Murder at the National Gallery

In Murder at the National Gallery, Margaret Truman examines the character flaws that can make a relatively mild-mannered, relatively good man, Luther Mason, turn to crime. We get to meet his cold mother, his ambitious ex-wife, his controlling girlfriend, his spoiled son, and also the delightful Annabel Reed-Smith, commissioned by the Vice-President's wife to work with Luther on the National Gallery's prestigious exhibit of the tempestuous Italian painter Carivaggio's work. It's Annabel that helps to solve the mystery. We get to experience her joys and trials as an art gallery owner. We travel with her to Italy and learn about the amazing collections of magnificent art that exist in that country. We also hold our breath when Annabel gets mixed up in Luther Mason's crazy schemes and comes close to losing her life. In my opinion, Murder at the National Gallery started slow. However, I felt happy that I stayed with the story because it heated up nicely as it progressed until I felt very grateful for the wide range of characters, an insider's look into the world of fine art forgeries, behind the scenes at the Capital, the Italian mob's connection with fine art, and a suspenseful mystery.

Synopsis: Part of the series that features a murder in many prominent Washington, D.C. buildings, Murder at the National Gallery is all about the intrigues surrounding the opening of an art show featuring Renaissance artist Caravaggio and a "lost" piece of art that was found just in time for the show. Will the murderer be satisfied with just the murder of a member of the Italian diplomatic corps who had a reputation for stealing Italian masterpieces and selling them to foreign buyers? Are the rumors of forged paintings true? Did someone steal a priceless piece of art? My Review: Mrs. Truman knows her stuff when it comes to the Washington, D.C. social scene because yes, she is the daughter of Harry Truman. This is really a decent book. I've read others in this series and found them of varying quality. However, I found the topic interesting and I was introduced to the concept of 'Art Police.' Washington, D.C. has its very own squad to investigate art fraud and robbery. There are characters that were introduced in other books. The end of the book was a little...strange. But, overall I give this book '4 stars.'

It is impossible to read just one Margaret Truman mystery book. It is like eating just one potato chip. Her skill in plotting, characterization and dialogue is such that the reader is compelled to read each one in the series. This book takes the reader into the world of art forgery and provides information that is not known to most people. Thus, it is a compelling tale of intrique as well as a good read.