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Rating: 
Summary: Delightful Addition to a Solid Series!
Review: After a seventeen-novel run, you might think that Margaret Truman must have pretty well exhausted the possibilities for murder and mayhem on the Washington scene, but with "Murder at Ford's Theatre", she has found yet another fascinating new venue to explore in her popular 'Capital Crimes' series. Her real life premise? Restored to its original Civil War Era splendor and maintained by the National Park Service as an historic site, today Ford's is also a state-of-the-art, working theater run by the non-governmental Ford's Theatre Society. Fictional charismatic Clarise Emerson: former Hollywood TV producer, ex-wife of playboy Senator Bruce Lerner and presently a nominee for the Chairmanship of NEA is currently its producing director, but...aided by her new comptroller, Bernard Crowly...her primary concern is fund-raising and public relations, so she delegates the actual production mounting tasks to her staff of trained professionals including former Shakespearean matinee idol, Sydney Bancroft. When Sydney is a no-show at an early morning tech staff meeting, real life drama abruptly intrudes into Ford's make-believe world as a stagehand going out for a smoke stumbles over the badly beaten dead body of alluring volunteer intern, Nadia Zarinski. Seasoned police officers Rick Klayman and Mo Johnson 'catch' the case. As they pursue their investigation, among other confusing pieces of conflicting evidence, they uncover a romantic relationship between Nadia and Senator Lerner as well as one with his and Clarise's son, Jeremiah. After Jeremiah is arrested and charged with her murder, Clarise asks Lincoln scholar, legal expert and law professor Mac Smith and his wife Annabel...her close friends...to come to his rescue. In the novel's exciting denouement, their insiders' take on the tangled emotional environment at Ford's helps winnow out the real killer during a Gala evening at the Theatre while, on-stage, history almost repeats itself in a chilling tour de force performance by a madman.Margaret Truman has such a marvelous flair for capturing the minutiae of Washington's history as integral addenda to her thoroughly engrossing mysteries. She successfully combines a solidly-crafted police procedural format with completely believable characterizations and plenty of fast action to always provide an extremely pleasurable reading experience. I was especially interested in the material that I found here about the Theatre itself as well as Abraham Lincoln which made "Murder at Ford's Theatre" a thoroughly enjoyable read for me.
Rating: 
Summary: Worth Reading
Review: Ford Theatre is definitely a novel worth reading. With it's fantastic twists and turns. I couldn't wait to get to the end. Speculation abounds who had a motive It is a must read.
Rating:
Summary: An Inside the Beltway Thriller
Review: In her latest novel, Margaret Truman stages "Murder at Ford's Theatre" with a cast drawn from recent headlines and past novels in her Capital Crime Series. The murder of Senate intern Nadia Zarinski, romantically linked to her boss, outside the historic theatre now run by the senator's ex-wife and Hollywood producer, Clarisse Emerson, who is preparing for her confirmation hearing as the next chairperson of the National Endowment for the Arts sets off a media frenzy all too familar in the nation's capital. The case is so sensational that Truman's favorite Washington couple, George Washington University law professor Mackensie Smith and his wife Annabelle, are compelled to play leading roles once again. Supporting cast members and Lincoln buffs, detectives Klayman and Johnson, representing the Metropolitan Police Department, and Sydney Bancroft, aging British thespian and Ford Theatre artistic director, add colorful moments to this fast paced drama. It is impossible for me to criticise Truman's work. Her attention to detail especially about local landmarks and legends in Washington, DC provides the reader with a sense of place that locals recognize and visitors remember. I don't doubt that Truman strolled the cafes and galleries of Dupont Circle sipping latte at Kramerbooks & Afterwoods researching the details about historic Ford's Theatre that she got correct right down to the spelling. Above all, "Murder at Ford's Theatre" is first rate suspense. Whether you live inside the infamous beltway or not, add this book to your list right away.
Rating:
Summary: Historical Reruns
Review: Margaret Truman has entertained us for years with her homicidal tour of Washington landmarks. The current stop at Ford's Theater is no exception. Nadia, a young, sexy, female intern to powerful Senator Lerner is found dead in the alley outside of Ford's Theater, where she sometimes volunteered. The media had previously alleged sexual activity between her and the senator. Clarise, the director of the operating arm of the theater is the senator's ex-wife, currently preparing for confirmation hearings on her appointment to head the National Endowment for the Arts. Their son may be the last person to have seen the intern alive. While there are other suspects, the police narrow in on the son, and Clarise calls on friend Mackensie Smith to help out. Smith, and his wife Annabel, are the usual principles in Truman's Washington tours, but this time we have new characters in the leading roles. D.C. police Rick Klayman, the young white detective and his veteran partner Mo Johnson carry the investigation and much of the story line to its not unexpected but still satisfying conclusion. Along the way we learn quite a bit about Lincoln, the theater, the assasination, Booth, and others. There is even a has-been British Shakespearean actor, and admirer of Booth, who attempts to recreate that worthy's most famous role. All in all, Truman has given us another enjoyable and educational stop on her continuing tour.
Rating:
Summary: Historical Reruns
Review: Margaret Truman has entertained us for years with her homicidal tour of Washington landmarks. The current stop at Ford's Theater is no exception. Nadia, a young, sexy, female intern to powerful Senator Lerner is found dead in the alley outside of Ford's Theater, where she sometimes volunteered. The media had previously alleged sexual activity between her and the senator. Clarise, the director of the operating arm of the theater is the senator's ex-wife, currently preparing for confirmation hearings on her appointment to head the National Endowment for the Arts. Their son may be the last person to have seen the intern alive. While there are other suspects, the police narrow in on the son, and Clarise calls on friend Mackensie Smith to help out. Smith, and his wife Annabel, are the usual principles in Truman's Washington tours, but this time we have new characters in the leading roles. D.C. police Rick Klayman, the young white detective and his veteran partner Mo Johnson carry the investigation and much of the story line to its not unexpected but still satisfying conclusion. Along the way we learn quite a bit about Lincoln, the theater, the assasination, Booth, and others. There is even a has-been British Shakespearean actor, and admirer of Booth, who attempts to recreate that worthy's most famous role. All in all, Truman has given us another enjoyable and educational stop on her continuing tour.
Rating:
Summary: A great mystery set at Ford's Theatre in DC
Review: Nadia Zarinski, intern to Senator Lerner, is found dead in the alley out back of Ford's Theatre in DC. She volunteered time at the Theatre now and then. She was found by Johnny Wales, a stage hand at the theatre. The only eyewitness to her murder is John Partridge. He is an alcoholic and thinks he is a CIA agent. He was sleeping it off in the alley. Detectives Rick Klayman and Mo Johnson are investigating this death. There are rumors that Nadia and Senator Lerner were involved. The Senator's ex-wife, Clarise, is the head of Ford's Theatre and was unaware that Nadia was volunteering time at the theatre. Clarise is also to be confirmed as the head of the National Endowment of Arts within the week. The Senator and Clarise's son Jeremiah becomes a suspect in the murder when a previous boyfriend of hers mentions that Jeremiah dated Nadia. That information is confirmed by another source. Mac Smith is now a professor of law. He is teaching a special class on Lincoln the lawyer. He was a criminal lawyer until a drunk driver hit and killed his first wife and only son. He is remarried to Annabel who was a divorce lawyer and now owns and operates a Columbia art gallery. Mac is asked by Clarise to assist Jeremiah when he is arrested. Mac and his former law partner Yale Becker represent Jeremiah. Detective Klayman wonders if they haven't been hasty in arresting Jeremiah. He's not convinced that all the other suspects were sufficiently interrogated. Mac and Annabel are surprised by the Senator's and Clarise's detachment from Jeremiah through this ordeal. Detective Klayman is very interested in President Lincoln and attends Mac's class. They are careful to not discuss this case, just Lincoln. I am very happy that Margaret Truman has returned to her Capital Crimes series. I like Mac and Annabel and always enjoy seeing Mac get involved in a murder investigation. They feel like very down-to-earth people to me. Like your neighbor next door. The Senator in this book was very well written. He was very detached and always too busy to deal with the daily problems. All of the peripheral characters were well constructed as well. In the end of the book, I found myself flip-flopping from thinking one person did it to another. I wasn't able to easily pick out the killer. A sign of a good mystery! I highly recommend this book and all the books in this series. The fact that I know the DC/VA area that was discussed always makes it more interesting.
Rating:
Summary: A great mystery set at Ford's Theatre in DC
Review: Nadia Zarinski, intern to Senator Lerner, is found dead in the alley out back of Ford's Theatre in DC. She volunteered time at the Theatre now and then. She was found by Johnny Wales, a stage hand at the theatre. The only eyewitness to her murder is John Partridge. He is an alcoholic and thinks he is a CIA agent. He was sleeping it off in the alley. Detectives Rick Klayman and Mo Johnson are investigating this death. There are rumors that Nadia and Senator Lerner were involved. The Senator's ex-wife, Clarise, is the head of Ford's Theatre and was unaware that Nadia was volunteering time at the theatre. Clarise is also to be confirmed as the head of the National Endowment of Arts within the week. The Senator and Clarise's son Jeremiah becomes a suspect in the murder when a previous boyfriend of hers mentions that Jeremiah dated Nadia. That information is confirmed by another source. Mac Smith is now a professor of law. He is teaching a special class on Lincoln the lawyer. He was a criminal lawyer until a drunk driver hit and killed his first wife and only son. He is remarried to Annabel who was a divorce lawyer and now owns and operates a Columbia art gallery. Mac is asked by Clarise to assist Jeremiah when he is arrested. Mac and his former law partner Yale Becker represent Jeremiah. Detective Klayman wonders if they haven't been hasty in arresting Jeremiah. He's not convinced that all the other suspects were sufficiently interrogated. Mac and Annabel are surprised by the Senator's and Clarise's detachment from Jeremiah through this ordeal. Detective Klayman is very interested in President Lincoln and attends Mac's class. They are careful to not discuss this case, just Lincoln. I am very happy that Margaret Truman has returned to her Capital Crimes series. I like Mac and Annabel and always enjoy seeing Mac get involved in a murder investigation. They feel like very down-to-earth people to me. Like your neighbor next door. The Senator in this book was very well written. He was very detached and always too busy to deal with the daily problems. All of the peripheral characters were well constructed as well. In the end of the book, I found myself flip-flopping from thinking one person did it to another. I wasn't able to easily pick out the killer. A sign of a good mystery! I highly recommend this book and all the books in this series. The fact that I know the DC/VA area that was discussed always makes it more interesting.
Rating:
Summary: The Reviewer
Review: This book contains content beyond nice. I cried and cried. The murder.
Rating: 
Summary: I was hoping for more...
Review: This was not one of Truman's best books. I kept waiting for some action and mystery... and then it did not come. The other Capital Crimes book I read most recently (Murder at the Smithsonian; Library of Congress) had a lot more intrigue. I did like the many DC references, but those are in all of her books... hopefully Ms. Truman will have some better books to offer in the future.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent addition!
Review: Yes, it does remind one of the sorry scandal in Washington concerning Chandra Levy, and it makes one think these things still go on. No one ever learns....... Ms Truman is a reliable author, I alway enjoy her books. This one kept me reading and losing sleep in order to get to the solution. Many educational tidbits also given. A very worthwhile read and I remain a devoted reader of all her books. I am anxious to see where the next crime scene will take place. Surely, not the Botanical Gardens! :D
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