Murder at the Pentagon (Capital Crime Mysteries) [Mass Market Paperback]

Margaret Truman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 29, 1993 | Series: Capital Crime Mysteries

"Margaret Truman has become a first-rate mystery writer."
LOS ANGELES TIMES BOOK REVIEW
When a genius doctor is murdered and a desert madman gains the means to kill millions, Major Margit Falk, a helicopter pilot and Pentagon lawyer, is drawn into Project Safekeep--an antimissile scheme under congressional investigation. The alleged murderer has his share of secrets, but Falk smells conspiracy in the air. And although she turns to her mentor, law professor Mackenzie Smith for help, she's got to beat a cunning madman and a nuclear blast....
An Alternate Selection of the Literary Guild

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In characteristic unadorned and bloodless prose Truman ( Murder at the National Cathedral ) delivers this formulaic mystery bound in conspiracy, the 11th in her series of capital crimes. Air Force helicopter pilot and lawyer Major Margit Falk is assigned the defense of Robert Cobol, a CIA officer charged with the murder of Dr. Richard Joycelen. The victim, deputy director of a defense research project devoted to small nuclear devices, was shot inside the Pentagon, purportedly the most secure building in the world. While Margit works up Cobol's defense with the help of mentor Mackensiesic Smith, who has featured in earlier Truman mysteries, world powers adjust to the nuclear capability recently exhibited by a small Arab nation. Margit's boyfriend, Jeff Foxboro, is helping his boss, the senator who heads the committee investigating how the country's despotic leader got the bomb. Not surprisingly, the murder and the bomb are linked, a connection Margit must sacrifice her career to prove. Guidebook descriptions of Washington sights and lengthy discussions of federal agencies and departments provide copious background, but this simplistic tale generates little suspense. Literary Guild selection.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Kirkus Reviews

The latest entry in Truman's uneven but immensely popular series of D.C. mysteries starts with an unusually strong situation: Air Force J.D./chopper pilot Major Margit Falk is assigned over her protests to defend Sgt. Robert Cobol on a charge of killing weapons-researcher Dr. Richard Joycelyn. Even as Margit, with the help of her old mentor Mackensie Smith, reluctantly digs into allegations of a homosexual relationship between the two, we already know, from a series of dire hints, that the murder was really triggered by an unnamed Middle Eastern tyrant's acquisition of a nuclear bomb. Once Cobol's found dead in his cell, the only question left is how high the coverup reaches. The anemic mystery is partly redeemed by an engaging heroine and the usual inside dope about how many miles of telephone cable are inside the Pentagon. (Literary Guild Split Dual Selection for July) -- Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Fawcett (May 29, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0449219402
• ISBN-13: 978-0449219409
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 0.6 x 7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #615,326 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Weakest book in the mystery series, July 15, 2000

By 

Patricia Lavins - See all my reviews

This review is from: Murder at the Pentagon (Capital Crime Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

Major Margit Falk is an engaging heroine for an engaging mystery series. Yet that in itself is the serious flaw in this particular addition to the mystery series which has been been excellent to date. Part of the reason that the series has been so compelling is the reality of the scenery, political intrique, and governmental descriptions. However, in this book, our heroine, Major Margit Falk, is both a helicopter pilot and a lawyer. These are two distinctly separate career tracks in the military. Thus, the story is weaken at the outset. This is good escapist reading but it lacks the intimacy of the rest of the series which had plots that seemed more plausible.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Needs to do better research, October 12, 1999

By 

MajorB (Montana) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Murder at the Pentagon (Capital Crime Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

Ms. Truman needs to do better research! Air Force women do not wear Khaki. And Air Force lawyers do not just take out helicopters for a spin. In fact, I can't think of any JAGs on flying status as pilots. And one more thing....most field grade officers do not reside in the BOQ, contrary to Margaret Truman's statement. Since our heroine lives in DC, she might, due to the cost of living in the area, but as a rule most single officers of that rank prefer to live off base. I found way too many inconsistancies to enjoy this book.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Ho-hum and hackneyed, January 13, 2000

By 

Christina P. Branson "Strixaluco" (Fort Collins) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Murder at the Pentagon (Capital Crime Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

Just when I thought Truman had finally found her writing voice and a sleuth she was comfortable with, she shoves Mac Smith into a bit part and goes back to exploiting some naïve female who has somehow managed to work her way into a high-powered government position without realizing that dirty politics are afoot. So we readers have to suffer while she discovers that the government and the military are not composed entirely of a bunch of really nice, honest people who are looking out for her best interests, and along the way we are treated to all manner of trivia culled straight from the Pentagon tour. Then, even though she doesn't name it, Truman dredges up the MK-ULTRA bit one more freakin' time and expects it to cover any plot holes she may have left lying about. She seems to go to so much trouble to set up the two main plot threads, and then she just kind of slaps them together and expects them to make sense. And, as usual, the character interactions are forced and boring.

Still, it was better than MURDER IN THE FBI, in which I didn't even find any of the characters interesting, let alone likable.