Australian author Kate Morton's bestselling novel The Shifting Fog (The House at Riverton in the US and the UK — see comment below) chronicles the emotional and romantic travails of two beautiful sisters from a declining aristocratic British family during the early 20th century.
The reason I'm posting a mention of The Shifting Fog has nothing to do with the plot or with author Morton or with a possible film adaptation of the novel. What matters here is the Australian book cover, which features a photo of Miriam Hopkins at her most glamorous.
Only yesterday, I posted a two-part interview with author Allan Ellenberger, who's currently working on a Miriam Hopkins biography. Today, Allan sent me a link to a review of Morton's book.
The Shifting Fog, by the way, has absolutely nothing to do with Miriam Hopkins — except for the fact that the novel's heroines and Hopkins were all blondes.
Curiously — though hardly surprising — although Hopkins was a major star in the 1930s, I didn't find a single mention of her name (as in, "What is Old Hollywood actress Miriam Hopkins doing on the book cover?") in the various commentaries and reviews of The Shifting Fog.
Well, if they had used Bette Davis or some other famous face people would know who they were immediately. That would destroy the illusion.
Can they just use a celebritiy's face like that? Or do they need permission?
Thanks for the clarification, Grace. I've amended the post.
It was only when I went to Kate Morton's website that I even found this version of The Shifting Fog, which was released in the UK and in the States under the title "The House at Riverton." Since I read "Riverton," I didn't even know about Miriam on the cover of this book, else I would have made a comment about it in my review at Amazon. Very interesting, indeed.
As I mentioned to Allan, there is another mystery that I received recently which features Louise Brooks on the cover. As far as I know (I haven't read it yet), she's not in the story, but it's set in her heyday, and they used a picture of a gorgeous flapper.