The Sign of the Book

Cliff Janeway #4

by John Dunning

Entreated by partner Erin D'Angelo to help in the case of a friend, who has been accused of murdering her husband, avid book collector Cliff Janeway investigates and discovers that the victim possessed a valuable collection of books.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Books About Books, Mystery Thriller, Crime, Audiobook, Detective

513 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published March 8, 2005

About the author

John Dunning was an American writer of non-fiction and detective fiction. He was known for his reference books on old-time radio and his series of mysteries featuring Denver bookseller and ex-policeman Cliff Janeway.

Reviews

[Algernon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paradise is a tiny, out-of-the-way county, in the mountains just west of the Continental Divide. This is almost as remote as a traveler can safely go without backpack and mules. You don't just stumble into Paradise: you go there only with a purpose.

What lures Cliff Janeway to Paradise is a combination of the two ingredients that makes this series so special for me: a hardboiled criminal investigation and a very rare and special book collection. Janeway is a former tough as nails Denver cop who got thrown out of the Force for roughing up one of his suspects. Since then he has discovered a new passion in life as a dealer in rare books. He has his own boutique set in a once disreputable part of town and would like to take it easy for awhile, watching the world go by and perusing his beloved shelves:

I could sit on my stool and watch the passing parade through my storefront window all day long: humanity of all kinds walked, drove, skateboarded, and sometimes ran past like bats out of hell. In the few years since I had opened shop on this corner, I had seen a runaway car, a gunfight, half a dozen fistfights, and this lone whore, who had a haunting smile and the world's saddest eyes.

Yet what I learned from the previous three episodes in the series is that the bookworld can be just as dangerous and cutthroat as the drug trade or the bank robbing business. So Janeway is often forced to lead with his fists and to ask questions later as he follows the trail of first editions and unique manuscripts.

The Paradise case starts with a man being shot in his own remote mansion in the small moutain city. The main suspect is his own wife, who happens to be the former best friend of Cliff's current heart throb Erin. To complicate matters even further, the victim is also connected to Erin, being her former boyfriend who cheated on her all those years ago with Laura, the accused. Since Erin is a very good attorney, Laura asks her to put the past behind and take on the case. Erin is afraid her own involvement in the family's past would cloud her judgement. So she asks Cliff Janeway to head over to Paradise, to dig around and advise her. The investigation soon picks up the scent of a black operation in very special rare books signed by authors and other famous people. Hence the title.

I believe that's enough of a synopsis to give you a feel for the story. Dunning is as usual in fine form writing a sharp crime story with a classic noir vibe (the novel "Laura" is referenced in several places) and managing to fill the spaces between the action sequences with both black humor and witty dialogue, with memorable secondary characters, and with tantalizing glimpses at the nuts and bolts of the specialized book trade. His passion for the subject shines through the pages brightly and is what really sets the series apart from other good crime fiction.

"You interested in books?"Simms said.
"Sure, isn't everybody?" I said, knowing full well how few people really are, how pitifully few ever read anything more than the morning newspaper.

also,
I love to buy books I love, and I am in no hurry to sell them.

Some of the observations Cliff makes about the business of buying and selling books is depressing, as in the note about how few people are still reading and cherishing the printed word. He's also on point with remarks about how big money and fast internet is pushing the traditional lone wolf book scout out of the trade.

When you take the best parts of any business away from the masses and hand it over to the rich, you can't be too surprised when it starts dying on the inside.

I'm hoping that Cliff Janeway doesn't throw in the towel and that he will continue to hunt for those rare editions and for the people who try to game the system. I'm eager to continue with this series.

—«»—«»—«»—

Last note is a gem I picked up from the Paradise investigation: there actually is a book that the movie is based on and it's called "The Ballad of Cat Ballou" by Roy Chanslor. I wonder if it is still in print or re-released as an ebook?

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I bought John Dunning's The Sign of the Book as an audio book on CD specifically so I would have an author I'd read and enjoyed before available the next time I needed/wanted to make a road trip up north to see my parents. That happened in early March and I popped the first CD in and headed to Wabash. Everything was fine until I got to the third disc (on the way back home, actually) and George Guidall (our reader) gave us a more in-depth introduction to Deputy Walsh, who is a WAY more annoying, bumbling, self-righteous, opinionated version of Barney Fife. The vocal impersonation he chose for this character drove me absolutely nuts. And there were six more CDs to get through and no way of knowing how much of that time was going to be devoted to the fine deputy. I couldn't do it. So, I abandoned my personal audio copy and ordered up the book from the library--because I wanted to claim it for challenges and, more importantly, I wanted to know who did it. So--although I started this on CD, I read more than two-thirds of it in print and am totally counting it for the Strictly Print Challenge among others.

John Dunning's Bookman Series features Cliff Janeway, a former cop who took up bookselling when he had to leave the force and who has become an expert in various aspects of the field. His expertise often leads him into murderous territory and his experience as a cop helps him solve crimes both bookish and deadly. In this, Janeway's fourth recorded case, he is asked by his bookstore partner, Erin D'Angelo, to help her childhood friend, Laura Marshall. Laura is accused of killing her husband and wants Erin, who is also a successful trial lawyer, to defend her. Ostensibly, Erin wants Cliff to look over the books in the Marshall home to see if their value would help Laura afford a high-quality lawyer. But Erin also wants Cliff to use his abilities as an ex-cop to assess the situation--does he think Laura did it? If not, why did she initially confess? And if she didn't, does he see a way to mount a defense? It's a lot to process in a short time, but it doesn't take Cliff long to figure out that there's something fishy going on. It may be that he doesn't like Deputy Walsh, but he's pretty sure it's not just a personality conflict that's got his instincts on full alert. Something about Walsh's story just doesn't click. And who are the mysterious men who try to get access to the Marshall home in the early hours one morning? Just how valuable are those books anyway? It all builds to a very surprising grand finale.

This was an enjoyable entry in the Janeway series. Cliff Janeway is an excellent character he's got his ex-cop background that gives him depth, but Dunning doesn't waste a lot of time on angst over what used to be (which seems to be a thing with modern mysteries--the detective has to have a lot of depressing crap going on in his/her life or they're just not interesting enough).Janeway uses his street smarts mixed with bookish know-how to solve his mysteries in interesting ways. Dunning does need to work on the way he represents relationships, though. Janeway and D'Angelo are more than just store partners and friends, but their conversations are not terribly natural. He gives Janeway a good understanding of his partner and expresses that when he tells us about the two of them together, but he doesn't show that understanding in the dialogue. That and the utterly stereotypical deputy caricature prevents a higher rating. ★★★ and a half. Rounded to four here.

First posted on my blog My Reader's Bloc. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.

[Kasa Cotugno · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cliff Janeway, John Dunning's ex-cop bookstore owner, works on yet another murder that utilizes his knowledge of what makes a book valuable, in this case, signed books. As with Dick Francis, Dunning has crafted mysteries around a subject not usually associated with crime, imparting much information about his chosen subject. It's been a while since I read the first three in the Janeway series, but it was a pleasure to rediscover him.

[Wendy Hearder-moan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mystery novel by an author who is also a book dealer, a protagonist who is an ex-cop with expertise in rare books, a murder victim who is a bibliophile and whose library may or may not contain valuable autographed copies, some unsavory characters dealing in books with forged signatures...what more could a librarian/mystery lover want? Especially when the detective is, as described by a reviewer, more like Jack Reacher than Miss Marple!

[Valentina "TinchyB" · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really needed little break from all those romance novels I've been reading in the past few months.
So,when I took this one,I just knew it that I wouldn't be disappointed!
I really love all Cliff Janeway books so this one wasn't exception!
Big 5 stars!

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite Janeway novel to date. Very well written and lots of excitement. 9 of 10 stars for this excellent story.

[John Biddle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed The Sign of the Book by John Dunning, the 4th of the 5 in the Cliff Janeway series immensely. I've read the other 4 but a while back and hadn't thought about them in some time, but they are probably the highest I've rated books in one series (four 5s and a 4). Now that's consistency.

Cliff Janeway, the main character, is an ex Denver homicide cop now a rare bookseller. He's very likeable with an easy going manner but don't piss him off. The stories, like this one, are all murder mysteries and all revolve somehow around the world of books, collectors and booksellers.

In this one, Cliff investigates a murder because the accused is an old estranged friend of his girlfriend/attorney Erin D'Angelo but unsure she wants the case (the accused slept with her boyfriend many years ago and they never reconciled). Cliff's excuse for going is to examine the accused's now deceased husband's book collection, which turns out to be something special indeed.

The story is a good one that keeps you reading with many surprises and twists along the way. But for me it's Cliff himself that gets my interest the most. It's a shame there are only 5 of these and unlikely to be more as the author is seriously ill.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sign of the Book by John Dunning is the 4th in the Bookman series starring Cliff Janeway. I love this series for two reasons – they are terrific mysteries and all the information about book selling and book collecting. Cliff Janeway used to be a Denver cop, but now owns a bookstore in a seedy section of the city. His girlfriend, Erin, an attorney, asks Cliff to travel to Paradise, Colorado to investigate a murder. She’s been asked to defend an old friend, Laura Marshall. Laura’s been accused of murdering her husband, who also has an outstanding library featuring signed books. Most of the time I quickly figure out how the book will end, but this one stunned me. Add in all the interesting bookish details and it was a winner for me. Sadly, there were only 5 books in this series and I only have one more to look forward to – The Bookwoman’s Last Fling.

[msleighm]

Audiobook dnf

[Harry · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Dunning's Cliff Janeway series ranks among my top favorites in mystery/detective series. When I think of Dunning an inevitable comparison takes place in my little grey cells: if you like Dick Francis you will love John Dunning. Why the comparison? What I often find delightful in fiction is not just the story itself; what delights is the acquisition of knowledge on a particular subject. Dick Francis in addition to handing his readers a well crafted mystery delights his readers with his thorough examination of the horse racing world. There is no doubt that when one thinks of horse racing, one thinks of Dick Francis. John Dunning accomplishes the same by delivering to his readers a thorough insider's knowledge of the art of collecting books. When one thinks of antiquarian books; when one thinks of book scouts; when one thinks of avid book collectors, book scams, and book shops across this great nation: one thinks of John Dunning.

When one stumbles across a writer who not only delivers a great story but also infuses one with knowledge than this writer has the power to influence one's life personally. For example: it was due to Ayn Rand's novels that my philosophical perspective on the world and my life in it changed. In the case of John Dunning I became engrossed in book collecting: how can one forget an author when my glass encased book cases, filled with signed first editions of my favorite authors, are filled to the brim as a direct result of reading Booked To Die.

John Dunning is not a man of the computer age. His is a world of typewriters. He says: "Unlike a computer, a great old manual typewriter was an honest machine. You did your work, it did its work." Is it any wonder than that his sentences are among the best crafted? No room for mistakes. Syntax, clauses, and style fuse together in a Dunning book with absolute clarity. Dunning is a writer that appeals to the intellect while simultaneously attracting mystery lovers with his behind-the-scenes look at the world of books: the moral and ethical circumstances that drive any great mystery, including death.

Cliff Janeway, our hero, is in many ways a reflection of the writer. Here the comparison with Dick Francis continues. Where Francis writes about the Queen's sport (horse racing) as a result of having spent a good deal of his life as a jockey himself, Dunning writes about books as a result of having owned his own book store in Denver. Where Francis writes about the racing world in England where he spent his jockey years, Dunning's protagonist Cliff Janeway, a former cop, owns a book store in Denver as well. The adage that one write "about what one knows" is never more true with these two writers. Francis's heroes are a reflection of the writer himself: in the case of Francis we empathize with a thoroughly honorable, ethical and objective human being and in the case of Dunning we face our own conflicts through a conflicted hero not averse to violence but compelled by a proper moral ethic that guides the hero through his various delimmas. As with Dunning who struggled with ADD, being a poor student, and taking the hard road to his own calling, so does Janeway struggle with authority, with finding his true calling as one reads about a cop turned book collector in the Cliff Janeway novels.

And finally I have to wonder about the formula in play here. Did Dunning stumble upon the perfect subject inadvertently or did it come about as a reflection of his own life? Let's face it, what more compelling subject matter for a mystery/detective series could have been chosen than to appeal to the reader himself: it is our love of reading, our love of books that draws us to these pages. And in the case of Dunning, our satisfaction is doubled because what we are reading about is the very thing from which we draw our pleasure: the world of books.

As with all my series reviews, if you've read this review of the Cliff Janeway series, you've read 'em all.

[Anita Lynch-Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

A murder mystery and book collectors reference together one book. John Dunning's bookman series introduced me to the world of book collectors and book scouts, people who would go to any length to acquire the right book. I learned that book club books are worthless. Never discard the book jacket. The only signature that belongs in a book is that of the author in most cases.

The sign of the book is about a murdered man who may have had a rare book collection. Did the wife do it or was it their autistic son. Lots of red herrings.

[LJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

THE SIGN OF THE BOOK (Amateur Sleuth-Colorado-Cont) – G+
Dunning, John – 4th in series
Scribner, 2005- Hardcover
Cliff Janeway is a former policeman and now bookstore owner and collector. He is asked by his attorney girlfriend Erin to investigate the arrest of Erin's former best friend, Laura, who has confessed to killing her husband. What he finds is a woman, who may be trying to protect her disabled son, a bully deputy who has badly mishandled a murder scene, and a house full of signed 1st editions.
*** Dunning has created a wonderful character in Janeway. He's a tough ex-cop who knows how do to long stakeouts, understands judges and knows when a crime scene investigation has been bungled. He also knows books, finding, valuing and selling them. It's a combination that leads to a fully dimensional, and very interesting, character. He also knows how to build an excellent supporting cast, create a sense of place and build tension. If I wish his dialogue were better, that's a small criticism. For those of us who love books and tough-but-tender investigators, this is a very enjoyable series.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another enjoyable book by John Dunning. The plot is clever and interesting, the characters are well drawn.

[Nick Stika · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Bookman series is one of my favorites. Very cleverly written, and I love the Colorado settings.

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was another interesting fast paced read. I learned more about the book trade as well as some fascinating insights into defending a murderer. The story takes an unexpected turn at the end that I did not see at all, but maybe I should have. I have one more of the Janeway series left to read. It's on order, but not yet here.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

We all know the feeling of picking up a book at a sale from an author you don't know, but the title sounds good. Did I hit the jackpot on this one! Excellent story, good characters, keeps your interest and after all, it's about books!!! Excellent read - I can't wait to read more of this author.

[Johnny · Rating 4 out of 5]

With enough “red herrings” to hold a fish-fry, The Sign of the Book is not only a solid mystery that fooled my self-conceived expertise until the climactic sequence of events, but it offers fascinating insights into human psychology as well. The fourth in the series of Cliff Janeway novels where the ex-cop turned rare book dealer becomes ensconced in a relatively esoteric mystery is fraught with human mystery, as well. Why does a decades-estranged friend call upon the wronged friend to defend her? Is it truly to be defended or to ensure a guilty verdict? And why might she want a guilty verdict?

Unlike many a mystery series where mysteries come to small towns in serial hordes or where a protagonist in an innocuous profession cannot check the mail without stumbling over a corpse, The Sign of the Book has a certain credibility to it. Janeway’s lover is a top-notch attorney and he “moonlights” from his rare book hunting passion to do the occasional investigation for her. So, since Erin has received this plea from out of her past, she sends Cliff to investigate.

Now, even if you don’t know that Cliff despises folks with “Wyatt Earp Syndrome,” those people in official capacities (whether judge, law officer, district attorney, or bureaucrat) who strut like martinets and abuse their authority, you might have predicted the city-rural suspicion and animosity that would occur when Janeway appears in a small mountain town to investigate. Janeway immediately runs afoul of the arresting deputy, but you can’t tell if he is a total incompetent or a potential suspect. Janeway also meets the country attorney who proves to be significantly more competent than either he or Erin originally speculate.

Add to the mix an “autistic savant” who might just hold the key to the entire mystery, an officious judge who vacillates between dedication and self-promotion, a suspiciously high concentration of signed, rare books, and the fascinating book scene in Los Angeles [Yes, this mystery takes Janeway to the coast at one point!] so that you have a spicy stew of possibilities. Further season that stew of possibilities with Janeway’s emotional involvement with the case which puts matters and himself foolishly at risk on more than one occasion and you have an exquisite mystery.

Fans of The Bookman series should certainly not be disappointed in this mystery. The Sign of the Book could easily have devolved into a television movie of the week (or, more accurately for the present, an experimental series for a streaming network), but it has enough clever ruses, intense emotion, and human frailty to make it a serious drama. I found myself figuratively saying, “Don’t open that door!” on enough occasions that I felt like this one seemed even more real to me than the others.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first but not my last, July 20, 2012
By Ellen Rappaport (Florida)
This review is from: The Sign of the Book (Cliff Janeway Novels) (Paperback)
This was my first Cliff Janeway Bookman story but I will be reading more in this series.

Cliff Janeway is a rare book dealer and runs a book store along with his partner, Erin D'Angelo. Erin's former love interest, Robert Marshall, has been murdered. Cliff finds his wife, Laura, has been taken into custody without the aid of a lawyer. Cliff starts to investigate and finds a rare collection of books may be at the center of this murder.

That's when the "Preacher" comes to the attention of Cliff. The Preacher is a tall strange sort of character that runs a rare book collection with many books signed by the authors. But are those signatures authentic? And how can cliff go about finding who is actually signing them?

I listened to this fabulous mystery on CD narrated/performed by George Guidall. G.G. executed a magnificent job at interpreting the authors words precisely and with depth that added another dimension to this story. There was one scene, in particular, that had me rolling with laughter. It was when the Preacher was over the top paranoid about the relentless Cliff showing up at his every turn. The preacher goes into his bathroom after ranting about his feelings of being constantly stalked by cliff only to find cliff standing in his shower. Cliff then smiles and winks at the Preacher which sends the preacher into a frenzy falling backwards entangling himself in the shower curtain. He flees from his house and jumps into his car speeding away with his side kick running after the car. Absolutely hilarious.

I can only say, "why have I not heard more about this author and this fabulous series?" Have already requested 2 more books in this series and I highly recommend this book and series to all serious mystery lovers.

[Sandie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Life is different these days for Cliff Janeway. He gave up his career as a police detective and has reinvented himself as a bookseller, a trader and seller of rare books. The book store is humming along as is his love life with his girlfriend, Erin D'Angelo, a lawyer. He's about as content as he can remember being.

Then Erin comes to the bookstore, obviously upset. When she decides to tell him what's wrong, he hears a story about betrayal and first love. Erin had been engaged to a man, Bobby Marshall. The engagement ended when Marshall and her best friend, Laura, had an affair. Erin cut them both from her life and the two married. She hasn't had any contact for over a decade when Laura's lawyer calls. Bobby has been murdered and Laura has been arrested. She wants Erin to come and defend her.

Erin is torn. Laura is planning to pay for her defense with the rare book collection Bobby had amassed and Erin asks Cliff to drive to Laura's town, check out the collection and see what the facts are in the case. Once he reports back, Erin will decide if her former friendship is an obligation to defend Laura and dredge up old memories.

Janeway drives to the small Colorado town where the Marshalls have been living. He encounters a small town mentality that has already convicted Laura, antagonistic law enforcement and a book collection that surpasses all his expectations. There are already unscrupulous book dealers circling around. Erin decides she must come to Laura's rescue. Can she save her old friend?

This is the fourth in the Cliff Janeway mystery series. Cliff is an interesting detective, mixing knowledge of legal investigation and books. The mystery moves along quickly with interesting twists and turns. This book is recommended for mystery readers.

[El · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this Bookman Novel, detective-turned-bookseller/detective-hanger-on, two years have passed since the last time we have read about his adventures. He has a lovely lawyer lady-friend now, and is asked by her to become involved in a case surrounding her estranged childhood friend. There is, of course, a book mystery that Janeway must solve in order to solve the true nature of the case, and he uses his old detective skills, his newer bookseller trade experiences and good ol' fashioned law-breaking and skull-cracking behaviors to help find what he needs.

Much better than his previous book, though this one started slowly. I worried that the whole story would feel that way; luckily, however, things picked up. Dunning is not particularly good at writing amorously, so a lot of the details involving conversation between Janeway and his new lover, Erin, are stilted and rather boring. Gratefully there is very little of it and I could rot my brain simply on the book mystery.

[Note to bro: I'll bring it over next time we hang out. Quick read, will be perfect for you so you don't have to think too much between work/class/clinicals/sleep.
I'll see if I can swing by one day and drop it in your mailbox. Otherwise I'll bring it in a couple weeks.]

[Benjamin Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 4th Cliff Janeway book and, I believe, the best so far. Basically, these are hard-boiled crime novels featuring a sleuth who is a former cop but now runs his own antiquarian bookstore in downtown Denver. The author, John Dunning is himself, an antiquarian book dealer in Denver so he knows his book lore and that is initially what drew me to the series. What could be better than a mystery plot surrounding the book trade?

Of course that's only the premise. You still have to have good characterization, plotting, etc. and, of course, a great mystery to solve. That's all here and in spades. If you haven't discovered John Dunning yet, get ye to a bookstore or download the first one Booked To Die today!

[Peter Sidell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I discovered Dunning’s books twenty to thirty years ago. I tried to read all his books as they came out. Too long ago to recall which I actually read. That means even if I read them now its like the first time.
This story about a childhood friend of Erin’s being accused of murder and Janeway’s evolvement in her defense explores a small Colorado mountain town and the challenges of a young man who is an autistic savant artist. Clever character development from the kindly old small town lawyer to the stupid mean deputy who enjoy’s being a bully. Plenty of unexpected twists to keep the pages turning.

[Phair · Rating 2 out of 5]

Audio read by George Guidall in a very 'soothing' voice that made this impossible to listen to in bed without drifting off into sleep. Dragged a little at first but then got better. Learned a bit about signed modern first editions & book fairs but overall this didn't leave me with a burning desire to read more Janeway novels.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm delighted every time I pick up a copy of this great series, and again I was not disappointed with this one. Great characters, great plot, fun bibliophile information. Janeway is no pansy, he's a tough ex-cop turned book-seller who will go to great lengths to solve the mysteries he finds himself involved in.

[Andy · Rating 2 out of 5]

George Guidall is a great narrator but this is not a great book. It's OK to have a far-fetched premise at the beginning but it's annoying when the main character just keeps sinking into crazier and crazier vigilante/fascist escapades based on nothing but his hunches.

[Marti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Glad to continue this series. The narrator of the audio version is wonderfully perfect.

Listening length 10 hr on nine discs

[Dav · Rating 3 out of 5]

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THE SIGN OF THE BOOK
By John Dunning, pub. 2005.
Book 4 of the Cliff Janeway series.

Cliff Janeway and his lawyer girlfriend Erin D'Angelo have been together for 2 years and she's now a partner in his bookstore which specializes in first editions and rare books. She wants Cliff to relocate the bookstore from it's long-time location on seedy East Colfax street in Denver to a better neighborhood away from the bums and harlots. Janeway likes it here. He has "tenure" and even people 2,000 miles away know where to find his store.

Some 10 years ago Laura and Bobby Marshall had an affair and ended up getting married. The problem was Laura had been Erin's BFF since childhood and Bobby and Erin had been sweethearts ever since High School. One thing Erin knows for sure, she will never forgive her ex best friend for the betrayal. Laurel Marshall is now in the county jail accused of murdering her hubby Bobby. Their kids, the twins age 5 and Jerry their 11-year-old adopted son, are staying with Bobby's parents. Jerry is very bright but doesn't speak, in fact he's never said a word since they adopted him at age four.

The lawyer Parley McNamara is representing Laura, but she asks for Erin who's the criminal defense attorney she really wants on the case. Laura also wants the chance to apologize, again, for the past and to let Erin know she still loves her. Rather than go herself, Erin persuades Janeway to play detective, travel to the little mountain town of Paradise, Colorado and check on the case against Erin and to have a look at her dead hubby's book collection which may or may not be of value.

The case against Laura seems to be open and shut, after all she admitted “I shot Bobby,” but will not say why she did it. She was found covered in blood, sitting at the table with the murder weapon, a revolver, lying on the floor not far from Bobby's body. The arresting officer was Deputy Lennie Walsh, a hostile screwball who hadn't followed procedure and may have already messed up the crime scene.

Janeway, Erin, and local attorney Parley McNamara discover the case against Laura Marshall is far more complicated than it seems. Eventually Laura admits she was protecting her son Jerry when she took the blame. Laura had been out walking when she heard a gunshot. She ran across the field and back to the house where she saw Jerry holding the revolver and his stepdad Bobby was dead on the floor from a shot to the head and the heart. After all, Laura says, Jerry never liked Bobby.

Bobby's book collection appears to be all valuable signed editions and Janeway worries they may be stolen if they are left in the house unattended. Until arrangements can be made to remove and store the books, Cliff takes it upon himself to stake out the place. It's winter in the Colorado mountains and he has to trudge through the snow, wear warm clothes, make brief excursions to the store for food and has a sleeping bag where he camps out on the floor in the house. While Erin is trying to get her client absolved of murder charges, Janeway is discovering the family had other incriminating secrets. - edited and expanded

.

Janeway really misses being a cop, but he'll not become a PI cuz private investigators are just pretenders, they're on the outside without access to all the cop resources that are so useful on the job. Nevertheless with a reputation for solving problem cases Cliff has earned the moniker of "book cop." As a savvy bookman Janeway recognizes the likely demise of the local bookstore and the book trade as it's been for so many years. With the emerging internet anyone will be able to find a book for themselves at any time.

Once Erin agrees to help defend her ex-best friend, she and attorney Parley settle on the unknown third party defense. Bobby's murderer was an unknown killer, because Laura didn't do it and Jerry was just seen holding the gun after the fact.

While Janeway is guarding the books in Laura's house and making a list of all of them, a truck pulls into the yard but, when there's no answer to their horn honking they drive off and on a hunch Cliff follows them. In the snowy weather the guys in the truck went off the road and Janeway gives the two brothers a ride, along with a number of boxes full of books that had been in the bed of the truck. Willie and Wally Keeler claim to be traveling booksellers. To Cliff it's an obvious lie since he knows all about the book business. They're lying, so Cliff decides to lie as well, telling them he's a professional gambler who successfully plays the horses and is on his way to a hot date with a waitress.

He drives the brothers to a warehouse where they unload the book boxes and he meets the proprietor, the Preacher. The warehouse is filled with thousands of books and since they're for sale, Cliff browses the stacks and buys a few books which are a good price for being first editions or signed copies. Preacher is very tall and creepy and there's definitely something suspicious about the whole operation.

Meanwhile the lawyers have a hearing before the judge to suppress evidence obtained by the inept Deputy Walsh and his tampering with evidence at the crime scene comes out. He's also in contempt of court and walks out of the proceedings and a warrant is issued for his arrest, but he manages to disappear.

•

Following are story details and how it all ends, only if you’re interested.

Cliff makes a nuisance of himself dogging the Preacher and his two bellicose sidekicks. At the book fair in Burbank, north L.A. he buys a book at the Preacher's book display and gives it to a specialist to examine the signature. It's a likely forgery. The Preacher makes nice and invites Janeway to dinner. It's a ruse to get him alone and what, beat him or maybe kill him?

After Janeway has dinner by himself, he's attacked by Wally in the parking lot who trys bashing Cliff with a pipe wrench and Wally's the one who gets a beating. Back in Colorado the Preacher and the boys are packing up a U-Haul with all the warehouse books, preparing to flea the area and since Janeway can't yet prove the illegality of their book scam, he can't legitimately stop them. Cliff also did a bit of very illegal B&E at the preacher's house, snooping through his files and even being caught hiding in the shower when the Preacher came home unexpectedly.

The kids were taken away from the grandparents since grandpa was hostile to Jerry, the problem kid. While with Social Services they discover Jerry is actually an autistic savant, able to draw a detailed and accurate depiction of anything he's seen. At this point some readers may figure out Bobby and Laura were using Jerry to sign the collectible books. A signed copy greatly increases the value of certain books and the Preacher was selling these forgeries, making them all rich.

Soon the case against Laura is dropped especially since the prosecution's witness, the corrupt Deputy Walsh, has gone missing in addition to bungling the crime scene. Laura has her kids back, rents a house in town and contemplates selling their nice home on the hill with all the land.

The deputy is found shot dead at his cabin hideout. Up to this point in the story it’s been mostly intriguing and believable, for the most part. Then when the story reaches its climax, the big reveal, the whodunit, it falls off the believability cliff and into mostly ridiculous nonsense.

The Preacher and his two accomplices get away with their forged book conspiracy of bringing cheap books to Bobby, who then had his savant stepson Jerry perfectly copy an author's signature into specific books. The Preacher and his boys would then sell them to dealers and at book fairs. Since there are no warrants or charges against the three miscreants, I guess they got away with it.

The author seems to be using the Preacher character as a reason to rail against all religions, especially those with zealous ministers and Janeway really hates zealots. The Preacher is tall and menacing, but demands those he’s with reframe from using profanity and even rebukes Janeway, who is believed to be a gambler and fornicator enroute to a hot date. To ridicule the devout and religion in general, the Preacher is presented as just another religious hypocrite. He’s involved in felony book fraud and when things go awry the Preacher lets loose with plenty of profanity as well.

It looks like Jerry is not the only savant in the story. His stepmom Laura turns out to be the killer and I guess she’s a genius at getting herself off after murdering her quarrelsome hubby in the heat of an argument. In addition to their contentious relationship, Bobby had said he planned to keep Jerry with him after they divorced. Laura framed Jerry for killing his stepdad Bobby cuz she knew nothing would really happen to a nonverbal, gifted child. And she implicated herself so she would appear to be the naturally protective mother.

Jerry could draw from memory any scene that he had observed or any signature. While he’s with social services he’s given paper to draw on and from memory he can perfectly draw different rooms in the house including his father’s bookcases filled with books and the drawings include the titles on the spine. All depicted with photo-like accuracy. He also drew a picture of Mom holding the gun and shooting her husband. Lenny the deputy found this damning drawing and Laura bribed the deputy, but when he wanted more money, she shot him too.

The odd hostage situation at the family home: Laura sensed Erin had figured out what really happened, so she drugged her attorney and tied her up in the house. When Cliff couldn't find either one of them, he went looking at the big house where he found his girlfriend and untied her, but she was groggy from the drug. The house is dark and as they creep along, Laura with her gun is in another room talking, demanding Erin answer her, talk to her. Eventually Laura comes unglued, turns on the light and shoots them both.

What’s particularly annoying about the author, John Dunning, is his disregard for the history of his Janeway character. Janeway is a very competent bookman, as well as having been a super cop and a great marksman. However, when it came to protecting Erin, his lady love, from an amateur with a gun, the author has Janeway hesitate for a few seconds, giving Laura time to shoot them both, walk over and pull the trigger a third time, but the gun was empty. Finally, the author allowed Janeway to kill her with a single shot. Laura crawled outside into the snow and dies still clutching the empty gun.

Janeway wakes up in the hospital and his lawyer girlfriend is in bad shape, but eventually she pulls through. I don’t care if the author wants Janeway and his girlfriend to be shot, but couldn’t he come up with something more believable than being outgunned by a deranged mom with a pistol?

The story ends with Janeway and his girlfriend fully recovered and going out to dinner. He says: "I have a different feeling about signed books now, and I have quit dealing in them unless I know the dealer well or witness the signature myself."

•

A great story until the eye rolling ending when the killer is revealed, the hero suddenly becomes incompetent and let's the love of his life nearly be shot to death.

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The Janeway series.
A Denver homicide detective becomes a bookman

Booked to Die - 1992
The Bookman's Wake - 1995
The Bookman's Promise - 2004
The Sign of the Book - 2005
The Bookwoman's Last Fling - 2006


Other Novels:
The Holland Suggestions - 1975
Denver - 1980
Looking For Ginger North - 1980
Deadline - 1981
Occult Murders - 1989
Two O'Clock Eastern Wartime - 2001



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[Meg · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was the weakest of the first four in the series, mostly because it didn't focus enough on the books. Cliff and Erin, from the last novel, are indeed an item now and she asks him to travel down to see her former friend, Laura, who is accused of killing her husband, and Erin's ex, Bobby. Bobby cheated on Erin with her best friend, Laura, and then eventually they got married and had twins and adopted a boy named Jerry who doesn't talk but is an artistic savant. Erin wants Cliff to get a feel for the situation and see if Bobby's collection of signed books are worth anything. Cliff immediately drools over the books and thinks that they are worth a quarter of a million dollars, on the low end. Cliff also has an unfortunate run-in with Lenny, the deputy on the case who was the first on the scene and his actions not only contaminated the crime scene but also put the children in danger since he immediately arrested Laura and took her to the station when she confessed, forgetting the kids. Cliff and Laura's lawyer, McNamara, think that Laura confessed to the killing in order to protect Jerry, who they think is the real killer. Along the way, Erin wants to explore if a third party is responsible so Cliff goes off on a whole tangent following two dumb brothers who try to deliver books to Bobby's house and their boss, a supposed preacher named Kevin. He follows them all the way to a book fair in California and learn that the signatures in their books are mostly fake, good forgeries but still fakes. I figured out the scheme pretty quickly. Savant Jerry was signing the books under Bobby's instruction and Kevin and his goons were selling them. Did the business deal go south and Bobby ended up dead? No. It takes a long time to get to the bottom of this one, too long, in my opinion. Erin grills Lenny on the stand and all of his procedural mistakes get the case dismissed. After the trial, Lenny goes missing and Cliff eventually tracks him down and finds him murdered. He also finds the pictures that Jerry drew of the murder, clearly showing that Laura was guilty. Lenny was blackmailing Laura so she killed him. Then she kidnapped Erin for some strange reason and the end of the book is mind-numbingly slow with Laura stalking Cliff and Erin in her dark house. What end game she originally intended is unclear but in the end she shot both Cliff and Erin, who both survived, and then killed herself. An odd addition to the series. Let's hope that the next and last one is better.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

BOTTOM-LINE:
Good book mystery, poor murder mystery
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
Cliff's friend Erin asks him to go help an old girlfriend charged with murdering her husband. It seems like a strange request considering the woman stole Erin's boyfriend, i.e. the dead guy, and they haven't spoken since.
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WHAT I LIKED:
I am a bit of a sucker for stories involving unresolved emotional stories, and the story has a bit of that rolling around in it. There are even BOOKS, gasp, BOOKS involved in the story (shocker, right? The guy had a lot of high-end signed copies of middle-of-the-road scarce books, too many for a small-timer). So of course there are two stories -- the death of the husband and the mystery of the signed books.
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WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
There is a bent local sheriff's deputy who is almost a caricature at times, and the sub-story of the autistic boy is handled a little manipulatively (shows his grandparents are evil, for no real purpose -- they didn't need to be in the story at all -- and two other kids that are referred to but hardly seen) plus he isn't just autistic, more like Rain Man with drawing, of course. And the ending for the murder mystery is written taut, and supposedly riveting, but I just found it ridiculous.
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DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow him on social media.

[Dana Clinton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review: The Sign of the Book (Cliff Janeway #4) by John Dunning. This is the fourth, and I think the final, installment in this series I have been enjoying recently, with Cliff Janeway, the ex-cop turned rare book specialist, and I think much better than the previous ones. We still are treated to insider info about this specialized world, but there is a faster clip to events and of course a satisfactory ending. Janeway's paramour Erin asks him to go off to remote Paradise, a small Colorado town, where her once long-ago good friend Laura has been accused of murdering her husband. Laura and Erin had a falling out long ago but still seem to want to return to days of loving togetherness. Laura initially confessed to the crime, but her appointed defender feels she is trying to protect someone, perhaps her adopted mute son Jerry. Janeway immediately runs afoul of a lousy deputy cop named Lennie who is clearly involved somehow, and there is also the enormous collection of signed books found in the victim's home. There is a wild goose chase that yields different crimes, and yet it is also part and parcel of the very complicated truth. It read easily and is a great final novel in the series!