Murder at the Library of Congress [Abridged, Audiobook] [Audio Cassette]

Margaret Truman (Author), Philip Bosco (Reader)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 26, 1999

Read by Philip Bosco
2 cassettes / 3 hours

When Annabel Smith is commissioned to write an article on Columbus for the Library of Congress's magazine, Civilization, she enters a world of art and information, politics and prestige, patronage and shadowy traffic in rare manuscripts--and, as it turns out, violence.  A center of intellectual life, the Library of Congress is home to millions of invaluable books, manuscripts, and maps, and to some of the world's leading librarians and scholars.  So when a world-reknowned expert is found murdered at his desk, the Library's reputation is at stake.  

Has a legendary diary by one of Columbus's companions really turned up?  Why did, eight years earlier, another of the library's Hispanic scholars disappear under mysterious circumstances?  Annabel, Margaret Truman's favorite amateur sleuth, wants answers to these questions.

Like all of her Capital Crime novels, Truman's Murder at the Library of Congress takes the listener deep into the hidden recesses of Washington D.C. and this time into one of its most cherished institutions, bringing us closer to the fascinating, and exciting people who make that peculiar city work, live, and die.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The theft from a private museum in Miami of a painting by 19th-century artist Fernando Reyes of Columbus offering his book of privileges to Ferdinand and Isabella sets off the action in this latest Washington, D.C.-insider tale from Truman (Murder at the Watergate, 1998, etc.). The bulk of the novel, however, unfolds at the nation's venerated reference institution. Gallery owner and former attorney Annabel Reed-Smith was looking forward to two months of research for her lead article of a special issue of the Library of Congress publication Civilization to be devoted to Columbus. Rumors have persisted for centuries about a possible second diary of the voyage to the New World written by Bartolom? de Las Casas, the explorer's confidant and friend. Annabel's work takes on greater urgency when she comes upon the dead body of pompous Las Casas expert and LC employee Michele Paul in the cubicle next to hers. Back in Miami, journalist Lucianne Huston is assigned to cover the art theft, during which a guard was killed. When she learns of Paul's murder, the reporter suspects a connection between the two crimes, as does Annabel, who discovers that another Las Casas expert disappeared about eight years ago. Meanwhile, the day-to-day operation of the Library proceeds full-tilt as Cale Broadhurst, the current Librarian, has his hands full dealing with Huston and the rest of the press, not to mention members of Congress. Truman shows readers the art theft at the start of the book, so the mystery centers around who killed Paul and how his demise is connected to the art heist. A clue to the murderer is tipped clumsily; the discovery of the killer's identity comes as something of an anticlimax, but the fun of the book is getting to it. The Library is the real star, and D.C., as always in Truman's mysteries, proves fertile ground for intrigue. (Nov.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal

The murder of a Hispanic scholar at the Library of Congress just might concern a long-lost diary of Christopher Columbus.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Random House Audio (October 26, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 037540564X
• ISBN-13: 978-0375405648
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,874,734 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not the best in the series, December 9, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Murder at the Library of Congress (Hardcover)

Murder at the Library of Congress is definitely not Truman's best work in the capital crimes series. Annabel Reed-Smith is commissioned to write an article on Colombus at LC. With a couple of murders thrown in the mix - one new and one 8 years old, she gets a bit side-tracked. Truman does keep the reader engaged, following an art thief on a cross-country trek, as well as interesting descriptions of LC. However, the plot around Annabel is without its usual punch. And, for fans of husband Mac, he is sadly in a much more backstage role. In fact, the aggressive news reporter does most of the crime solving for Annabel and Mac. Overall, an okay read, but not her best.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A workmanlike novel by an experienced mystery writer., January 1, 2000

By 

E. Bukowsky "booklover10" (NY United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Murder at the Library of Congress (Hardcover)

Truman, in her latest "Capital Crimes" novel, delves into the world of scholarly skullduggery and murder at the Library of Congress. As usual, Truman has researched the background of her plot with care. This mystery deals with a diary and a map that was purportedly written by a friend of Christopher Columbus. The diary and map could possibly shed some light on the accomplishments or perhaps the evil deeds of Christopher Columbus during his trips to the New World. Annabel Reed-Smith, a former lawyer who is also an art expert, happens to be doing research in the Hispanic section of the library when a murder occurs. Naturally, she becomes embroiled in the investigation of the murder. The writing style is breezy and casual and Truman works out the plot in a competent, albeit unexciting, fashion. She may not be flashy, but Truman writes light mysteries that are easy to take.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good concept, June 6, 2005

By 

Patrick Myers "Jazzy" (Atlanta, Georgia, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Murder at the Library of Congress (The Capital Crimes Series) (Mass Market Paperback)

Murder at the Library of Congress by Margaret Truman is one of the Capital Crimes novel series. Annabel Lee, an ex-lawyer and a new art gallery owner, is invited to do an article over the long-lost Las Casas diaries in a magazine. Annabel, deciding to do the article, goes to the Library of Congress where she meets with Consuela, head of the Hispanic and Portuguese division, to find all the materials she needs to write the article. In between researching, she meets and interviews Michele Paul, a rude historian who has been trying to find the Las Casas diaries for years. His murder later that night puts a bump in Annabel Lee's plan to interview him some more and creates a whole new oppurtunity to investigate Paul's murder.

Truman's mystery novel is not one of mystery, as the plot shows indirectly who the murderer is and why this person murdered Michele Paul. Although not surprising, it is a let down at the end of the book when you find out that the person you were expecting murdered Michele Paul, really did murder him. Another thing that was destroyed in this book was word play. Whenever Truman used a popular saying that virtually everybody knows, she added either after or before the character said it "As the saying goes." Although not important, it makes the story a little less real and choppier as well. One good thing, however, is that the characters Truman used may not be like regular people, but are interesting and they keep you reading to see what happens to them in the end. The concept of the whole story is thrilling as well.

Truman made some mistakes that were costly to the book's storyline and appeal, but that was fixed with interesting and complex characters. As a whole the book was good, but not one to be remembered as a classic.