Murder at the National Gallery

Rating:
Summary: The ending ruins it
Review: If you are a Washingtonian who hangs around galleries, etc. then you'll recognize a lot of names in this book, and that may make it fun. But most of the time the story really drags and it takes some prodigious leaps to actually swallow some of the scenes described. The worst is the ending, which is a very deflating experience. Definately not one of her best.

Rating:
Summary: Long on story, short on mystery . . .
Review: Luther Mason, respected senior curator at the National Gallery, hatches a complicated plan to "discover" a long lost Caravaggio painting in Italy, brings it to Washington to be a part of a Caravaggio exhibit and has 2 forgeries made, one of which will be sold and passed off as the original to a San Francisco mobster thug/art connoisseur who happens to be bankrolling Luther's activities to get the painting in the first place. Whew. . . It's an interesting story at times, but there are a lot of characters to keep track of. The last third of the book is where most of the mystery and action occurs. I would not recommend this book if you want something fast-paced and suspenseful.

Rating:
Summary: The old switch-a-roo !!!!
Review: The lost Carvaggio is discovered and a certain National Gallery curator has big ideas for its future. Why not copy it a couple of times, sell the fakes and take it with him to some far off place where he may enjoy the three r's for the rest of his life? He could let go of his useless family, nagging ex-wives and the daily D.C. grind. Can he get away with it? Will someone or something interrupt the perfect plan for the big switch-a-roo?

Truman writes a predictable story that is mildly enjoyable. However, the characters she uses have absolutely no personality distinctions. It is extremely difficult for dear reader to draw a mental image of each character because she makes almost no attempt to give them any physically identifiable distinctions! This novel is somewhat discouraging for want of this reviewer to peruse another Truman story.