The Powerful Story of a Man's Conflicting Loves

Thanks to bj, pornologist supreme, I'm able to expand my note on the covers of Charles Jacson's The Fall of Valour.

British Ace Books simply calls it The startling story of a failed marriage. I don't know if they were just reusing American cover art or the fears that were part of British gay life since the imprisonment of Oscar Wilde left UK publishers unwilling to allow even the subtlest slimmer of queer implications.

I imagine that anyone looking at the cover of the 1960s Popular Library edition would assume it is the wife who is hot for the young stud in swimming trunks. Hubby looks like the epitome of white-collar sobriety that women were always leaving for beach hunks in old trash fiction.

Finally the 50s edition which to my eyes says look at those two homos.

Just look at his face, doesn't it have queer written all over it. I dimly remember a later edition of this coming into my bookshop with a much less suggestive presentation. Wish I'd pay more attention to it. I don't know if this is a story of a married man's coming out (and then jumping off a cliff) or bisexuality.