Imani Thompson is a London-based writer of Scottish, Irish, and Jamaican heritage who studied Sociology at Cambridge University and worked as a bookseller at Daunt Books. Now, she’s set to release her debut novel, Honey, on April 21, 2026, from Random House.
The novel follows Yrsa, a disillusioned PhD student whose accidental role in a professor’s death sparks a killing spree against sexist, exploitative men. With each murder, the story dives into dark humor and explores feminism, rage, and the thin line between justice and obsession. It’s a sharp, satirical look at power, vengeance, and what it means to channel personal and political frustration.
Debutiful is excited to reveal the intoxicatingly stunning cover, designed by Michael Morris, along with a Q&A with Thompson about its creation.
While writing the book, did you have any ideas for what you wanted the cover to look like?
While writing I tried my best not to think too much about the cover. This was partly because having a cover means having a published book and when you’re 20,000 words into your first draft that can often feel like a delusional dream. I do, however, use a lot of mood boards when writing – or more specifically, I spend far too much time on Pinterest. I find it helpful when trying to decide on a mood for a scene, or the novel as a whole, to create a visual atmosphere. For Honey I was often drawn to the works of Danielle McKinney, surreal graphics, and primary colours.
Can you explain what the design process was like once you started working with your publishing team?
There wasn’t too much of a design process as the first cover they showed me I loved. We did discuss different colours and fonts. It was interesting to see how the cover really leant into the darker elements of the story while keeping something of the surreal.
What was it like seeing your finalized cover for the first time?
I had to blink twice. For the first time I could truly imagine the book on shelves and in stores, which is both exhilarating and nerve-wracking. I immediately sent the design out to my friends and family and it was so lovely to see their excitement. One of my friends held it up on her phone in a book store in New York for me and we were both like – wow, it’s going to be a real book!
How does the cover work to convey what the book is about?
Honey is a novel about a serial killer, but it’s also about power, the maternal line and want. The colour-way of the design plays into the inherent violence of the story, but the arm – that could almost be dancing – speaks to narratives of desire. There are multiple meanings that can be read into the word honey and the contrasts in the design off-set sweetness with something far more sinister. The contrasting elements also show that – while there’s nothing subtle about killing people – there are many subtleties to what women want and why.