The Bookman's Wake

Cliff Janeway #2

by John Dunning

Cliff Janeway, a book dealer, agrees to collect a woman who has skipped bail in Seattle. But when he arrives, he realizes he's been employed to find a rare edition of "The Raven". He also learns that those who are known to have owned copies of the book have met untimely deaths.

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

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

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

[Bobby Underwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're one of those people like me who love real books, savoring their smell when cracked open for that very first time, here is something special for you. John Dunning's follow-up to Booked to Die is a novel of intrigue and murder amidst the book world, or more to the point, those who love books and spend hours searching the shelves of used book stores for a rare first edition.

Cliff Janeway is the Denver bookman and part-time detective who goes looking for a girl who may have in her possession a rare Grayson Press edition of Poe's, "The Raven," a book worth a fortune to those who know about such things. But Janeway soon discovers everything is not as it first appears when he attempts to help the young and frightened Eleanor.

A bit more complex than the first very good entry in the series, Dunning's second mystery is exciting and compelling, peppered with insights and observations about books from a writer who loves and respects them as much as we do. We are treated to keen observations about humanity while Dunning uses rain in Seattle and snow in Denver for atmosphere, creating a wistful feel to the ending.


The Bookman's Wake is a smart read that will be enjoyed by anyone who loves books. If you like an intelligent mystery with sharply drawn characters and keen observations on our society as well, then this book is definitely your cup of tea. Dunning took a break for many years before writing another in this series, and in my opinion, they do not live up to the magic found in such abundance here in the first two, though they do have their merits. Booked to Die and The Bookman's Wake, however, are both stellar entries, and anyone who loves books and mysteries, will probably enjoy this series.

[Algernon · Rating 4 out of 5]

[9/10]
Cliff Janeway walks the thin red line between two worlds : on one side, the Law enforcement officer club with its macho ethos and its band of brothers loyalties and on the other, the slightly geeky ecosystem of book collectors - first editions, limited art prints, antiques, signed rarities, etc. In the first world, he functions as a clasical gumshoe, smart and snarky, street tough with a flaming temper and a wicked right hook. In the second, he is a passionate rare book hunter and shop owner, making a second career for himself after being kicked out of the Force for taking the Law in his own hands. The major hook of the Bookman series for me is the extremely credible way John Dunning makes the case that the book world is the more cutthroat habitat, the more ruthless and dangerous of the two. People are motivated by their strongest passions, and when those passions for rare books turn deadly, it is time for Cliff Janeway to enter the scene and solve the mystery.

In the first issue ( Booked to Die ) a book scout is killed over a collection of rare first editions of mostly pulp novels, and that is only the starting point of the investigation. For the second outing, Janeway is lured away from his Denver bookshop by a former colleague in the Force, with the promise of some 'easy' bail bond money, and with a mysterious reference to a book that never existed. I made a bookmark of his own take of the situation from later in the novel, because this is quite the complex plot, reminding me strongly of the intricate and even random cases of Philip Marlowe:

I replayed the case in my head, trying to remember everything from the top. Slater walked into my store and we did our little macho dance. I crossed swords with Pruitt, came to know Eleanor and the Rigbys, absorbed the legend of the Graysons, met Huggins and Amy Harper. But through it all I kept thinking about a woman I had never met and probably never would, a blind woman who had gone crazy in Baltimore.

Slater is the former Police officer turned private investigator who sends Cliff to catch the fugitive from justice Eleanor - a girl accused of breaking and entering into a family home and then shooting the owners. Pruitt is an associate of Slater that also tails the girl, he's a nasty bit of business with a bad atitude and a violent streak. The Rigbys are the parents of Eleanor, owners of a small publishing business inherited from the Graysons - Richard and Darryl - a couple of brothers famous a generation ago for printing state of the art very limited editions of literary classics, who died in a suspect fire incident at their mansion. Huggins is an alcoholic book scout, one of the top authorities in the country regarding the Grayson catalogue, and Amy Harper is another girl in distress gravitating at the perifery of the case. The blind woman from Baltimore is a victim in a random, motiveless killing. Or is she?


If the picture looks familiar, it's because the same location was used in the David Lynch cult TV series Twin Peaks.

All of these people gather in Seattle and its environs, a change of scenery away from Denver and Colorado, but just as attractive with its majestic mountains, forests and waterfalls. Dunning makes it both an integral part of the plot and a bit of a running joke with its constant rains that get on Cliff Janeway nerves. The plot is, as I already said, a bit loose, meandering with frequent forays into the book publishing lore. The McGuffin that holds it all together and links the various colourful characters to one another over two generations is the perfect book , the quest of a lifetime for Darryl Grayson to create his masterpiece: an illustrated limited run edition of The Raven by Edgar Alan Poe that never saw the light of day when the artist/publisher was killed in the fire. A wealthy collector from the West Coast believes the book exists and is ready to pay a fortune for a copy of it. The fugitive Eleanor holds the answer to this question, but Cliff manages to lose her track, after an initial friendship. So he has to go back in time and search through all the biographical materials printed about the Graysons, interview their relatives and friends and keep ahead of a mysterious killer who has him in his sights.

I read somewhere that fiction’s the only way you can really tell the truth.

The book develops from this point into a long quest to separate the myth of the Graysons from the real men hiding behind the pages of their official biographies, a study of a genial mind descending into obsession. Some readers who expect a fast paced plot may find sections of the book slow, but I was fascinated by all the details about choosing / creating custom fonts (I have more than 1000 installed on my own Windows system, although I rarely use them), inks, stock paper grades, layout, hand printing, bookbinding, private customer lists. Dunning research is impressive, not a surprise, given his background as a bookman himself. The references to classic, pulp and modern writers are toned down compared with the first novel in the series, but there are a couple of great scenes with Cliff and Eleanor doing the rounds of second hand and specialized boutiques in the Seattle area - another of my personal favorite pastimes.

The pacing really picks up towards the end, with several lively action scenes and a satisfying finale. Again, I was reminded of Chandler and his Philip Marlowe novels, in a good way. Only the romantic angle left me a little cold, it felt tacked on as was the almost killing of Cliff's girlfriend , just like in the first book. I have no hesitation in recommending the Bookman series to all lovers of noir / pulp who like a literary angle to spice things up. I had fewer quotes than usual bookmarked, possibly because I was too busy turning the pages to find out what surprise comes next, but as a teaser for the next one in the series I have one of Cliff's musings:

In the yard behind the store I look at the black sky and wonder what books tomorrow will bring.

edit: thought to add that it is not required to read the books in order. There are very few references to events from Booked to Die and no recurring characters beside Cliff.

[K.J. Charles]

I read the first in this series with qualified enjoyment, tried this mostly because I liked the rare book setting. However, by 28% we've had the ?third conversation in which people narrate why the MC is brave, heroic, rugged, smart, hard as nails, morally principled yet never plays it by the book because laws are for dweebs, not like all the other boys, and most importantly, doesn't care what people think of him AT ALL, and I don't think I can take any more.

[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.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

My brother recommended I try the bookman series featuring Cliff Janeway. I was lucky to find a fresh clean paperback at my library of this second book of the series.
The world of book dealers, book scouts, publisher practices denoting first editions and those who attempt to profit from the trade are examined in minute detail. Janeway is part of this world, a book dealer in Denver. He is also a former policeman, serving his time in Denver. When a shady character comes knocking, luring Janeway into a search/investigation re: a certain young woman and a rare book I groaned. No cop radar? Oh well.
That was my main quibble, but it launches Janeway on a mission that proved to be interesting, informative and dangerous as the body count increases daily. Seattle's rain also gets to Janeway so that he seems to be happy to be back in sunny Denver when it is all over. Where will book 3 take him?

[Siv30 · Rating 5 out of 5]

לסקירה מפורטת בעברית ואנגלית, קישור לבלוג שלי -

https://sivi-the-avid-reader.com/the-...

[Leonard Mokos · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Dunning was for many years a used book dealer in Denver, Colorado. His protagonist is a police detective who was once a finder and seller of rare books. The appeal - the unique hook used here - is that you will be taken not only on a mystery story, but an exploration of the book trade. Not the internet thing we have now, where you want it, you click it, you got it. Nooo... Once upon a time, somehow almost yesterday, you had to go Outside and Search for stuff. Yeah, like the animals. If you were interested in getting a book, you had to leave your house, however tentatively, and comb through Bookstores (buildings that sold actual books, usually cluttered, a bit smelly in a nice way). For this, I can recommend what is otherwise a competent mystery written by a book lover for book lovers. Specifically, if you're the kind of person who loves to burrow, mole like, all day in used book stores, drooling, delighted, oblivious to the time, something of that comes across within this novel and therefore, you might find something to enjoy in it. I did. And the killer is – haha, just playing with you.

[Tosha Sisler · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Cliff Janeway series has quickly become my favorite detective series. This is the second book in the series, although I haven't been reading them in order. (I've found that reading these books in order isn't necessary for the plot lines, nor does it detract from the enjoyment of the books).
This series is more of an intellecutal detective series. I love exploring the world of rare books and seeing/feeling the passion of the characters for book collecting.
Although Janeway seems eager to form sexual relations, the scenes are brief and are handled well.
This book left me feeling exhilirated and wanting more Janeway and more collectible books!

[Ben · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ultimately, a mystery novel is a mystery novel and what differentiates one from another comes down to three things:

1) Plot - Mystery is such a prolific genre that one can pound out a mystery story following all the traditional aspects of the story. A good premise, a few good characters, and a good twist can make it entertaining and interesting. With good plotting, mystery can stand out from the crowd by showing how clever the author is. With the rise of police procedurals on TV, this is harder than ever, but a novel allows time for more complexity, which, if done right, can make all the difference.

2) Tropes - With a well-worn genre like mystery, certain things have been done to death, and being able to recognize, reference, and play with those things allows an author to keep things novel. It also, sometimes, makes the book less accessible to readers unfamiliar with the genre (or, in the case of vast and popular series, with the previous books, assuming a level of narcissism and ego that's common among authors).

3) Writing - In a genre of page turners, finding a writer that can really write makes all the difference. For every John le Carré, there are dozens of John Grishams. A good writer can keep one spellbound whether the book is a great work of literature or genre fiction.

Based on The Bookman's Wake, John Dunning isn't a great author, but he does have enough of a literary background to be a very good one. The first 40 pages of the novel artfully insert the basic tropes of the hard-boiled detective novel right on top of its retired-cop-turned-book-collector protagonist. Unfortunately, that's as far as the trope-playing goes. The novel quickly spirals down into the typical mystery novel, weaving and winding in hopes that the reader won't be any more clever than the too-clever-by-half Cliff Janeway.

What sets this book apart from the typical mystery novel is its close and careful referencing of literature outside the genre. For voracious readers of classic literature, this is a special treat: a page turner written with the lit-fan in mind. For mystery fans who don't stray from the genre, it's a well-written mystery novel that conforms to many of the basic tenets laid out by its myriad predecessors.

The Bookman's Wake is an enjoyable romp that can be devoured quickly and with little fanfare. And while it's hardly a contender for the Pulitzer or Nobel Prize, it's also better than the average airport fare. It won't leave the reader thinking hard, but in a genre built on escapism, is that ever the point?

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

5.0 out of 5 stars 10 STARS, August 17, 2014

This review is from: The Bookman's Wake (Cliff Janeway Novels Book 2) )

"The Bookman's Wake" by John dunning.

In all fairness to this masterpiece...10 stars.

This was no doubt the greatest and most well written mystery & suspense book I've read in ages.
Cliff Janeway is approached by Slater a long time and not very well liked acquaintance of sorts. It seems that Slater is in demand and needs Janeway to escort a fugitive to jail. In this case the fugitive turns out to be a young woman with a good deal of knowledge in her pretty head about books. Books and in particular one book-The Raven by Poe.

The hunt for this one of a kind book takes Janeway on a whirlwind search that seems to go on and on.

This is a book/story that takes the reader step by step into the world of a subculture regarding the making and history of books. the men behind the making and production of books and the genius behind all of it. This is a story that needs to be read a chapter at a time and then some time to digest all the information between each page.

Excellent story with in-depth detail on each character. Take a deep breath and enter the world of cliff Janeway.

[BookSweetie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Here's the second in the Cliff Janeway antiquarian book dealer/detective series; while it was certainly "okay" for escape reading, it didn't quite measure up to John Dunning's first in the bookman series. I was disappointed to have figured out a key piece of the plot chapters ahead of the big reveal, though not every twist and turn. Still, that dampened my enthusiasm for this particular John Dunning murder mystery -- a mystery that has a whole lot of book printing/book collecting details as well as a cast of characters that feels almost-but-not-quite too numerous and unwieldy.
Those book-business related details set this mystery apart in a good way. Still, some readers will be fascinated by the book-related information while others will be impatient when those same details make the plot more sluggish -- as happens in places.
The setting also shifts from Denver to the Seattle area -- not for the better; Janeway finds the weather dreary -- but he won't let his bad attitude rest and that makes him a slightly less appealing sleuth. I had mixed feelings about Janeway that began during the first book -- and I remain more solidly on the fence.
This second book does feel a bit dated. Nevertheless, the general skill of the author would not discourage me from reading him again -- I'm just not going to be in a rush. I have a feeling Dunning has written at least another book or two that I would enjoy as much as I did the first one.

[Rebekah · Rating 2 out of 5]

My mother recommended this to me for the insight it gave into the publishing world. This is a mystery involving a young woman from a small publishing family who searches out rare books, some which aren't supposed to exist. When she goes after one of these unrecorded editions of Poe's "The Raven" she gets entangled in a murder, and a retired police detective (who now owns his own book store) is asked by an old buddy to pick her up in Seatle, and bring her in. Soon, he gets tangled in the web and must use his detective skills and book knowledge to find out who's really at the bottom of the murder.

The mystery part isn't the greatest (and the author completely lost credibility when the detective hopes to stop the bleeding from a gunshot wound to a woman's abdomen by inserting a tampon into the wound. Yeah right. I want to know what brand that was.), but getting an inside look at a family-run publishing house, and reading about some of the little secrets about bindings and other things was interesting. Not a total waste of time.

As a side note, my mother also thought the mystery side of the book was not the praisable.

[LJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

BOOKMAN'S WAKE - Ex
Dunning, John - 2nd in Cliff Janeway series

Cliff Janeway, a book dealer, agrees to collect a woman who has skipped bail in Seattle. But when he arrives, he realizes he's been employed to find a rare edition of "The Raven". He also learns that those who are known to have owned copies of the book have met untimely deaths.

This was even better than the first book. Great balance of intellect versus action.

[Dinky ♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish there were 6 stars for me to give this book! It draws you in right away and keeps you going - Never a slow spot; just action all the way!!

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a throughly enjoyable read. It was also the first John Dunning book I've read. I'll be reading more. I realized that I started on book 2 of the series, and I don't think it made much of a difference. I'll probably read the first one in the series next to see if that's true. But I highly recommend this.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a story with a moral: owners of brick and mortar book stores, especially brick and mortar used book stores, are heroes.

I concur.

Actually, Cliff Janeway, main character and narrator of this series and owner of a used book store, never lets readers forget he is heroic. In fact, Janeway portrays himself as being Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent. Well, maybe not reverent and definitely not obedient. But he lets us know that he is a splendid fellow, who is also irresistible to women.

I don't think that this is a particularly good mystery purely as a mystery. The "whodunit" aspect of the book is not nearly as interesting as the "whydhedoit" aspect, and that in turn is nothing like as interesting as the material about books, which is fascinating.

Much of the book is about a small publishing firm that produced nothing but fine limited-edition volumes. There is a lot of attention given to a spelling error in one book. In a time when many books seem to have at least one error on every page, that kind of attention to detail is certainly praiseworthy. But there is also a lot of attention to the concept of a book as a work of art in itself. Fonts, bindings, layouts are all made as near perfect as possible.

As with all the books in this series, there is also much discussion of what makes particular books valuable and how knowledgeable a successful bookseller should be.

And another moral of this story: collectors are crazy. But I suspect that a lot of people spending time at Goodreads already know that.

[MaryAlice · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like Cliff Janeway, the cop turned bookman,which is why I am trying to read the entire series, but Dunning's novels do not hold my interest.

A mystery novel begins with a crime being committed. Readers guess at the identity of the criminal. At novel's end the criminal is unmasked and usually caught to pay price for misdeeds. The hero/heroine usually gets into some dire circumstances, and fights which is usually the most boring part of a mystery novel for me.

A book about buying and selling books will, of course, mention a lot of authors and titles. The Janeway series seems all about the books and less about advancing the plot. Perhaps it is overkill, long narratives filled with details that may/may not have something to do with the story.

I read once that authors should avoid naming characters with similar names, such as Janet and Janice. I became confused with characters in The Bookman's Wake. There were two brothers named Grayson. Another character is Gatson Rigby. Often the characters were spoken of as "Grayson", "Gatson," "Richard," "Darryl," or "Rigby," and I became quite lost as to which of the men I was reading about.

I like stories that flow smoothly, start to finish. Due to those two things this story did not flow, hence my low rating, despite liking Dunning's humor.

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The Bookman’s Wake” is the second in John Dunning’s crime/mystery series featuring Cliff Janeway. And it’s every bit as good as the first one. The plot is complex, the characters are well developed. I fall a little more in love with Cliff in each book...imagine how I’ll feel when I reach the last in series (unless Dunning decides to bless us with a 6th book...please oh please).

I think what I like most about Dunning’s books is that the mystery takes place in the world of books. This one has almost a bit of crime noir atmosphere to it that makes it intensely appealing to me. Cliff Janeway has a solid heart and morals, he knows what right and wrong, and he fights on the side of right. He’s the type of man you could trust your life to.

There are many twists and turns in this book, as Janeway searches for Eleanor Rigby, The Raven, and anyone or anything that he can find that has something to do with Darryl Grayson, a small time printer with an obsession with flawless perfection. A solid read for me...looking forward to number three in the series.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm completely hooked on Dunning and especially on this series featuring Cliff Janeway, cop turned bookman. I've worked in new bookstores and have friends who've worked in used and rare books, as well as one friend who is a binder of fine books. Nevertheless I learned a lot about the trade from this book and found the fictional aspect very satisfying too.
Dunning creates marvelous characters, very believable - mostly appealing but occasionally, repulsive. These are hardboiled detective stories with a genuine literary focus and I find the combination irresistible. Can't wait to read the first of the series and then continue!

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pointless for me to rehash the characters and plot here, as I mostly agree with the positives of other Reviewers. As a bibliophile, was pleasantly surprised to be given such deep insights into the bookman's world. Hardly the usual whodunit, Dunning delivered enough plot twists to keep me involved. Would have rated it at least four well-earned stars, but personal passions... love of informational/entertaining books plus my familiarity with the large/small NW towns/remote areas ... compelled me to kick in that fifth star.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cliff Janeway, a book dealer, agrees to collect a woman who has skipped bail in Seattle. But when he arrives, he realizes he's been employed to find a rare edition of "The Raven." He also learns that those who are known to have owned copies of the book have met untimely deaths. Janeway's fictional bookstore is set in Denver so those who are familiar with its haunts will find the author's stories quite fun to read.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The sequel to the popular Booked to Die. Cliff Janeway, Denver cop-turned-book-dealer, finds himself chasing down a charming young fugitive named Eleanor Rigby, who has stolen a rare copy of Poe's "The Raven" for reasons of her own. Trouble follows, and Eleanor disappears into a city filled with people who want the book, and don't care what they have to do to get it. Stuffed with fascinating book lore, this mystery is a bibliophile's dream.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 2nd Dunning book I have read. This was quite a good one. It is based on Grayson press -- a small outfit that did great almost collectable works. Now some of those collectors are being killed. The situation is complex and there are many players. Very enjoyable.

[JoAnne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second in the series.. I can't wait to read the rest..Such a satisfying group.. I love reading in such great detail about bookbinding and fonts and printing..

[Nancy Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of interesting info in here about book collecting, selling, etc., worked into a good story line. Cliff Janeway works again to solve a series of murders of owners of a rare book. A good read!

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hadn’t heard of this award-winning author before, but I came across the book and liked the premise. An ex-cop turned rare and used bookseller is hired by a P.I. to pick up a young woman who’s jumped bail. The draw for Cliff Janeway isn’t the money, but that the woman might have a rare copy of The Raven she stole from a private residence.

The Bookman’s Wake is a clever mystery with plenty of twists and intrigue. I can see why the reviewers call this book educational as well as interesting. The author, a rare book expert himself, provides plenty of information on how printing used to be done, and why it was such an art form before technology and digital printing pretty much stripped that away.

The characters are memorable and multi-faceted with lots of baggage and secrets, all of which is deftly revealed as the story unfolds. Readers will enjoy peeling back the layers in this literary mystery. Bibliophiles will especially relish the topic of printing, rare books, and collecting. This is one terrific read.

[Lars Fischer · Rating 5 out of 5]

As good as the first in the series. Classic, Chandler-style detective story, but about books - collectors, printers, sellers, hunters. The story arc is good and has the basic tension, interest, and suspense that make you not want to put it down. The characters and scenes are just right, the detective is the right mix of fallible, masculine, smart, insightful, & cynical, and the tone and delivery is spot on. In short, all you want the genre to be. It quite a bit of a throwback, but it's done so well it's just fine.

On top of everything, it's super geeky, about books and litterature. Loved it, every bit of it.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like to read books – a lot. My house is cluttered with books I have collected because I plan to read them…someday. Collecting them for the sake of collecting or even for their monetary value, not so much. It’s interesting to read about the world of book collecting and the surprising amount of money some people will pay for them. And apparently even kill for. A good mystery with interesting characters and a twisty plot but I could have done with a little less of all the book printing, binding, collecting stuff.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series isn't too bad. Being from Denver and remembering it way back when, it is interesting. As for the girl Eleanor, she was such a pain she seemed hardly worth all the trouble Janeway took to keeping her safe.

The obsession with the Grayson books - totally over the top but I suppose it could happen. It made for an interesting story.

As for Cliff Janeway, I kinda like him and I kinda don't. Not a guy I'd fall for, I know that.

[Susan Reyna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I thought I loved the first book but this one is so far beyond. At first it reminded me of one of Ray Bradbury's works. The atmosphere is heavy with mystery. An artfully written maze of a detective story. My heart!