Reading The Art Collector by Susan Bacon kept me on the edge of my seat, with every twist and turn unraveling new layers of mystery and intrigue. I found myself completely immersed in Emma’s search for the truth, feeling her growing sense of disbelief as she uncovered secrets about her friend, Seal. The journey from the vibrant streets of New York to the haunting isolation of rural Tennessee left me reflecting on the complexities of friendship and the hidden stories we all carry.

This is a great story, a mystery thriller that is set in the 80s in New York with spin-offs into other places and times. It starts with the murder of a young woman, a photographer with good connections to the Manhattan art world. She falls to her death from a neighbour’s flat and it is this neighbour, Emma Quinn, who makes it her business to find out the truth about Seal’s murder. Having some connections to the Secret Services, she digs deeply into Seal’s life and realises quickly, that she knows next to nothing about her neighbour friend.

Her exploration takes us to downtown Manhattan and its vibrant art scene in the 70s and 80s, but also to the Deep South following Seal’s family roots. The setting of the book makes reference to political events of the time, especially the Iran-Contra scandal that centred around arms trafficking to Iran. Emma’s search for the truth of what happened opens her – and the readers’ - eyes to much more than a who’d done it. I love a murder mystery that has a broad historical context and boy, this one does.

The victim, Seal, also has a voice and reflects on events in her life that in the end led to her untimely death. – A narrative technique that helps the reader to get to grips with the change of times and places frequently occurring in the book. I liked that too.

This book is cleverly written and the different settings are masterfully connected to the narrative – so much more than a murder mystery.
I am grateful to NetGalley and Porter Street Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I can’t really say this book was a good time, what with all the murder and trauma, but I did love every second of it.

First off, all the different settings really kept me interested.

Washington and New York and Memphis oh my!

I also loved how the main character, (and her knowledge of/relationship with her neighbour) grows with every piece of the puzzle.

The author did a great job of weaving real-life artists and current events into the story, without making it feel Name Drop-y and obnoxious.

I do wish I’d read The History Teacher first, but really, this book stands totally on its own.

Intriguing but it Due to personal issues cannot write a proper review now
A more extensive review will follow. Many thanks to the publisher

The Art Collector by Susan Bacon
 
The Art Collector is primarily set in 1987 but also explores the New York art scene in the '70s and '80s and the Deep South during the '60s.

The book opens with artist Seal Larson's suspicious death; Seal's neighbour and the co-executor of her will, Emma Quinn decides to find out more about her secretive neighbour; she tracks down her studio and learns more about her photography work, her mother's life as a model and muse for Andy Warhol, and their life in Memphis and Tennessee.

I was unaware that this is a sequel to The History Teacher, which I have not read, but I'll add it to my (ever-expanding) TBR list.

The Art Collector is twisty and mysterious. It explores the authentic value of art and what it means to the people who make it. Speaking of art, can we talk about this cover art? It's stunning and gives you an insight into the story within; the soup cans allude to Andy Warhol, which is perfect.

Porter Street Press gave me The Art Collector for review via NetGalley. The Art Collector by Susan Bacon is out now.

Thumbs up 👍.

Go read a book!

Body count: 1 and two halves-ish.

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Susan Bacon's The Art Collector is an interesting mix of art/art history, 1980s New York art scene, rural Tennessee, Iran-Contra affair, spy thriller, murder mystery told from different perspectives and across different timelines. This seems to be more commonplace in novels and it can be effective, but it can also feel a bit convoluted. That was true for me with this book where parts felt slow and unconnected to the actual story. I didn't read the first book in the series, so maybe I'm missing some valuable background about the main character (or some characters who seemed important?). The pace picked up in the second half as there was more action and pieces of the mystery coming together so it was satisfying to reach the conclusion and resolve the mystery. 3.25/5

Many thanks to Porter Street Press and NetGalley for the e-arc.

This story hooked me from the start. It perfectly blends art and history along with a spectacular mystery. I love art so the phenomenal amount of art history within the pages of the book also kept me interested. However, a reader who isn't interested in art probably won't like it. That said, it was fascinating that Seal’s connection to Andy Warhol, one of my favorite artists, was a main feature of the story.

I loved the setting too. The 1980s New York City art scene was mesmerizing. I didn't know much about this era before reading the book and learned alot about how artists and their dealers did business. Another setting included in the book is the Deep South during the 1960s. Seal and her mother came from small town Tennessee. They left Tennessee with an African American cook named Merna and opened a restaurant in Harlem. The final leg of Emma's investigation leads her to a remote Tennessee farm where the final pieces of the puzzle fall into place.

The only complaint I have is that the middle part of the story moved rather slowly. All of the details about various artworks and the artists that created them was probably the reason.

An excellent read for any and all readers! Author comes at you with both barrels and knocks you out of your shoes! Great job fleshing out all the characters. I give this book FIVE stars! Definitely recommend!

The Art Collector by Susan Bacon is a captivating blend of art, mystery, and history, set against the backdrop of New York City's vibrant downtown scene in the 1980s. The novel opens with the mysterious death of Seal Larsen, a photographer and Warhol protégé, who falls from her 15th-floor Manhattan apartment under suspicious circumstances. Her friend and neighbor, Emma Quinn, a Columbia University history professor with ties to the intelligence community, embarks on a quest to uncover the truth behind Seal's death.

Bacon weaves a compelling narrative filled with art history, secrets, and suspense. The inclusion of Seal's connection to Andy Warhol adds an intriguing layer, and the way Bacon explores the complex relationships between artists, their work, and their personal lives is a highlight for art lovers. The novel also brilliantly ties the world of art to a tense mystery-thriller, with Emma uncovering long-hidden truths about her friend's past, all while piecing together the tragedy that defined Seal's life.

The plot is full of twists and turns, and while some elements of the story can feel a bit predictable, the unraveling of secrets keeps you hooked. The move from the urban landscape of Manhattan to the isolation of rural Tennessee adds an atmospheric depth, as Emma's investigation takes her to a remote farm where the final pieces of the puzzle fall into place.

The characters are compelling, especially Emma, whose determination and resourcefulness make her a strong lead. While the pacing can slow at times, the novel remains an engaging and thoughtful exploration of loss, art, and the lengths people will go to uncover the truth.

Overall, The Art Collector is a solid read for fans of art history and mystery-thrillers alike, offering a rich, atmospheric narrative that will keep you intrigued until the final page.

An excellent read for any and all readers! Author comes at you with both barrels and knocks you out of your shoes! Great job fleshing out all the characters. I give this book FIVE stars! Definitely recommend!