Murder Is My Business, paperback cover 1963

Robert McGinnis made this paperback cover illustration, Murder Is My Business, with paint. The vibrant yellow background immediately establishes a mood of intense, artificial glamour, offset by vertical brushstrokes that disrupt the otherwise flat picture plane. The composition presents a striking contrast between the smooth, stylized figure of a woman and the more textured elements of fur and the tiger-striped chaise lounge. The woman’s pose, reclining with a cigarette holder, uses strong diagonals, infusing the scene with dynamism, yet her gaze is direct and unwavering. The use of animal prints, luxury fabrics and a saturated colour palette act as signs of wealth and danger. The juxtaposition of these elements can be interpreted through a semiotic lens, pointing to cultural codes associated with femme fatales in mid-century pulp fiction. Ultimately, the artwork destabilizes conventional notions of beauty and morality.