Murder at Union Station

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: Both of us have been fans of her novels since the beginning. We found this offering to be overly wordy, slow and frankly boring. We fear she has fallen into the same trap as John LeCarre'

Rating:
Summary: The Best of Truman's Capital Crimes Novels Thus Far
Review: Margaret Truman has written a series of enjoyable, crime stories centered on Washington landmarks. This one involves Washington's Union Station. We see crowds of famous and not famous moving through the station under the watchful eye of Joe Jenks, bootblack. Louis Russo, a hit man, arrives at Union Station after a flight from Israel, where he has been hidden by the US witness protection program after he testified against his bosses in the Mafia. Waiting for him is Richard Marienthal, a writer, whose forthcoming book is based on Russo's claim that he murdered a foreign leader under orders from the White House. Before Russo can meet Marienthal, Russo is murdered in the station, and his killer is soon murdered also. It looks like a payback from the Mafia for a squealer, but is it? Soon, Marienthal and those around him are in grave danger, and the story proceeds to a surprising and very satisfactory ending. Unlike what we see in many novels, Margaret Truman gives substance to her characters, which adds to a believable plot. I have read several of her novels, and this is the best that has come along. You should enjoy it.

Rating:
Summary: Hit man's murder is a capital mystery
Review: Margaret Truman, daughter of the for mer president, has always been among the few writers sufficiently conversant with the nation's capital and all its political intrigues to set a convincing murder mystery in its midst. "Murder at Union Station" is no exception.

Richard Marienthal is on the brink of publishing his first book, which everyone who knows him - including his girlfriend, Kathryn - believes to be a novel.

His father, a former mob lawyer, has even provided the name and location of an aging, former Mafia hit man in the witness-protection program to aid his research.

But when Geoff Lowe, aide to a powerful senator, befriends Marienthal and tells him he can get his book published as nonfiction, Marienthal allows himself to be compromised.

Lowe's hidden agenda is that his boss now will have on-the-record information capable of bringing down the president. But when the former hit man is summoned to Washington to testify before a congressional committee, he is murdered, and Lowe becomes just one of a number of people eager to get their hands on Marienthal's taped conversations with the man.

With local police and the FBI in hot pursuit, Marienthal - and the reader - have a hard time figuring out whom to trust.



Rating:
Summary: A Story of Political Intrigue
Review: Once in awhile I pick up a book from a novelist that I haven't read before, and read it. I have found some real gems this way, but I wouldn't say that this book did that for me. The book jacket summary, I felt did not fully explain what the book was about either. I expected something quite different from a pure political thriller before I began. I'm not sure if all Ms. Truman's books are politically motivated, but I won't be reading them to find out. In this book we have an author who is writing a book about an old mobster hit man, and the shock waves from the information the author has researched will rocket right up to the White House. The book is about keeping the reader's eye on the tapes that have the old mobster's words on them, rather than on individuals in the story. One exception is the big, boozy MPD detective - Bret Mullin. I really enjoyed his character, but in the end his contribution to the main plot was quite minimal.

Rating:
Summary: Another in the Capital Crimes series
Review: Rich Marienthal has written his first book. He wanted to write a novel based on information from a former mob hitman, but Geoff Lowe talked him into writing a non-fiction book based on the information. Geoff was able to get him a great publishing deal with Hobbes House.

When Louis Russo arrives in Washington, D.C., to help promote Rich's book and testify at Senator Widmer's hearings. He had crucial information that would help Widmer remove President Parmele from office and stop his run for a second term.

Unfortunately, when Russo arrives, Rich isn't there to pick him up, and he is killed at Union Station. Detective Bret Mullin and his partner Vince Accurso are in charge of the investigation. They find out from a reporter that a man said he knew who was killed. But, they don't know who that person was. They begin searching for him.

Former CIA agent Tim Stripling is told to meet with two FBI agents. He is told to find this mystery man.

Geoff decides if Russo can't testify, then Rich can testify and bring all his notes and recorded conversations. This puts Rich in a tough position. It later puts him in danger

Mac and Annabel Smith play minor rolls in this book. They assist Rich and his girlfriend Kathryn throughout this situation. Mac also assists Rich's father who is none too pleased with this book and what his son has gotten himself into.

While I liked this book, I like the books in this series better where Mac and Annabel play major roles. To me, they do a great job in assisting the police in the investigations.

I always like that these books are set in D.C. as I know most of the places mentioned. That always makes a book more real to me. The characters and their interactions were well written.

I recommend this book.


Rating:
Summary: An exciting ride in and out of Washington, D.C.
Review: Richard Marienthal is a struggling young writer wanting to make it to the big time. Kathryn Jalick is Richard's live in girlfriend, a Librarian who works at the Library of Congress. After so many years of taking jobs he's just not interested in, Richard convinces his father, a former criminal attorney, under the guise that he is working on his next novel, to help him gain access to a former hired killer of the mob. Louis Russo, former mob killer, in the witness protection program, is murdered at Union Station in cold blood. The media believes it is retaliation for turning state's witness 20 years before. Russo's killer is found dead. The police, FBI, and CIA all want to know what Russo was doing in Washington, D.C. Detective Bret Mullin has his personal problems but pursues the investigation even when he disagrees with the official answers. Politicians jockey for positions at the thought of potential explosive allegations regarding the President coming true. The insider's view of the places to eat, how the media is handled by the President's staff and vice-versa, as well as the knowledge of Washington D.C. makes this an enjoyable weekend read.

Rating:
Summary: The Nineteenth Murder-at Book and a Good One
Review: This is about the nineteenth "Murder at" mystery that Margaret Truman has written. It's possible that the first book, or even two or three would have gotten published just because of her name, but not nineteen. You publish nineteen books because you've developed a legion of fans that like your work.

This book will not dissappoint her fans. It's about a book. Of course there's a murder. The victim is on a train that will soon land him at Gate A-8 and, moments later at St. Peter's Gate. The problem is that the victim is a former mob hit man, government informer, and perhaps masterminded a top-secret assignment abroad for a very-high-profile Capitol Hill client. And what's in the book he helped write?

Enough already - Go read the book. You can be sure that the waves from the murder will reach strange places in the halls of Government, the intelligence agencies, the White House and more. After all, this is the mark of Ms. Truman's books, and she does them very well indeed.

Rating:
Summary: Unbelievable Good
Review: This is the best Margaret Truman to date. It starts with the murder of Lou Rosso. To all outside appearances it seems like a mob hit. But is it. You will really enjoy reading to find out. Excellent,Excellent.

Rating:
Summary: strong Capital Crimes who-done-it
Review: Writer Richard Marienthal's first book is a true crime exposé that made it to press only because former hitman Louis Russo, now a government informant hidden within the witness protection program, gave him the information he needs; the book is almost a biography of Russo only. Russo has agreed to return from hiding in Tel Aviv to promote Marienthal's debut effort.

However besides Marienthal waiting to meet Russo at DC's historical Union Station, someone else looks forward to greeting the aging retired mobster. That other greeter kills Russo. As the FBI, CIA, and local police investigate, Marienthal wonders whether this was a mob hit or something more devious as Russo had exposed an overseas operation he took care of for capital higher ups. The writer's musings turn personal with the epiphany that his book places in peril his fiancée Kathryn Jalick and those helping him bring it to publication, but also feels trapped as it is too late to turn back the hands of time as his beloved desperately wanted to happen as she saw the ruthless publishing world abduct him with money, adulation, and fame.

MURDER AT UNION STATION is a strong Capital Crimes who-done-it with conspiratorial elements that make for quite a tale as Richard finds his life spinning out of control just when he is on the brink of success. He makes the tale work as he goes from euphoric to concern to panic in a realistic manner. The support cast either spotlights Richard's conversion from Lady Macbeth level of ambition to dread of what he wrought onto loved ones and friends or furbish a deep look at the city. Margaret Truman does Washington like no one else.

Harriet Klausner