An Accidental Corpse

Art of Murder Mystery #2

by Helen A. Harrison

“ Edifying and juicy. "  — Newsday
 
"[A] refreshingly original reinvention of artistic history." — Kirkus
 
Accidents happen. But was this murder?
 
On the night of August 11, 1956, in the East Hampton hamlet of Springs, Jackson Pollock crashed his car into a tree, killing himself. Pollock, the world-renowned abstract painter and notorious alcoholic, also killed his 24-year old passenger Edith Metzger in the crash…or did he?
 
Metzger’s autopsy reveals that she was already dead before the crash. Murdered? Perhaps.
 
This shocking disclosure draws vacationing Detective Juanita Diaz and her husband, Captain Brian Fitzgerald of the NYPD, into a homicide investigation that implicates famous members of East Hampton’s art community, including Pollock himself.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical, Historical Mystery

304 pages, Paperback

Published August 23, 2018

About the author

Helen A. Harrison is an art historian, museum director and journalist who specializes in modern American art. From 1978-2006, she wrote art reviews and feature articles for the Long Island section of The New York Times. She is currently the director of the Pollock-Krasner House and Study Center in East Hampton, New York. The museum, a National Historic Landmark, is the former home and studio of Jackson Pollock (1912-1956)
and Lee Krasner (1908-1984), two of the foremost Abstract Expressionist painters.

Reviews

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of Jason Pollock, the famed artist
who was killed in 1956 in a car accident. The book
mixes historical fiction and real life for an intense,
exciting, intriguing mystery.
Two women are in the car accident with Pollack.
One does bit survive but it is from the car accident
or was foul play involved.
The Fitzgerald Family is on vacation in the East
Hampton hamlet of Springs. Both are involved with
the NYPD. Their young son in with them. The family
witnesses the car accident and become essential
in the police investigation.
The characters have incredible depth. They are
vivid, colorful and well drawn up.
The plot twists are puzzling, interesting plus add
dimension to the story.
The story was so interesting I had to look up the
various works of art and artist mentioned.
I volunteered to read Accidental Corpse. Thanks
to the Cozy Review Crew for the opportunity to
read. My opinion is my own.

[PugMom · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Accidental Corpse is the first book in a new art historical trilogy by Helen A. Harrison. This mystery is based on real people but the twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very end are the work of a creative and meticulous author!
I enjoyed meeting the characters from the Fitzgerald family to the local policemen. The author brought them alive for the reader as well as painting a very detailed and engaging picture that put you right in the setting with the characters.
As a reader who doesn't know anything much about art and has little to no interest in learning more about art history and famous artists, I was immidiately captivated by the story and couldn't wait to get to the end to find out "whodunnit"!!
If you're looking for a page turner that's not your usual mystery then I highly suggest picking up An Accidental Corpse! I am eagerly awaiting the next book in this trilogy.

[Vicki Gooding · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received the book from the author at no cost to me, but it is well worth buying. The mature, vintage flavor is so refreshing. This is an excellent mystery and story line. I can hardly wait now for more books to be written.

[Sara Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am happy to report that An Accidental Corpse by Helen A. Harrison was the perfect book to end 2018! I have always been a fan of Mystery novels, Historical Fiction, and the Surrealist Movement, so this book combining all three was a grand slam home run for me. The author did an amazing job of setting the scene of a 1950's summer family vacation on the East coast and creating genuine social interactions between the Fitzgerald family and the townspeople, it was wonderful to be immersed in the simpler and more neighborly time in American history. Fitz, Nita, and TJ are a lovely, intelligent family, with a great sense of duty. Despite being on vacation, when they witnessed a terrible, fatal, car accident, that turned out to be so much more, they didn't think twice about helping the small town police department with it's investigation. The blending of the actual events surrounding Jackson Pollack's life and death with creative and realistic dramatization. This was a really quick read that flowed naturally, even without terribly much intense action. It was written in a rather relaxed pace that suited the time being depicted. Pollack's drinking and infidelity have caused a rift between himself and the artist community that he and his wife have been a part of for decades. Not to mention the trouble it has created with his estranged wife, Lee. Pollack's lover, Ruth, invited her friend Edith to stay for the weekend and enjoy the perks of knowing a famous artist. Things didn't go to plan when his life choices spoil the mood of the trip, and lead to his death, and poor, innocent Edith's death as well, but not in the accident. Lee, who has been visiting Europe during their split was informed by a friend about his girlfriend staying in their home, and she is not happy about it. Could one of Lee's loyal friends, or drunken Jackson have killed Edith? I don't want to give any spoilers, but I will say, I love how Helen puts together the series of events, including leads that don't pan out, enrich the story line and how the dots connect and the case comes together at the end. I enjoyed it so much, I plan to keep an eye of for more stories in this series, and perhaps I'll look into more writing set in the 1950's.

I received this book for free from the publisher or author, and that fact has in no way swayed my opinions or review.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be very entertaining! The whole aspect of the novel was interesting.

I really liked that the book was based on actual events surrounding the famous artist, Jackson Pollock. Pollock was killed in an automobile accident in real life. He was killed the same way in the novel, however there was a twist. There were two women in the car with him at the time of the accident and it appears that one of them met with foul play.

I learned some things about the life of Jackson Pollock that I didn’t know before reading the book, such as his artwork.

I enjoyed following the characters in the novel. The detectives investigating the accident were very devoted to finding out what happened.

I plan on reading more from this author!

I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

[Jeanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Accidental Corpse is the first book in a new art historical trilogy, The Corpse Series, by Helen A. Harrison.

This story takes place in 1956. The Fitzgeralds are on vacation from their jobs with the NYPD when they witness a car accident with 2 fatalities. They’re asked by the local police to assist with the investigation.

I was aware of Jackson Pollock’s art, but not with how he died. This book took details from his life and added a twist to the car accident. It was very interesting and I learned about Pollock and the art world.

I read this book in one evening - I couldn’t put it down. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC in return for a review - but this book was well worth the read.

I did not know about Jackson Pollock prior to reading "An Accidental Corpse," so it took a bit for me to warm up to the characters and the overall mystery. Once I did, I couldn't put the book down - the characters are well described, intriguing, and likable. Fair warning though - I blushed at a few parts and definitely kept the book away from the prying eyes.

I look forward to Ms. Harrison's next Corpse as well as reading An Exquisite Corpse to hear more about Nita and Fitz's adventures.

[Eden · Rating 5 out of 5]

2020 bk 327. Another excellent mystery from Helen A. Harrison. Two of our detective characters return thirteen years later, having dated and then married. The couple now have a son and head to Long Island for a vacation. Diaz and Fitzgerald's plans for a quiet week are shattered when they witness a car flip over and crash into a tree. In the car, the artist jackson Pollock, his mistress and NYC roommate. Pollock and the roommate are dead, the misstress in a coma. When it is discovered that the dead woman was killed before the wreck and that the two women live in Cpt. Fitzgerald's precinct, the couple's assistance is requested by the local police. What follows is a vacation punctuated by moments of mystery/discovery - or is that moments of mystery/discovery punctuated by a vacation? An excellent mystery and now I have to go order the third in the series.

[Pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spoiler alert:

I enjoyed reading the book. The writing style was simplistic, perfect for a vacation read. The author did an excellent job of capturing the feel of the Hamptons in the 50s. What ruined the book for me is to make a tragic accident into a murder, and to make an innocent man out to be a murderer. If you're going to write fiction, write fiction. Don't twist history to suit your needs. I wonder how the descendants of the people involved feel about this distorted re-telling of events?

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before I read this book all I knew about Jackson Pollock was that he was an abstract painter. After reading this book I learned more about him as a person and about the car crash that ended his life. It was interesting to have this real-life tragedy mixed with a fictional murder. I enjoyed the police work involved between the local Springs police department and Fitz and Nita, New York City police officers in Springs on vacation with their son. The story moved along at a good pace and kept me wanting to read to see what would happen next. I am looking forward to reading more by this author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Dunemere Books through The Review Crew. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this whodunit that reimagines Jackson Pollock's death to include a murder. The historical setting of East Hampton, NY in the 1950s was rendered so realistically, the protagonists are likeable, and the noir-ish period feel was like a Dashiell Hammett mystery. I highly recommend it.

[Kathy Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This historical mystery takes place in 1956 and combines real and fictional characters. It begins when two police officers and their 8-year-old son go on vacation to the shore. There they witness the fatal car accident that killed artist Jackson Pollack and one of his female passengers while throwing the other passenger out of the car.

Soon they learn that the female passenger was already dead when the accident happened. They are recruited by the local police chief to help with the investigation because his department is already stretched to the limits by a series of car accidents and the other problems that happen during the tourist season.

Fitz and Nita are glad to lend a helping hand and assist the local police. Nita is especially useful because she's a detective. There isn't another detective on the small town force.

I liked the way the story included historical details from the time period and information about local celebrities in the artistic community. I also liked that the story was told from a variety of viewpoints which added more detail.

As a mystery, it wasn't really all that mysterious. Once the villain appeared, it became quite clear what had happened and why. Before he appeared though, it was interesting to see what investigative techniques out heroes used and notice how many wouldn't be at all acceptable in a current police investigation.

Fans of historical mysteries and American artists would be a good audience for this story.

[Paul Chlebowski · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two NYC police officers and their young son have just arrived on Long Island for a vacation when they witness a horrible accident. An inebriated driver, the famous Jackson Pollock, is dead; his girlfriend is seriously injured; and a female passenger had been killed. It all appears to be a terrible tragedy until the autopsy reveals that the passenger was dead before the accident. The local authorities are over whelmed and ask the visiting officers for assistance. The plot moves along slowly as the criminal investigation is interspersed with the family’s vacation exploits. Ultimately the crime is solved in what one might consider a less than exciting finish. An easy read…easy to forget.

[Kimberlee · Rating 5 out of 5]

"An Accidental Corpse" by Helen A. Harrison is a most excellent book. The plot flowed well, the storyline made sense, the mystery was interesting (with a logical outcome, given the preceding clues), the major characters were well drawn and appealing, and the setting (both time and place) was incredibly well portrayed.

The book was also well-written in terms of actual writing style. Ms. Harrison is obviously extremely well-versed in her subject matter, having written non-fiction works on Mr. Pollack, his art, and his time period. She seamlessly weaves her knowledge into a "what if" speculative historical fiction plot. The book is blissfully free of grammatical and other editing errors as well. The author comes across as a true professional, and I hope she continues her forays into this genre.

Five out of five slices of my absolute favorite sharp cheddar!

[Annarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is becoming a favorite and I loved this story.
Great characters and setting, a solid mystery that kept me guessing
I can't wait to read the next installment.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the premise of this series. The author takes real artists and situations and then makes up a mystery. The dialog in this book didn't ring true to me; I just couldn't hear the characters talking like they did in some situations. But I hope the series continues.

[Laurel · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting read if you're interested in Jackson Pollack and the mystery surrounding his fatal car crash and the young woman who was found dead with him. Until you get to the Acknowledgements and find out that the entire "mystery" is fiction.

[Carrie Doyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fast paced and gripping mystery that you will breeze through in one sitting. I felt like I was back in the Hamptons in the 1950s. Loved it!

[Sunny Gwaltney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun to visit

I enjoyed the atmosphere and characters although the mystery was a little thin. Recommended for those who would enjoy a nostalgic visit th the 1950's art scene.

[Lorri Steinbacher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sue out August 2o20. If you like novels based on real people, Harrison creates a decent mystery around the car accident that killed painter Jackson Pollock. Her original characters are cute, too.

[Hawk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rather cardboard characters. Fast read but not all that engrossing

[Maureen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not enough to keep my interest....too many people to keep tack of....

[Manuela Malanović · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5⭐

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the series about abstract artists and NYPD officers. The artist that is the main focus of this one is Jackson Pollock. Helen Harrison takes the truth of Pollock's death and twist into it a murder. She is very good at taking the true facts and interweaving a fictitious murder with it which ends up with a fast past and intriguing book. Time has moved on for Juanita and Brian are married and have a son. They are on a vacation in an East Hampton and are witnesses to the car accident that killed Pollock. They soon become involved in the investigation into the accident/murder.

[Sonja van der Westhuizen | West Words · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the night of 11 August 1956, less than a mile from his home in East Hampton, artist Jackson Pollock crashed his green, convertible Oldsmobile 88 into a tree. The 44-year-old Pollock and a female passenger were killed instantly. Ruth Kligman, Pollock’s mistress, survived the accident. This is the real-world basis Helen A Harrison begins with for her crime novel An Accidental Corpse.

Full review on my blog: https://westwordsreviews.wordpress.co...

[Seema Rao · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good book but so sick of Pollock