Murder at the Opera: A Capital Crimes Novel [Mass Market Paperback]

Margaret Truman's latest Capital Crimes novel is "Murder at the Opera," featuring Mackensie Smith and his wife, Annabel Reed-Smith. Mac, a former criminal defense attorney, teaches law at George Washington University; Annabel gave up her legal practice to open a Pre-Colombian art gallery in Georgetown. Mac and Annabel dine at the finest restaurants, live in a beautiful apartment in the Watergate, and routinely hobnob with Washington's elite. They also get involved in murder investigations.

Their latest case is set in the Washington National Opera House at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Mac and Annabel are busy preparing for a new production of Tosca, he as a "supernumerary" or extra, and she, as a member of the opera board. The drama of Tosca temporarily fades into insignificance when Charise Lee, a twenty-eight year old soprano from Canada, is found stabbed to death. At the opera board's behest, Mac asks a former policeman named Ray Pawkins, who happens to be an opera lover and supernumerary as well, to look into the crime. Naturally, Mac and Annabel weigh in with their ideas about who might have ended Charise's life.

All this occurs against the backdrop of a vague terrorist threat hanging over Washington, D. C. There is talk that an unnamed militant group is planning an attack against prominent political leaders. Officials from intelligence agencies in America and abroad tap their confidential sources to gather vital information that may help thwart a potential tragedy.

Margaret Truman is a workmanlike writer who knows how to construct a mystery so that the reader is hooked "until the fat lady sings." She populates her novels with a host of lively characters, and this one is no exception. Besides the urbane Mac and the attractive and brainy Annabel, there is Pawkins, an arrogant private investigator who dresses to kill and drives a Mercedes sedan. The question is, how does a former policeman manage to live so well? Sylvia Johnson and Willie Portelain are partners in Washington's police department who interview Lee's acquaintances, including her jittery roommate, pianist Christopher Warren, and her slimy agents, Philip Melincamp and Zoe Baltsa. Johnson and Portelain are both competent cops, but while she is a beautiful woman pursuing a degree in criminal justice, he is a street-smart veteran of the force with an oversized physique and an insatiable appetite for junk food.

One of the hallmarks of Truman's mysteries is her insider's take on the events in our nation's capital. "Murder at the Opera" has a great deal of information about how an opera is mounted, as well a glimpse of the efforts of the rich and powerful to boost Washington's cultural image. In addition, Truman provides timely information about the ways in which the FBI, CIA, and the Department of Homeland Security react to the news of a possible terrorist action.

"Murder at the Opera" is a breezy and fast-paced mystery, but it is marred by a disjointed conclusion and implausible developments that would not stand up to close scrutiny. However, Truman knows her audience well, and she delivers what they want and expect: a squeaky clean novel with gentle humor, very little gore and just enough complexity to make the reader wonder whodunit and why.

One thing about this book-the plot of Tosca is fully revealed. When nothing exciting is happening, Margaret Truman explains Pucini to the uninitiated-myself included.

The other thing about this book is that the plot structure is closely modeled on those from Italian opera. This means in practicality that the real villain must be someone we would find villainous today. That means Middle Eastern terrorists. That the terrorist plot subplot seems contrived escapes Ms Truman. In modern thrillers the chase is the thing, but in this book the terrorists come and go in clouds of dust and mystery, and nobody you find interesting even knows about them.

I particularly found the continuation of the Opera Ball after an assassination attempt to be laughable. Remember 9/11? Everyone wanted to get out of any possible line of fire and hurried home. In Washington society they dance the night away.

If the DVD is broken and the cable out, you might pick up this book. Otherwise look for the new Michael Connelly or Robert Parker.

I am a fan of Ms Truman's mystery series. Her father was a no nonsense president and would have scoffed at all the political correctness we have to put up with today.

The murders were interesting. Altho the sponge was never explained and the three murders'solutions were never quite defined . The terrorists stalking the president and members of Congress was interesting. The 'common folk' were no longer the only vulnerable ones.

Ms. Truman dedicates the book to her editor. I found a few booboos which he missed. The word while was used instead of wild; and a supposed quote of John Dillinger's was said one way in the beginning and inverted on page 265!

That being said, I enjoyed the book immensely. Mac and Annabel are a sweet couple who have it made in the shade. Ms. Truman is never vulgar and I remember her when I was just a kid from the Ed Sullivan show and from her father's defense of her when a critic was rather mean and petty. She always was a lovely and classy lady. Hope to read her next Capital Crimes mystery.

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 18 reviews  3.9 out of 5 stars