The Atlas of Lost Hours — Literary Mystery Book Cover Design

A fictional book cover concept created for The Atlas of Lost Hours, a literary mystery blending archival photography, memory, travel, and hidden history.

The visual identity is built around a layered analog-collage aesthetic, combining torn paper textures, monochrome photography, archival stamps, maps, silhouettes, and bold editorial typography. A restrained palette of aged cream, deep teal, mustard, burnt orange, blue, and black creates a vintage yet contemporary atmosphere.

The complete cover system includes the front cover, spine, and back cover, designed as a cohesive paperback wrap. The goal was to create a distinctive, collectible visual language that feels mysterious, intellectual, and cinematic while maintaining strong readability and clear typographic hierarchy.