone to wider recognition for new authors, who submit their short stories for publication. In addition to novels, novellas and short stories, Ellery Queen appeared in 12 films, in radio plays, in the theatre and there was even a board game.
Pre-order your copy of Cop Out here.
