diff --git a/components/PublicGrid.tsx b/components/PublicGrid.tsx
index dc975b6..ec73500 100644
--- a/components/PublicGrid.tsx
+++ b/components/PublicGrid.tsx
@@ -448,7 +448,7 @@ function FlipBook({ pages, onClose }: { pages: string[]; onClose: () => void })
   const [spread, setSpread] = useState(0);
   const [flipping, setFlipping] = useState<'forward' | 'backward' | null>(null);
   const audioRef = useRef<AudioContext | null>(null);
-  const touchStartX = useRef<number | null>(null);
+  const dragStartX = useRef<number | null>(null);
 
   const getCtx = () => {
     if (!audioRef.current) {
@@ -493,13 +493,14 @@ function FlipBook({ pages, onClose }: { pages: string[]; onClose: () => void })
     return () => window.removeEventListener('keydown', onKey);
   }, [onClose, goNext, goPrev]);
 
-  const onTouchStart = (e: React.TouchEvent) => { touchStartX.current = e.touches[0].clientX; };
-  const onTouchEnd = (e: React.TouchEvent) => {
-    if (touchStartX.current === null) return;
-    const dx = e.changedTouches[0].clientX - touchStartX.current;
+  const onPointerDown = (e: React.PointerEvent) => { dragStartX.current = e.clientX; };
+  const onPointerUp = (e: React.PointerEvent) => {
+    if (dragStartX.current === null) return;
+    const dx = e.clientX - dragStartX.current;
     if (Math.abs(dx) > 50) (dx < 0 ? goNext() : goPrev());
-    touchStartX.current = null;
+    dragStartX.current = null;
   };
+  const onPointerCancel = () => { dragStartX.current = null; };
 
   // Pages visible underneath the flipping overlay
   const visibleLeft = flipping === 'backward' ? getPage(prevLeftIdx) : getPage(leftIdx);
@@ -516,10 +517,11 @@ function FlipBook({ pages, onClose }: { pages: string[]; onClose: () => void })
 
   return (
     <div
-      className="fixed inset-0 z-50 flex items-center justify-center bg-black/95"
-      onTouchStart={onTouchStart}
-      onTouchEnd={onTouchEnd}
-      style={{ perspective: '2500px' }}
+      className="fixed inset-0 z-50 flex items-center justify-center bg-black/95 select-none"
+      onPointerDown={onPointerDown}
+      onPointerUp={onPointerUp}
+      onPointerCancel={onPointerCancel}
+      style={{ perspective: '2500px', touchAction: 'pan-y' }}
     >
       <style dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{ __html: `
         @keyframes flipBookForward { from { transform: rotateY(0deg); } to { transform: rotateY(-180deg); } }
@@ -542,13 +544,35 @@ function FlipBook({ pages, onClose }: { pages: string[]; onClose: () => void })
         }}
       >
         {/* Static left page */}
-        <div className="absolute left-0 top-0 w-1/2 h-full bg-white overflow-hidden">
-          {visibleLeft && <img src={visibleLeft} className={pageImgClass} alt="" draggable={false} />}
-        </div>
+        {visibleLeft ? (
+          <div className="absolute left-0 top-0 w-1/2 h-full bg-white overflow-hidden">
+            <img src={visibleLeft} className={pageImgClass} alt="" draggable={false} />
+          </div>
+        ) : (
+          <div
+            className="absolute left-0 top-0 w-1/2 h-full overflow-hidden"
+            style={{
+              background: 'linear-gradient(135deg, #4a3826 0%, #2e2114 55%, #1a1108 100%)',
+              boxShadow: 'inset 0 0 80px rgba(0,0,0,0.55)',
+            }}
+            aria-hidden
+          />
+        )}
         {/* Static right page */}
-        <div className="absolute right-0 top-0 w-1/2 h-full bg-white overflow-hidden">
-          {visibleRight && <img src={visibleRight} className={pageImgClass} alt="" draggable={false} />}
-        </div>
+        {visibleRight ? (
+          <div className="absolute right-0 top-0 w-1/2 h-full bg-white overflow-hidden">
+            <img src={visibleRight} className={pageImgClass} alt="" draggable={false} />
+          </div>
+        ) : (
+          <div
+            className="absolute right-0 top-0 w-1/2 h-full overflow-hidden"
+            style={{
+              background: 'linear-gradient(225deg, #4a3826 0%, #2e2114 55%, #1a1108 100%)',
+              boxShadow: 'inset 0 0 80px rgba(0,0,0,0.55)',
+            }}
+            aria-hidden
+          />
+        )}
         {/* Spine */}
         <div className="absolute left-1/2 top-0 -translate-x-1/2 w-2 h-full bg-gradient-to-r from-black/40 via-black/20 to-black/40 z-10 pointer-events-none" />