Murder on the Potomac (Capital Crimes Series #12)

by Margaret Truman

Overview

NATIONAL BESTSELLER
MARGARET TRUMAN
Bestselling author of MURDER AT THE PENTAGON

MURDER ON THE POTOMAC

"A first-rate mystery writer."
—Los Angeles Times Book Review
First time in paperback!
"Harry's daughter knows her milieu; better still, she knows how to portray it convincingly."
—The San Diego Union
Law professor Mac has unflagging passion for two things in his life: his wife Annabel and the majestic Potomac River. When Mac discovers a weed-shrouded body in the latter, the former gets edgy. Lovely Annabel, owner of a flourishing Georgetown art gallery, must not only endure her husband's obsession with another killing, but she must believe Mac when he says that a stunning female former student is one of the only people who can help him.
They discover that the corpse was once the confidante' of a wealthy Washingtonian, which leads to the Scarlet Sin Society, a theatrical group that—perilously—reenacts historical murders. And soon, the only thing that matters more to Mac than solving this serpentine case is preventing Annabel's untimely death (.
"Truman 'knows the forks' in the nation's capital and how to pitchfork her readers into a web of murder and detection."
—The Christian Science Monitor
"Margaret Truman has settled firmly into a career of writing murder mysteries, all evoking brilliantly the Washington she knows so well."
—The Houston Post

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780449219379
Publisher:	Random House Publishing Group
Publication date:	03/28/1995
Series:	Capital Crimes Series , #12
Pages:	341
Sales rank:	312,666
Product dimensions:	4.20(w) x 6.90(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Margaret Truman won faithful readers with her works of biography and fiction, particularly her ongoing series of Capital Crimes mysteries. Her novels let us into the corridors of power and privilege, and poverty and pageantry, in the nation’s capital. She was the author of many nonfiction books, including The President’s House, in which she shares some of the secrets and history of the White House where she once resided. Truman lived in Manhattan and passed away in 2008.

Editorial Reviews

Mining crimes of the past and politics, Truman ( Murder at the Pentagon ) scants the basic plotting requirements of her 11th Capital Crimes case, which is marred by superfluous unsolved murders and an unconvincing conclusion. When the body of Pauline Juris, personal secretary of wealthy developer Wendell Tierney, is found in the Potomac River, Tierney calls former attorney, now law professor, Mackenzie Smith for advice. Mac, whose beloved wife Annabel wants him to stop dabbling in detection, agrees to see Wendell, but he refuses to ferret out the police line on the case, even though a former student of his heads the investigation team. Tierney, becoming chief suspect when love letters, purportedly from him, are found in the dead woman's apartment, again begs for Mac's help. Both Mac and Annabel are drawn into the case, which takes on another twist when the suspect's adopted son, Sun Ben Cheong, is arrested for money laundering. Truman plumps up Mac's low-key sleuthing with the goings on of the fictitious Scarlet Sin Society, a fundraising group that sponsors reenactments of local historical crimes. (June)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

The author's (Murder at the Pentagon, Fawcett, 1993) ``Capital Crime'' series continues with the discovery of a body on the banks of the Potomac River. Ex-lawyer Mac Smith is called upon for help. Essential for fans. [Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 2/1/94.]

Library Journal

Truman's latest in her Capital Crime series is tasteful and highbrow, every Yuppie's dream mystery. Set in Washington, D.C., the story stars the glamorous, wealthy, and powerful elite seen at the most prestigious charity fund-raisers, the trendiest restaurants, and the poshest cocktail parties. Mac and Annabel Smith, current beautiful people and former lawyers, have "retired" to become a GWU law professor and a Georgetown gallery owner, respectively. This doesn't stop Mac from becoming involved in the occasional murder case, much to Annabel's chagrin. When Mac's friend, wealthy developer Wendell Tierney, finds himself in hot water--his closest aide has been murdered; his marriage is crumbling; his adopted son has been accused of money laundering; his daughter is demanding a million dollars to launch her own one-woman show; and his multimillion-dollar financial standing is in jeopardy--Mac, with the help of ravishing D.C. cop Darcy Eikenberg, comes to the rescue, albeit reluctantly. The plot's pretty standard, and the writing's just okay, but Truman's quirky characters are amusing, and her insights into the lives of the rich and famous are heady and fascinating. Predictable but entertaining--and certain to be popular.

Emily Melton