Truman's latest mystery is set in the dazzling, fast-paced world of international art. Lawyer turned gallery owner (and occasional amateur sleuth) Annabel Reed-Smith is the nominal heroine in a story that moves from Washington's National Gallery, where money, power, and great art reign, to the seedy back alleys of Rome, which serve as home to art forgers and thieves.
A weed-covered body discovered on the Potomac riverbank draws the husband-and-wife sleuth team of Mac and Annabel Smith into yet another intriguing plot in D.C.
Democratic congressman Paul Latham's candidacy for Secretary of State ends in an uproar when he is accused of sexual harassment by a woman who winds up dead.
The glittering cast of characters includes Vice President Joe Aprile, who plans to become president, if he can avoid a tempting vice; a glamorous Washington hostess and fund-raiser, Elfie Dorrance, with a propensity for marrying rich and powerful men and then grieving prettily at the end - their end; and Chris Hedras, a special assistant to the vice president, with some very special ambitions. And, of course, Annabel Smith, gallery owner, and Mac Smith, law school professor.