In her 2021 literary debut, “Early Galveston Artists and Photographers: Recovering a Legacy,” Galveston photographer and writer Pat Jakobi created a lushly curated visual journey exploring the lives and works of the men and women who wielded their lenses to capture the essence of Galveston Island over the years. 

The narrative unfolds against the backdrop of the Progressive Movement in the early 1900s, interwoven with Galveston’s resolute recovery from the devastating 1900 storm. 

It was during this transformative period that Maria Cage Kimball, an influential artist and society leader, proposed a visionary idea to infuse homes and schools with art, believing that exposure to beauty could cultivate a deeper understanding of the true and beautiful. 

Frances C. Kirk, a young supervisor of drawing in city schools, embraced this concept wholeheartedly, uniting local artists to form the enduring Galveston Art League. Jakobi herself is immersed in the impressive work of the Galveston Art League, and it is her love of the Oleander City, the arts, and her involvement with the art league that sets the stage for her first work of fiction - a gripping novel, “A Death at the Gallery.”

 One might wonder what led Jakobi to transition from writing nonfiction about early Galveston artists and photographers to crafting a compelling whodunnit mystery novel. According to the author, the connection between the two is indirect, yet fascinating.

 “The book on early Galveston artists and photographers demanded a great deal of research into various archives. I began to think of my research as sleuthing into the lives of people who had lived in Galveston in its early years,” Jakobi said. 

“One day, it dawned on me that I could make up my own story about artists and their environment. That percolated in my mind for some months before I decided to do something about it.” 

Eighteen months later, she unveiled her 254-page literary portrait of Egret Bay, the fictional setting of “A Death at the Gallery,” and a town carefully crafted to be reminiscent of Galveston but with a unique identity. 

“I noticed that when I talked to people about fictional books set in Galveston, they were always trying to figure out what people, places, houses, and streets were being referred to rather than focusing on the plot itself,” she said. 

“I decided that I would make up a town and people consistent with a small city on the gulf, but different enough that they could stand on their own.” 

The one exception is the gallery, which is modeled after the Galveston Art League as it operated prior to its expansion in 2018. “The setting is too essential to the plot to try and make it up,” Jakobi said. 

The octogenarian author said she’s been enamored with the written word, particularly mystery novels, since she was 12 years old. 

“There was a small public library branch only a couple of blocks from my home, and the librarian there introduced me to the Sherlock Holmes stories when she noticed that my [maiden] last name was Doyle,” she said. 

“The whodunnits have been especially intriguing because I love the puzzles they contain, the ‘red herrings’ that are being dragged across the narrative’s path in order to lead the reader astray. That makes for a competition between the author and the reader. Will the reader see through the subterfuge, or will they be surprised by the ending? I didn’t start it as a police procedural, but it became obvious after a while that I needed a character or two who would be involved in all aspects of the story.” 

In Jakobi’s fictional Egret Bay, the author is free to fully develop characters, the storyline, and, notably, the gallery. This setting is integral to the plot and proved too intriguing to modify, she said. 

“The real-life gallery’s mezzanine adds an element of intrigue to the story, lending an eerie atmosphere that plays a significant role in the book,” she said. “I always found [it] a little spooky, and I tried to put that feeling to good use.” 

A Complicated Tapestry
In the novel, the arrival of protagonist Trudi Olson to oversee the art league’s gallery is thrown into chaos when she comes across a lifeless body on the gallery’s mezzanine. Initially, homicide detective Val Forster and her partner anticipate a straightforward identification of the killer, given the limited number of individuals acquainted with both the gallery’s alarm code and possessing a key.

 However, the detectives soon realize the case is more intricate than expected. Their examination delves into unfamiliar territories encompassing artists, art forgery, false identities, and eco-evangelism. 

 Collaborating with Trudi and other art league members, they construct a narrative that illuminates the deceased’s presence in the gallery during the night and his activities. As the trilogy of seemingly unrelated events unfold, a clearer picture comes into focus. 

 “Art forgery presents an interesting question: How can a painting by a specific artist be worth thousands of dollars but a forged work in the same style and of equal quality be worth next to nothing? That question speaks to the commercialization of artwork as a commodity rather than as a desired object of beauty or intrigue. And an assumed identity is a forgery of sorts,” she said.

 “Eco-evangelism also reflects this question of determining worth by contrasting the desire to value and protect against the willingness to destroy.” 

 Jakobi found the foray into fictional literature both liberating and inspiring, and she’s already at work on her next book, “A Death at the Rookery.” 

 “The setting continues to be Egret Bay and many of the characters reappear,” she said. “They say to write what you know. I know something about art galleries, and I’m a photographer who loves to take photos of birds and to hang around bird-rich environments.”

 For those considering a writing journey, especially later in life, Jakobi imparts sage advice. Many older, aspiring writers possess a wealth of experience, accumulated knowledge, and historical perspective that often contribute valuable opinions and insights to various aspects of life. 

 “Although I doubt many people notice them, I tried to put some ‘thinking points’ in the book - little things, like the question about the influence of the marketplace upon the value of artwork. Or the things I cherish, such as the sounds you hear in marshlands,” she said. “I had a soap box, so I used it.” 

 As Jakobi delves deeper into the mystery genre and continues to unearth the hidden gems of Galveston’s history, readers can look forward to more enthralling stories set in the alluring town of Egret Bay. 

 “The follow-up book now underway is the second mystery. I am, however, still doing some research on the side with the idea of a non-fiction book on the women who were so critical to the local art scene in Galveston at the beginning of the 20th century.” 

 Drawing upon her extensive knowledge, she assures readers that the book will offer a precise and authentic account. In the words of Jakobi, “Write what you know. No one else knows it like you do.” 

 “A Death at the Gallery” is available at the Galveston Art League gallery located at 2117A Postoffice Street in downtown Galveston and on Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble. com, Murderbooks.com, and other online sites. Keep an eye out for upcoming book signings and events where you can meet the author in person. For more than four decades, Pat Jakobi has been capturing the essence of her surroundings through the lens of a camera, and she has skillfully marketed her photographic creations as photo cards and matted prints. For more information, visit Jakobiphotography.com.