Death of an Artist

Bruce Jones was a world-renowned sculptor and art teacher who died unexpectedly. The womanizer had eight children with his five wives and was working on wife number six when he was murdered. We get to know each one of his wives as they tell their story in a chapter relegated to them. In those chapters we get their personal take on the sculptor they loved and the man’s place in their lives. 

Mary was Bruce’s first wife and mother of Clair and Aaron. Clair grew up to become a famous actress and Aaron a corporate lawyer. Through Mary we learn that each wife had her own color in the sculptor’s mind. And she is the color of love—pink. 

Wife two, Leslie, came into Bruce’s life seven years into his marriage to Mary. Bruce colored her yellow for her sunny nature. Petra, the third wife was colored orange. She works in an art gallery and is Bruce’s only wife that didn’t have children. 

Number four, Tina, is depicted by the sculptor in his drawings as red for her Italian passion. She had two daughters with the sculptor. His fifth wife, Brooke, is the color of envy and money. She is perceived as a gold digger and murderess for she, the current wife, has everything to gain from Bruce’s demise for he was cheating on her prior to his death. 

MCV Egan begins the novel at Bruce’s garish funeral using hue, shape, and color as she describes a large cast of characters giving each a voice throughout the novel. I’ve read many books with huge casts of personalities, and the reading becomes difficult and confusing. I can’t say that about Death of a Sculptor in Hue, Shape and Color. The author gives each character the opportunity to voice their perspective about Bruce Jones, which provides the reader with various insights into the sculptor’s personality and habits. 

Personally, I hate men who leave their wife for another woman. They are shallow and lack the character to maintain a substantive relationship with anyone. However, Bruce’s x-wives seem to accept their fate and happy they had seven years with the love of their life. 

Through the voices of his wives and children we learn about Detective Jim Miller, the police officer assigned to Bruce’s murder. Only in the last few chapters do we find out who the murderer really is. 

Death of a Sculptor in Hue, Shape and Color is more of a character study than a mystery. Readers are taken into the lives of each one of Bruce’s wives and his children as we learn about the artist and the fascinating life he lived. 

About the Author

M.C.V. Egan is the author of two other novels—The Bridge of Deaths and Defined by Others. She has traveled extensively living in Mexico, France, Sweden and the United States. She is fluent in four languages including Swedish, Spanish, and French. Her hobbies are astrology, which she used affectively in Defined by Others. Currently, Egan lives in Florida with her husband and son. You can learn more about her on her website at www.TheBridgeofDeaths.com.

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