Jesús Sotés imbues mystery with the personal in his illustrations for Bibliomysteries.

The signed limited edition of Bibliomysteries, published by Suntup Editions is a collection of short mystery fiction, all linked by a central element, the biblio in the mystery or, the book — “each story is set against a backdrop of libraries, bookstores, rare manuscripts, priceless volumes, or eccentric book collectors.”

And who better to illustrate these fantastic tales of mystery and darkness than Jesús Sotés, with his signature blend of subconscious symbolism and gritty texture.

Given complete freedom to interpret the stories as he wanted (by editor Paul and project manager Rebecca) Jesús’s illustrations successfully incorporate mystery into the images. His character’s are turned away, obscured by shadow or off in the distance, their faces unknown to the viewer, while bold central elements provide us with a sense of the narrative.

As the project progressed it took on a much more personal quality, related to the passing of Jesús’s mother, “It was a hard, hard moment for me. After she passed I received one more commission; an illustration to open the book. If you look very closely you will see that this illustration is different from the others, I don’t exactly know what it is… but the thing I enjoyed the most about this project is those last moments, making this image with my mother in mind.”

A moving tribute inside a beautifully designed collection of stories that are sure to be appreciated for years to come;

“The prettiest flowers never die.”

Find out more about Bibliomysteries here.