MURDER AT THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS (Margaret Truman)

I was pleasantly surprised by Margaret Truman's capital crimes series. I have to admit that I wasn't sure what to expect, whether Truman's success as an author was due primarily to her name or to her talent. As it turns out, she is a fine mystery writer if this book is any indication. Her sleuth, Annabel Reed-Smith, is not flaky, trendy, haunted by tragedy, or looking for love as are so many of our modern mystery heroines. In fact, she is an attractive lawyer-turned-gallery owner approaching middle age and happily married to a slightly older man with knee issues. When asked to write and article for a prestigious publication's special Christopher Columbus issue, Annabel commits herself to two months of research at the Library of Congress and, naturally, a case of murder eventually interferes with her work. Truman has created believable characters and a solid mystery that holds the reader's interest. I think that the most fascinating aspect of this novel is her insider knowledge of the workings of Washington, DC and its many government and historical entities. As a librarian I was, naturally, fascinated with her fictional library staff and how she skillfully intertwines them with real people, places, and traditions connected with the Library of Congress. I looked up the Hispanic room on the Internet just to see how its appearance and descriptions compared to hers, albeit 10 years later. I think that Margaret Truman is an author worth reading. It's sad that she is no longer with us!