Murder in the Smithsonian

Margaret Truman

10/31/2001

Dr. Lewis Tunney returns from London with some important, distressing news. He goes to the ball at the Smithsonian that evening and tells the vice president they need to discuss something important about that institution. Within a few more minutes, Tunney is skewered with Thomas Jefferson's sword.

Captain Hanrahan from the Washington police is put in charge of the investigation. The vice president wants this murder solved without ruining the reputation of the Smithsonian institute. Hanrahan keeps running into roadblocks with the directors of the different museums within the Smithsonian. The only cooperation he receives is from Tunney's fiancee. She also wonders if Tunney's death is related to her uncle's recent death.

This novel combines an intriguing mystery with an education of the Smithsonian Institute. I enjoyed learning more about the organization of the museum complex. Hanrahan is a well drawn character, and I believe he appears in one or two other of the Capitol Murders by Truman. This book is one of the earlier in the series, dating back to the 1980's. It does not get into the politics workings of the country, only of the museum. Once again, Truman gives us a well told story in a popularly known setting.

You can find more about this book at .

The Series:

Murder in the White House
Murder on Capitol Hill
Murder in the Supreme Court
Murder in the Smithsonian
Murder on Embassy Row
Murder at the FBI
Murder in Georgetown
Murder in the CIA
Murder at the Kennedy Center
Murder at the National Cathedral
Murder at the Pentagon
Murder on the Potomac
Murder at the National Gallery
Murder in the House
Murder at the Watergate
Murder in the Library of Congress
Murder in Foggy Bottom
Murder in Havana
Murder at Ford's Theater
Murder at Union Station
Murder at the Washington Tribune
Murder at the Opera
Murder on K Street