An Elegant Corpse

At the palatial Hamptons estate of wealthy artist Alfonso Ossorio, Jackson Pollock's masterpiece, Lavender Mist, is the crown jewel in a fabled collection of modern art. When Ossorio's decision to sell the painting to finance his obsessive landscaping projects proves fatal, suspicion falls on members of his circle, among them Pollock's widow, Lee Krasner, who has made no secret of her opposition to the sale.

Number one on the list, however, is Ted Dragon, a former dancer who gave up his car...