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In this thriller, the last of the Capital Crimes series by Margaret Truman (who passed away in January 2008), a presidential candidate's reputation is at stake when a murdered prostitute is found in the Adams-Morgan neighborhood of Washington. What makes this crime so threatening to so many powerful DC players is the call girl's habit of videotaping her sexual encounters. Called to investigate this bloody crime is veteran DC Detective Walt Hatcher and his two new assistants. Hatcher has his own set of problems, both personal and within the department. He's just trying to do his time till he can retire, but his own behavior has been called into question, and he doesn't feel like he is getting the respect he deserves. It seems that everyone is making his life miserable, including others in the department who have filed a complaint about him and a chief who expects him to apologize. Hatcher's assistants, Matthew Jackson and Mary Hall, also have a hard time adjusting to the tactics Hatcher employs. When they are reassigned to another detective working the kidnapping case of the daughter of a presidential advisor, Hatcher realizes his days in the department are numbered. The presidential candidate in question is known for his infidelities, and whispers abound that he may be one of the individuals recorded on the videotapes of the murdered prostitute, along with a Congressman and someone within the police ranks itself. In addition to these two cases, rumors are surfacing of police shaking down local merchants and perhaps even the murdered prostitute. It all builds to a crescendo of politics and crime in typical Truman fashion. While the author clearly has the pulse and details of life inside the Beltway down to a T, the novel suffers from its anticlimactic ending. Readers will have seen the ending coming from miles (chapters) away. For those who enjoy the trappings of political life and know the streets and neighborhoods of Washington, reading this mystery can provide a pleasant diversion. For those who enjoy a good twist or surprise ending, the book will probably disappoint.
Reviewed by Christine Zibas, November 2008
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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