What do you think?
Rate this book
Capital Crimes #9
Murder at the Kennedy Center
“An exciting romp through the maze of Washington politics.”—The Dallas Morning NewsDuring a gala benefit for the Democratic Party's hottest presidential hopeful at the glittering Kennedy Center, a young woman dies, a victim of quick and brutal violence. The murder weapon belongs to the candidate. The chief suspect is the candidate's son. The dynamic campaign of Senator Kenneth Ewald has collided with a tragedy that can send his son to jail—and wreck his own career.George Washington University law professor Mac Smith comes out of the classroom to tackle a case that's bad for Senator Ewald but may prove even worse for the nation. And Smith himself marches straight into the firing line of an unscrupulous TV evangelist who gets his orders from God and a dethroned Central American dictator who takes interference from no one. . . . “Margaret Truman has become a first-rate mystery writer.”—Los Angeles Times Book Review
354 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1989
238 people are currently reading
659 people want to read
About the author
Margaret Truman
87 books261 followersMary Margaret Truman Daniel was an American classical soprano, actress, journalist, radio and television personality, writer, and New York socialite. She was the only child of President Harry Truman and First Lady Bess Truman. While her father was president during the years 1945 to 1953, Margaret regularly accompanied him on campaign trips, such as the 1948 countrywide whistle-stop campaign lasting several weeks. She also appeared at important White House and political events during those years, being a favorite with the media.
After graduating from George Washington University in 1946, she embarked on a career as a coloratura soprano, beginning with a concert appearance with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in 1947. She appeared in concerts with orchestras throughout the United States and in recitals throughout the U.S. through 1956. She made recordings for RCA Victor, and made television appearances on programs like What's My Line? and The Bell Telephone Hour.
In 1957, one year after her marriage, Truman abandoned her singing career to pursue a career as a journalist and radio personality, when she became the co-host of the program Weekday with Mike Wallace. She also wrote articles as an independent journalist, for a variety of publications in the 1960s and 1970s. She later became the successful author of a series of murder mysteries, and a number of works on U.S. First Ladies and First Families, including well-received biographies of her father, President Harry S. Truman and mother Bess Truman.
She was married to journalist Clifton Daniel, managing editor of The New York Times. The couple had four sons, and were prominent New York socialites who often hosted events for the New York elite.
After graduating from George Washington University in 1946, she embarked on a career as a coloratura soprano, beginning with a concert appearance with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in 1947. She appeared in concerts with orchestras throughout the United States and in recitals throughout the U.S. through 1956. She made recordings for RCA Victor, and made television appearances on programs like What's My Line? and The Bell Telephone Hour.
In 1957, one year after her marriage, Truman abandoned her singing career to pursue a career as a journalist and radio personality, when she became the co-host of the program Weekday with Mike Wallace. She also wrote articles as an independent journalist, for a variety of publications in the 1960s and 1970s. She later became the successful author of a series of murder mysteries, and a number of works on U.S. First Ladies and First Families, including well-received biographies of her father, President Harry S. Truman and mother Bess Truman.
She was married to journalist Clifton Daniel, managing editor of The New York Times. The couple had four sons, and were prominent New York socialites who often hosted events for the New York elite.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
July 19, 2017
Excellent mystery.
Book was written by very talented only child of Harry Truman, published in 1989. Usual dirty campaign politics, but not as bad as 2016. Sex, adultery and murder of campaign worker. Excellent plot, suspense will keep you turning the pages until the end.
Book was written by very talented only child of Harry Truman, published in 1989. Usual dirty campaign politics, but not as bad as 2016. Sex, adultery and murder of campaign worker. Excellent plot, suspense will keep you turning the pages until the end.
September 29, 2008
Margaret Truman wrote great mystery stories, and this ranks right up there with her better ones. This book was a page-turner that kept me up late at night reading to see what would happen next. Her characters, Mac and Annabel Smith, are two of my favorites -- and are once again called upon to solve a murder involving people high in the government. Her close familiarity with Washington and its people make all of her books very believable.
November 28, 2007
I'm "reading" the audio abridgment on my way to and from work, and I have to say it's ridiculously boring. I don't know if it's the abridger's fault or the author's fault, but the language and descriptions are boring or cliched or they take the time to describe things that don't really need description. I should finish the book today, but yesterday it seemed they revealed the murderer... and it was just out of the blue. There have been no real clues as to who it could be, and then all of a sudden it's someone you don't suspect. (It's always nice to have a surprise, but when you don't even have clues to be able to suspect anyone...)
August 21, 2017
Lots of characters to keep straight and many of them not developed enough. Politicians, reputations, changing allegiances...just not likeable personages. A kinder generation of politics than we have today.
May 15, 2025
Ms. Truman is a bit of an American Agatha Christie. She delivered dozens of murder mysteries set in the latter-half of the 20th century, and each one is wonderfully satisfying. This book, like all in her series, gets all the essentials quite right: structure, pacing, plot, character development, mood, aesthetic, etc. Are you needing a break from social media, streaming services, distractions, or weighty content? Let Margaret Truman's engaging and thrilling novels help you mentally refresh!
July 20, 2017
An Enjoyable Read
A craft blended story combining a murder mystery with political intrigue. The ending came predictable too early in the story line. The characters were well developed and became real within the story. it isn't often a murder mystery makes you smart le but this one did. I couldn't put it down and I am glad I didn't.
A craft blended story combining a murder mystery with political intrigue. The ending came predictable too early in the story line. The characters were well developed and became real within the story. it isn't often a murder mystery makes you smart le but this one did. I couldn't put it down and I am glad I didn't.
June 29, 2021
A well written by Harry Truman's only child - murder mystery with political intrigue - interesting characters that you come to know - some romance, great friendships & an idea of some the "workings" on the inside of politics.
October 1, 2017
Hotshot criminal lawyer, now college professor, Mackensie Smith is unwittingly pulled out of his relaxed academic lifestyle and drawn into the murky politics behind the scene, in Washington. Mac’s longtime friend Ken Ewald is close to winning the democratic party’s candidature for the Presidential seat, when trouble crops up. Mac, walking his Great Dane Rufus near the Kennedy Centre discovers the body of a young woman working in Ewald’s campaign team. When Ewald’s son Paul is arrested for the crime, Mac cannot refuse to take up his defense. One thing leads to another, and soon Mac is caught up in a mesh of political maneuvers, blackmail, shady lawyers, veiled threats and even violence. Calling in his elegant girlfriend, art gallery owner and ex-divorce lawyer Annabel, an old client, the unsavory ex-policemen Tony Buffolino, and sharp young journalist Rhonda Harrison, Mac has his investigating team in place and things begin to move. The action moves from Washington to New York and San Francisco, and back, from politics to opera to undercover operations in Panama. The happy family man image that Ewald presents to the world becomes shaky as the drama unfolds revealing an unhappy wife, a traumatised daughter-in-law, disloyal employees, and backstabbing party members. The lust for power, and of course, money, soon emerges as the prime mover in this tortuous case.
A good read, but not an outstanding mystery. What stays with the reader is more the excellent character delineation, and the precisely sketched images of life in Washington. This is the second time, I’ve read this book. I did not remember the plot at all, but could immediately recognize Mac Smith, Annabel, Buffolino and of course, the big slobbery Rufus. A book to enjoy on a rainy afternoon.
A good read, but not an outstanding mystery. What stays with the reader is more the excellent character delineation, and the precisely sketched images of life in Washington. This is the second time, I’ve read this book. I did not remember the plot at all, but could immediately recognize Mac Smith, Annabel, Buffolino and of course, the big slobbery Rufus. A book to enjoy on a rainy afternoon.
February 6, 2018
Margaret Truman was a great story teller
July 14, 2019
An enjoyable story, despite being a bit trite! I listened to it on audio, and this narrator was perfect for this kind of story. I really enjoyed the DC-based setting.
September 1, 2016
I've been living in the 80s this week. First I read Sue Grafton's "V is for Vengence", then "Murder at the Kennedy Center" by Margaret Truman. Before cell phones and personal computers - just regular landlines, aka telephones, public libraries, newspapers and tv stations (3 of them). Detectives had to work extra hard to catch criminals...jumping in the car and driving to the nearest pay phone on the street corner. looking up addresses at the libraries' Crisscross Directory. (It still exists for those 10 people who don't have a computer.) Anyway, I really liked "Murder at the Kennedy Center"....a political mystery. One would think that novels written way back then would be so out of date and unrelevant in today's politics....WRONG! They could update the story by giving the characters cell phones and cable tv and voila, you're in 2016. Really doesn't matter which political slant you fall on - Dems or Reps - nothing seems to have changed....nothing has gotten better...no lessons have been learned. The good guys and the bad guys are everywhere.
I bought four of Ms. Truman's books at a used bookstore. I should have bought all of them. Next time I won't make that mistake.
I bought four of Ms. Truman's books at a used bookstore. I should have bought all of them. Next time I won't make that mistake.
April 19, 2018
I have enjoyed this series, although I have read it a bit out of order. My favorite thing is it takes place in DC and I love reading about all the famous places in DC. Of course the murder mystery is done well and even if I have an idea of who done it, I'm not sure why until the end, so I enjoy that as well. It is not boring and is a pretty quick read. I want to read them all at some point.
August 1, 2014
This was an okay thriller. I enjoyed it but it was not something outstanding or that I would wish to reread
February 27, 2018
Entertaining. Light mystery reading
October 28, 2020
This was a good rainy-day read.
September 22, 2019
Another good mystery. I enjoy reading books about places I have been and then I can picture them as I A Senator is having an event to help his campaign for the presidency and one of his aides/ staff is found murdered outside of the Kennedy Center. The Senator ‘s son Paul is interrogated and he admits having an affair with the woman, Also at this time Paul’s wife has gone missing, Mac who was a lawyer but became a college professor is a close friend of the Senators and he takes on the case. Along with help from his girlfriend , Annabel who always was a lawyer but opened up an art gallery. Mac calls in a former client of his that had been a great detective before he mad a serious error and Mac had defended him . They all work to solve the case. Sadly you see just how dishonest politicians can be. Story kept my interest and I was wrong about who was the murderer. Story kept me wanting to read and find out who,
September 19, 2017
Wish I had read this years ago
I was aware of Margaret Truman's political murder mysteries years ago. This is the first one I have read but it won't be the last. The characters are well developed and interesting, as well as humanly flawed. The mystery isn't overly convoluted but not apparent from the start, either. The inside look at politics is applicable today, nearly twenty years after this book was written. It's fun to read a book where the characters aren't using smart phones or the internet. Makes me long for the simpler days. I'm sure this book has many reviews so I won't take any more of your time, just know that it's well worth your time if you like murder mysteries and political thrillers. This satisfies both in a well written and fast paced novel.
I was aware of Margaret Truman's political murder mysteries years ago. This is the first one I have read but it won't be the last. The characters are well developed and interesting, as well as humanly flawed. The mystery isn't overly convoluted but not apparent from the start, either. The inside look at politics is applicable today, nearly twenty years after this book was written. It's fun to read a book where the characters aren't using smart phones or the internet. Makes me long for the simpler days. I'm sure this book has many reviews so I won't take any more of your time, just know that it's well worth your time if you like murder mysteries and political thrillers. This satisfies both in a well written and fast paced novel.
August 13, 2018
Interesante sería la palabra que definiría para describir mi incursión en la novela negra americana que rodea los tejemanejes de la política en los Estados Unidos. La hija del presidente Truman tuvo que ser muy observadora en cuanto a lo que la rodeaba mientras su padre ostentaba los cargos de senador y luego presidente, ya que describe con lujo de detalles tanto el oro como el fango que hay tras las instituciones.
La historia recuerda mucho a las películas de los 90, nada de plan cutre o serie B. A mí me ha gustado ese aire nostálgico, por otro lado lógico al tratarse de una novela escrita a finales de los ochenta.
Muy recomendada, buscaré más novelas de la autora en las librerías de viejo que frecuento.
La historia recuerda mucho a las películas de los 90, nada de plan cutre o serie B. A mí me ha gustado ese aire nostálgico, por otro lado lógico al tratarse de una novela escrita a finales de los ochenta.
Muy recomendada, buscaré más novelas de la autora en las librerías de viejo que frecuento.
August 31, 2017
The aide to the Democratic frontrunner is found dead behind the Kennedy Center shortly after a big event. A friend of the Senator and likely Attorney General in a future administration is brought in when the Senator's son is accused of killing the dead aide who was also his mistress. Lots of political and personal dirty laundry combine to make a surprise ending. Had a couple real interesting twists. Still don't really understand this series and a little unclear on the fictional DC landscape - seems like Reagan served his two terms but then got a few extra in there too before 1989. Regardless it is fun and not that dated considering its age.
June 2, 2018
Although this book was written over 30 years ago, it feels quite contemporary. A young girl is killed at the Kennedy Center garden after a political event there. Mac Smith, a former Washington DC top lawyer – now law school professor, finds the body. The son of Mac’s good friend, a Senator from California is in the race to become the Democratic candidate for President of the US becomes the prime suspect for the murder. Mac takes a leave of absence from his teaching to help solve the murder mystery
March 26, 2020
Murder and politics go hand in hand. The main character Mac Smith is a Georgetown law professor. But he is drawn into a world of lies, deceit, corruption, intrigue and murder. This book takes place in the late 80s, and since politics are always the same, it could be from today. Vivid characters, twists and turns finally leading you to the resolution.
I’m not really a fan of political books, but this one was able to keep my interest to the end.
I’m not really a fan of political books, but this one was able to keep my interest to the end.
August 25, 2022
The ending was kind of bland compared to the story and plot, which could lower it to a 3.75, but a 4 is a good average. I devoured it once past the first 1/4, but the ending and murderer revelation/motive wasn’t too strong. It kind of made it confusing why so many other details, characters, and developing motives were written in when it was someone not even thought of. But I liked the main characters and their investigating.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2026
Mac Smith gets pulled into a murder investigation for a friend who is a front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination. A member of Jim Ewald's staff is murdered with Jim's gun, and the woman had been having affair with Jim's son. The story got pretty convoluted, and parts were boring, but it did wrap up nicely. It does reinforce how so many in politics are absolute scum, though! As well as, the more things change the more they stay the same!
September 6, 2017
Enjoyed this book......
Well thought out plot. Good characters. Fast, snappy dialogue. Humor. Twists and turns galore. Good storyline. Hard to guess the killer but I did guess and got it right. Enjoyed this book a lot. New author. Will read a lot more from her. Thanks, Amarillo Turtle
'll'll'll
Well thought out plot. Good characters. Fast, snappy dialogue. Humor. Twists and turns galore. Good storyline. Hard to guess the killer but I did guess and got it right. Enjoyed this book a lot. New author. Will read a lot more from her. Thanks, Amarillo Turtle
'll'll'll
July 10, 2018
So I just finished this for my mystery book club that I am in. I think what I enjoyed the most was Mac Smith and his sidekick Tony Buffolini. I'm not usually into political mysteries but did have quite a few chuckles with this one. The actually story was okay but not great. I may have to try another Margaret Truman mystery again sometime.
February 15, 2019
Feb 2019. It appears I've not read this 1989 Truman novel. I thought I'd read the entire series. There were many so-called red herrings which were actually crooked people/characters but not necessarily the murderer. I rarely figure out the killer early on but this one was obvious, even to me. Happy reading!
May 31, 2019
The story lacks anything beyond a play by play. Characters are shallow and the book has nothing real to say. The morals are loose but we are at least spared the details. This is the second Margaret Truman murder mystery I've read, trying to give her another chance. Her readership must come from her daddy's reputation rather than any talent of the author.
Read
September 6, 2017This book was written in 1989 so many of the references are a dated. It reminds us that politics is a dirty business. It illustrates how often people are willing to sell their souls for a win. I liked most of the characters. The action kept me interested.
August 26, 2018
Kept my attention till the end!
Mac and Annabel are always a favorite in the Truman series and this one didn’t disappoint. The story line read with ease and kept you guess my until the end.
Mac and Annabel are always a favorite in the Truman series and this one didn’t disappoint. The story line read with ease and kept you guess my until the end.
August 30, 2019
Another good mystery from Margaret Truman. I've had a few of her books hanging around for years but never got around to reading one. I wish I'd read one sooner because I would have picked up more of her titles.
A well thought out who-done-it that kept me guessing until the very end.
A well thought out who-done-it that kept me guessing until the very end.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews