Bookman's Wake: Amazon.ca: John Dunning: Books

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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. --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

From Publishers Weekly

In the long-awaited sequel to Booked to Die, Denver policeman-turned-bookdealer Cliff Janeway is hired by sleazy ex-cop Clydell Slater to retrieve Eleanor Rigby (really), who has jumped bail and fled to Seattle. Things get complicated when she turns out to be young, pretty and a talented book scout. The latter, almost by itself, seems to convince Janeway that she is innocent. Rigby may have the key to the location of a previously unknown fine press edition of Poe's The Raven. When Eleanor disappears, Janeway teams up with reporter Trish Aandahl, biographer of the Grayson brothers, who produced the rare Poe volume. Aandahl is convinced the brothers were both murdered over 20 years ago. To find Eleanor and The Raven, Janeway and Aandahl must connect the killing of the brothers with five other violent deaths. Dragging at the narrative are frequent long passages that either provide extensive background or serve to show off Janeway's bookhunting knowledge. While not uninteresting, these sections interrupt the novel's flow. Readers who loved the first Janeway appearance may find this entry somewhat disappointing. Author tour.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Slater wasn't my kind of cop. Read the first page

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Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover

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Customer Reviews

33 Reviews

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4.1 out of 5 stars (33 customer reviews)

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5.0 out of 5 stars Books among the bodies, Nov 7 2003

By

Lynn Harnett (Marathon, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

Ce commentaire est de: Bookman's Wake (Hardcover)

Cliff Janeway, narrator and protagonist, is a former Denver cop turned book dealer. After a tantalizing prologue describing a series of 20-year-old unsolved murders featuring book collectors, the story begins with Janeway accepting a job to trace a woman who skipped bail.

It's not the sort of job Janeway would ordinarily take, but this woman has been accused of, among other things - like shooting - stealing a rare book. A book that doesn't, in fact, exist. Jetting to Seattle, Janeway captures the young woman easily. But instead of dragging her to justice, Janeway, charmed by her knowledge of rare books and intrigued by certain puzzles in the case, allows her to visit her family. The girl disappears and people start getting murdered.

Meanwhile, a number of collectors seem eager to get their hands on this non-existent book, an elegant edition of Poe's The Raven, supposedly done in the same year its small and specialized publisher died in a fire.

The plot grows complex but never incomprehensible. Janeway is a tough but tender sort who drops plenty of fascinating book lore among the bodies and chase scenes.

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5.0 out of 5 stars An Exceptional Read, July 26 2002

By A Customer

Ce commentaire est de: Bookman's Wake (Hardcover)

If your one of those people like me that loves the smell of a new book, are picky about what you read, and find yourself organizing your books with your own little system, here is something special for you. Like Walter Mosley and Ross MacDonald, John Dunning's work is much more than a mere detective novel.It is a novel of intrigue and murder amidst the book world, or more to the point, those who love books and spend much of their time looking for that first edition copy of....

Cliff Janeway is the Denver bookman and part time detective who gets involved looking for a girl who may have in her possession a rare, and unheard of, Grayson Press edition of Poe's "The Raven", a book worth a fortune. Things are not always what they seem and as Janeway tries to help the young and frightened Eleanor the story becomes more complex and dangerous. This mystery is exiting and compelling, peppered with insights and observations about books from a writer who loves and respects them as much as we do.

This is a book you will love and respect after finishing it. It is a wonderful and exiting read and Cliff Janeway can stand side by side with Easy Rawlins and Lew Archer in American detective fiction. We are treated to keen observations about humanity during this twisty tale of books and murder. Dunning uses the rain in Seattle and the snow in Denver for atmosphere and there is almost a wistful feel to the ending.

Written in '95 this was the second Cliff Janeway novel. "Booked to Die" was the first and is also highly recommended. We can only hope Dunning will give us a third one day. This is a smart read that will be enjoyed by anyone who loves books. If you like an intelligent mystery with sharply drawn characters, and observations on our society as well, then this book is a must have for your library. A treasured find.

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5.0 out of 5 stars A "Must Have" for the Mystery Reader, April 15 2002

By A Customer

Ce commentaire est de: Bookman's Wake (Hardcover)

One of those few books that is written by an author at the top of his craft and is a joy to read. The plot is interesting, although somewhat confusing as its multiple layers build up toward the end. The cast of characters were (with few exceptions) memorable, well drawn and believable. Their interplay and dialogue sparkle. Dunning has a gift for advancing the story, and conveying detail, through the character's words; avoiding the lengthy descriptive paragraphs that other authors must use to propel their stories. Worth searching for.

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Most recent customer reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars A wakeful tale!
"The Bookman's Wake" is an interestingly good follow-up to "Booked To Die" by John Dunning. Mr. Dunning's character, Cliff Janeway is a wondrerful sleuth that we learn more about... Lisez davantage

Published on Feb 18 2002 by Rafik

5.0 out of 5 stars An Intelligent Mystery
Having plowed through hundreds of murder mysteries that almost seem "by the book" (no pun intended), it was a delight to read "The Bookman's Wake," and be... Lisez davantage

Published on Jan 9 2002 by Western Reader