GOING, GOING, GONE, A Mystery Novel by Eliza G. C. Collins

EVERYONE seems to be a critic, so I'm sure there are those who may think that Going, Going, Gone is no great shake, but I'm not one of them. I personally enjoyed it as much as I've enjoyed reading anything, even the most lauded mysteries that are out there, and that's the reason I now own both editions of the novel. The only downside I can think of is that this was Eliza G. C. Collins' (b. 1938- ) only foray into fiction; after this, and what should have been the beginning of a thoroughly successful mystery-series writing career, she concentrated instead only on authoring a non-fiction book, The Portable MBA, her third such endeavor, which may have been the dissuading factor that kept her from writing more fiction. Well that, and perhaps her important day job as senior editor of the Harvard Business Review, an obvious time-consuming occupation.

Going, Going, Gone was published in hardcover in 1986 by Charles Scribner's Sons. The dustjacket art was designed and painted by Jack Ribik, who was an active producer of cover art during the 1970's and 80's for publishers such as Bobbs-Merrill, Dial, Dutton, Houghton Mifflin, Putnam, Random House, Scribner's and St. Martin's. Beyond that fact there is no other background information about Ribik online.

 

Ribik's illustration depicts a wooden African Chieftain's sceptre, its top carved into several hideous grinning baboon faces, with tiny bits of ivory for their teeth. And yes, this is the murder weapon.

SYNOPSIS: "Helen Greene once had to sell her favorite painting-- a gorgeous landscape by Albert Pinkham Ryder-- to save her Boston gallery. Now, ten years later, the Ryder's back on the auction block, and Helen wants it-- desperately. It's the love of fine art that brings Helen to Joseph Wickham Auctions. The motives of the other auction hounds aren't so pure. Tom's scrambling to pay off a bad debt with penny-ante purchases. Julie's stalking a new partner for business and/or bed. Silky's gambling on an unsigned-- and unauthorized-Master. Will he make a killing, or get stuck with a worthless imitation? Al's trying to shake down an old business partner for his share of the till. And Barton's just being his usual high-and-mighty self. The stakes are as high as tempers, and once the bidding begins, the sky's the limit. But it's murder that fetches the highest price. And Helen is the chief suspect."

KIRKUS REVIEWS: "...readers with a taste for Boston or auctions, or both, should be modestly entertained by this sedate mystery-comedy, which is intended to inaugurate a Helen Greene series."

The mass-market paperback edition of Going, Going Gone was published by Signet in September, 1987. The cover art was produced by Robert Crawford, a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design. His paintings have appeared on scores of paperback and hardcover book covers since the early 1980's; in some instances, such as Philip R. Craig's popular Martha's Vineyard Mystery Series, he's provided every cover painting for every format that's been published. He also produced a substantial amount of imagery for advertising purposes and for magazines such as Fortune, Business Week, The Atlantic and the U.S. News and World Report.

Crawford's take on the wooden African sceptre is stylishly different than Ribik's. He also shows us the very large carved wooden box, of seventeenth-century English origin, which Helen successfully bids on during the auction and which becomes an impromptu stash place for the murdered victim's body.

PAPERBACK SYNOPSIS: "The thrill of an antiques auction was in the blood of Boston gallery owner Helen Greene. And this time the chance to buy back a painting she was forced to sell long ago had her on a razor's edge of anticipation. A gorgeous landscape by Albert Ryder was going on the block that afternoon, and Helen would do anything to outbid the cutthroat competition to possess it. But murder? She wouldn't, of course, but somebody did... for a grisly corpse among the objets d'art soon made Helen the prime suspect in a rival dealer's death. Now the price of her freedom depended on her talent for investigation... and her expert appraisal of the crafty criminal who made a real killing in antiques... "

* * * * * * *

BELOW ARE some bonus covers to enjoy by the elusive artist Jack Ribik. (I'll feature Crawford at another time, he being one of my favorite illustrators and worthy of a singular post):

The Whisper of the Axe, A Thriller by Richard Condon. Published in hardcover in 1976 by Doubleday. Dustjacket art by Jack Ribik. 

 

KIRKUS REVIEWS: "...enormously entertaining... though it's clear that the central performer is always Condon, a staggering virtuoso. When he describes a meal it makes Craig Claiborne's American Express orgy seem like a Pillsbury Bake-Off."

Super-Folks, A Novel by Robert Mayer. Published in hardcover in 1977 by Dial Press. Dustjacket art by Jack Ribik. 

 

KIRKUS REVIEWS: "...sharp, funny, and ultimately moving, with a plot that could be the R-rated version of the current hit movie The Incredibles... a cult novel that inspired a generation of comic book writers and anticipated books like The Fortress of Solitude and The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay."

Brother to Demons, Brother to Gods, A Science Fiction Novel by Jack Williamson. Published in hardcover in 1979 by Bobbs-Merrill. Dustjacket art by Jack Ribik.

SYNOPSIS: "We can recreate the human race-- if we dare. In this exciting age of test-tube babies and reported human clones and the new miracles of recombinant DNA, That's the dazzling and sometimes disturbing promise of the genetic engineers. In Brother to Demons, Brother to Gods, a prophetic novel set in a vast future multiverse, Jack Williamson projects future centuries of genetic research."

Scandal, Or Priscilla's Kindness, A Novel by A. N. Wilson. Published in hardcover in 1984 by Viking Press. Dustjacket art by Jack Ribik. 

KIRKUS REVIEWS: "...coldly whimsical little treatment of a sex-scandal involving a British cabinet-minister [which combines] elements from several recent Whitehall brouhahas... with every character a fool or a faker."

Bodies, A Novel of Suspense, by Robert Barnard. Published in hardcover in 1986 by Charles Scribner's Sons. Dustjacket art by Jack Ribik.  

 

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: "In the Soho studio of Bodies magazine (porn so soft it's "practically marshmallow") are found four corpses: a photographer, his assistant, an actress-student and a young bodybuilder... the case's solution is rather strained and a bit unlikely, but the lively characters and colorful background are nicely done."

The Cherry Blossom Corpse, A Novel of Suspense, by Robert Barnard. Published in hardcover in 1987 by Charles Scribner's Sons. Dustjacket art by Jack Ribik. 

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: "The many fans of Scotland Yard's Perry Trethowan will savor his adventures in this 15th elegantly satiric mystery by Barnard. In the denouement, a shockingly inhuman plot is disclosed. Barnard's wit is as sharp as ever; depictions of Norwegian scenic splendors and food are extra attractions.

Wildcat, A Thriller, by Craig Thomas. Published in hardcover in 1989 by G. P. Putnam's Sons. Dustjacket art by Jack Ribik.

KIRKUS REVIEWS: "Another sturdy, reliable thriller for Thomas' devoted fans. The aged Aubrey is surprisingly believable as an energetic and successful spy--and there's some pleasantly ominous South Asian scenery as well."

Thunder of Erebus, A Thriller by Payne Harrison. Published in hardcover in 1991 by Crown (this is an image of the uncorrected proof softcover edition). Cover art by Jack Ribik. This is my favorite of all the Ribik's I've seen thus far; note the stylish submarine plowing through the water-- very cool.

KIRKUS REVIEWS: "Soviet and American forces slug it out over strategic materials in the frozen South, where a dormant volcano is waking up in a terrible mood. Living, breathing humans and fresh scenery make this a better-than-average technobattle."

On Dangerous Ground, A Thriller by Jack Higgins. Published in hardcover in 1994 by G. P. Putnam's Sons. Dustjacket art by Jack Ribik.

KIRKUS REVIEWS: "... one of Higgins' kitchen sink finales, with the principals scuba diving, stealing, kidnapping, parachuting, and assaulting their way into your hearts still again. Nowhere near the top of Higgins' form, but his hordes of devoted fans won't mind this dog-and-pony show one more time."

 [© October, 2020, Jeffersen]