Summary and Reviews of The Sign of The Book by John Dunning

The Sign of The Book by John Dunning

The Sign of The Book

A Cliff Janeway Bookman Novel

by John Dunning
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  • Critics' Consensus (4):
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  • First Published:
  • Mar 8, 2005, 368 pages
  • Paperback:
  • Mar 2006, 544 pages
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About This Book

Book Summary

Rich with the intricacies of book collecting that only an expert like John Dunning can offer, this is a beautifully crafted, enthralling novel of suspense from the consummate bookman himself.

From New York Times bestselling author John Dunning comes a riveting new Cliff Janeway Bookman novel, combining captivating book lore with page-turning suspense.

Denver bookman and ex-cop Cliff Janeway is enjoying the good life, buying and selling the books he adores as he ekes out a living in his store on seedy East Colfax. And it doesn't hurt that superstar lawyer Erin D'Angelo has joined him as a partner in both business and love.

Erin is a special lady, so it's hard for Janeway to refuse her when she asks a favor. Will he travel to the little mountain town of Paradise, Colorado, to check on one of Erin's girlhood friends who's in deep trouble? Laura Marshall sits in the county jail, accused of murdering her husband, Bobby.

The situation is delicate because Bobby and Erin were a couple before he married Laura. In fact, it was Laura's affair with Bobby that ended Erin's relationship with each of them, and the women have been estranged ever since. Now Laura has called on Erin for help, but Erin's not sure she even wants to see her onetime best friend, let alone get involved in her case. Could Janeway visit Laura on Erin's behalf and try to find out what happened the night Bobby died?

The clincher for Janeway: Bobby Marshall was a book collector, and Janeway can't resist a house full of books any more than he can resist Erin's uncharacteristic request. His normally self-sufficient girlfriend is clearly at loose ends. He drives to Paradise the next day.

Janeway soon discovers that neither he nor Erin is likely to be able to save Laura Marshall. The young wife and mother is terrified of something and has already admitted to the arresting officer -- a smarmy local deputy with a huge chip on his shoulder -- that she shot her husband and then tried to dispose of the bloody evidence.

But did everything really happen as Laura claims? And what about the books? Bobby had a vast library, but at a casual glance, the titles seem ordinary, even to a seasoned bookman like Janeway. Could they possibly be a motive for murder?

Janeway, Erin, and local attorney Parley McNamara discover that the case against Laura Marshall is far more complicated than it seems. Professionally, Erin must decide whether to represent Laura; and personally, whether a decades-old friendship can be resurrected. Janeway wants to know the significance of Bobby's book collection. He senses their importance, and under his careful scrutiny, the rows of unremarkable volumes could reveal a killer's motive.

Rich with the intricacies of book collecting that only an expert like John Dunning can offer, The Sign of the Book is a beautifully crafted, enthralling novel of suspense from the consummate bookman himself.

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Reviews

BookBrowse Review

BookBrowse

This is the fourth volume in Dunning's series about Cliff Janeway, antiquarian book dealer and occasional private investigator.  After writing the first two books in the series, Dunning took almost a 10 year break, during which time he added to his true crime series, and wrote two books (one fiction, one non-fiction) about the early days of radio (see sidebar for more on these).  In 2004 he resurrected Cliff Janeway in The Bookman's Promise, and now is back again with a fourth volume, The Sign of the Book.  While some reviewers are a little critical of the plot - describing it as 'neither dense nor twisty enough to rank with Dunning's best work' and 'arbitrarily grafted onto the main narrative', all appear to agree that this is a must for booklovers.  As Booklist puts it, 'This is the kind of thing Janeway fans love: juicy nuggets of bibliophile gold. That these tasty morsels come wrapped in serviceable crime plots involving tough guys, gutsy gals, and snappy patter makes the pleasure of devouring them all the sweeter.'..continued

Full Review (215 words)

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Beyond the Book



John Dunning is an expert on rare and collectible books and for many years owned and ran the Old Algonquin Bookstore in Denver with his wife, Helen. In 1994 he closed the bookstore in order to be able to spend more time writing, but he and Helen continue to do business online.

Bibliography

Cliff Janeway series

  • 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 (1974), Looking for Ginger North: One Man's Violent Journey Into His Past-a High Voltage Novel of Suspense. (1980), ...

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