Booked to Die - (Cliff Janeway) by John Dunning (Paperback)

About the Book

John Dunning brings together his knowledge of Denver cops and the rare book world in this striking new mystery. When a freelancer who searches for valuable books is murdered, burned-out cop Cliff Janeway suspects he was onto something big. But who would kill for a book?

Book Synopsis

"A joy to read for its wealth of inside knowledge about the antiquarian book business and its eccentric traders." --The New York Times Book Review

In the bestselling first novel of the Cliff Janeway bibliomystery series, former Denver homicide detective Cliff Janeway trades his badge for a bookstore--and quickly finds that rare books and murder make a volatile mix.

Cliff Janeway, a tough, book-loving cop with a penchant for collecting rare first editions, becomes obsessed with the death of local book scout Bobby Westfall--a gentle loner with a sharp eye for valuable volumes. When the lead suspect slips through the cracks of the legal system, Janeway's quest for justice costs him his job. But his passion for books leads him to open a rare bookshop, where literary treasures--and dangerous secrets--resurface.

As coveted editions from a legendary collection begin to circulate, Janeway dives deep into the cutthroat world of book dealers, collectors, and killers, unraveling a trail of lies, betrayal, and more dead bodies. Equal parts noir detective thriller and literary crime fiction, Booked to Die is a gripping introduction to a sleuth who understands that some books are worth killing for.

"One of the most enjoyable books I've read" (The Denver Post), Booked to Die is the first in the Cliff Janeway series. It is "a standout piece of crime fiction...Compelling page-turning stuff" (The Philadelphia Inquirer).

Review Quotes

"A standout piece of crime fiction... Compelling, page-turning stuff."-- "The Philadephia Inquirer"

"Crisp, direct prose and nearly pitch-perfect dialogue enhance this meticulously detailed page-turner."-- "Publishers Weekly (starred review)"

"Dunning is an amazingly assured writer, willing to head off down narrative side streets, secure that his readers will follow. He's never wrong. Booked to Die joins the select ranks of specialist crime fiction that works on all levels."-- "Booklist"

"Lively, seductive...John Dunning deserves to win an Edgar for this Denver cop-turned-bookman tale."-- "Kirkus Reviews"

"A joy to read... A whodunit in the classic mode."-- "New York Times Book Review"

"A knockout.... One of the most enjoyable books I've read in a long time."-- "The Denver Post"

"A perfect mystery. Intelligently written; the action is bafflingly logical; the reader learns something, and it's got a sucker punch of a finale."-- "St. Petersburg Times"

"Compelling... Vividly realistic... Fascinating and utterly convincing... A suspenseful, well-crafted mystery that should keep readers guessing right up to the closing paragraph."-- "Mystery Scene"

"Fascinating... Assured and muscular prose... Very cannily and creepily, Dunning shows how quiet men with civilized tastes can turn into killers... The payoff, in pleasure, is for the reader."-- "San Francisco Chronicle"

"I am an unabashed admirer of John Dunning's Booked to Die. [No one] can fail to be delighted by the sort of folkloric advice Janeway carries with him."-- "Boston Globe"

"Irresistible.... An outstanding novel."-- "The Cleveland Plain Dealer"

"Tough to put down...Booked to Die is a tightly written and intelligent mystery with a wonderfully varied cast of memorable characters."-- "The Columbus Dispatch"

About the Author

John Dunning (1942-2023) revealed book collecting's most shocking secrets in his bestselling series of crime novels featuring Cliff Janeway: Booked to Die, which won the prestigious Nero Wolfe Award; The Bookman's Wake, a New York Times Notable Book; and the New York Times bestsellers The Bookman's Promise, The Sign of the Book, and The Bookwoman's Last Fling. He also wrote the Edgar Award-nominated Deadline, The Holland Suggestions, and Two O'Clock, Eastern Wartime. An expert on rare and collectible books, he owned the Old Algonquin Bookstore in Denver for many years.