A cover image explained

Since the release of my novel, The Mine, in February, a few readers have asked about the image on the cover. Is that a real mine? Is it located in Montana? The answers are yes and no. The illustration is a modified photograph of the San Cristobal Mine, an abandoned mercury mine near San Jose, California. The landmark is a popular stop for hikers and mountain bikers in the Almaden Quicksilver County Park. Many thanks to Steve Jurvetson for providing the original photograph and to my illustrator, Cannon Colegrove, for turning it into an eye-catching cover.