What do You think about Murder At The National Cathedral (1999)?
What the heck?It's books like this that give me hope that I, too, can one day call myself a published writer. The writing is clunky, the characters not likable, the mystery not too intense at all. I like D.C., so if I'm in a D.C. mystery mood and don't really need to lend my brain too much, then sure, I might read Margaret Truman again. This book was at least a fast read. Maybe her first novel is better? It's actually set in the White House, so that might be more appealing.I'm actually more interested in just learning more about Margaret Truman--President Truman's daughter, one time a singer, then wrote all of these books set in Washington, married to a journalist from the New York Times. Her life just sounds exciting to me.
—Michelle
I chose this book for several reasons. One was that I grew up in Washington, D.C. and have spent untold hours in the National Cathedral since the early 1960s. Yep, I'm that old. Anyway, it has been fascinating watching the Cathedral's construction over the decades. Both of my children were baptized in the Cathedral--one in the chapel where the murder in this book occurred. Another reason is that I have never read a book by Margaret Truman and I have been curious about her books set in Washington. Lastly, this book satisfied the Washington, D.C. setting for the mystery challenge that I'm involved in. That said, I doubt that I will be reading any more Margaret Truman books. I enjoyed the location of the story--the Cathedral, Foggy Bottom, and George Washington University, but the plot was thin and the characters were not very well developed. Also, being familiar with the Cathedral, the errors contained in the book drove me crazy. Truman referred frequently to the pews in both the Nave and in the Chapels. There aren't any pews, there are chairs. Also, she wrote about windows that could be opened in one of the chapels--really Margaret?--and about details in some of the chapels that don't exist. Other than that, the information about D.C. and the Cathedral was interesting and brought back many memories. An easy read, but fluffy.
—Judy
The sleuthing duo, Mac Smith and Annabell Reed, are married in the National Cathedral. Soon after a violent murder shatters the tranquility of the church community and interrupts Mac and Annabel's newlywed bliss. Devoted to each other and to their work and trying to avoid other entanglements, they find themselves drawn into harsh and unholy realities. A similar crime in England and a collection of strange characters including a playboy priest, a jealous husband, and terrorist elements deepen the mystery. This was an enjoyable book with several twists and turns that kept me guessing. The characters are not developed very deeply but the plot is intriguing. It's a fun mystery.
—Sherry Carter
