The Sign of the Book: A Cliff Janeway "Bookman" Novel (Hardcover)
From New York Times bestselling author John Dunning comes a riveting Cliff Janeway Bookman novel, combining captivating book lore with page-turning suspense.
Occasionally, Denver bookman Cliff Janeway has one of those perfect days—he sells a couple of good books and he buys something even better—perhaps a tough-to-find Steinbeck in mint condition. Even the jacket is fine.
Working from his store on seedy Colfax Avenue, Janeway doesn't have enough of those days, but he's not complaining. Things are looking up because of his new partner and friend, lawyer Erin d'Angelo.
So when Erin asks Janeway for a favor, it's hard to say no. She wants him to go over the mountain to the small town of Paradise where a former good friend, Laura Marshall, is in jail, accused of killing her husband.
What happened at the Marshalls' remote mountain home? Did Laura kill Bobby, or is she trying to protect her oldest son? And where were the three children when the shooting occurred? What did they see?
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.
Occasionally, Denver bookman Cliff Janeway has one of those perfect days—he sells a couple of good books and he buys something even better—perhaps a tough-to-find Steinbeck in mint condition. Even the jacket is fine.
Working from his store on seedy Colfax Avenue, Janeway doesn't have enough of those days, but he's not complaining. Things are looking up because of his new partner and friend, lawyer Erin d'Angelo.
So when Erin asks Janeway for a favor, it's hard to say no. She wants him to go over the mountain to the small town of Paradise where a former good friend, Laura Marshall, is in jail, accused of killing her husband.
What happened at the Marshalls' remote mountain home? Did Laura kill Bobby, or is she trying to protect her oldest son? And where were the three children when the shooting occurred? What did they see?
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.
John Dunning has revealed some of 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 is also the author of 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. He lives in Denver, Colorado. Visit OldAlgonquin.com.
"The author immerses the reader in this intriguing little-known milieu without losing sight of the page-turning yarn he's spinning. In the end you may be dis-appointed that the last plot twist has finally played out."
-- People
"Booked to Die offers an intriguing peek inside the antiquarian book business, and book lovers will be fascinated by the setting and education along the way. Yet this story has much more...Dunning's return...has the mystery readers' scene buzzing with great reviews and hopeful that more books featuring his detective-book dealer will be forthcoming."
-- Houston Chronicle
"Dunning is an amazingly assured writer, willing to head off down narrative side streets, secure that his readers will follow. He's never wrong."
-- Booklist
"Dunning, twice nominated for the Edgar, deserves to win one for this Denver cop-turned-bookman tale -- a lively seductive primer on how to open a bookstore, spot a first edition, warehouse it, price it, and enjoy it for its own sake."
-- Kirkus Reviews (starred)
"Crisp, direct prose and nearly pitch-perfect dialogue enhance this meticulously detailed page-turner."
-- Publishers Weekly (starred)
"Fascinating...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 Sunday Globe
"A joy to read for its wealth of inside knowledge about the antiquarian book business and its eccentric traders...A soundly plotted, evenly executed whodunit in the classic mode...Cliff Janeway makes a honey of a debut."
-- The New York Times Book Review
-- People
"Booked to Die offers an intriguing peek inside the antiquarian book business, and book lovers will be fascinated by the setting and education along the way. Yet this story has much more...Dunning's return...has the mystery readers' scene buzzing with great reviews and hopeful that more books featuring his detective-book dealer will be forthcoming."
-- Houston Chronicle
"Dunning is an amazingly assured writer, willing to head off down narrative side streets, secure that his readers will follow. He's never wrong."
-- Booklist
"Dunning, twice nominated for the Edgar, deserves to win one for this Denver cop-turned-bookman tale -- a lively seductive primer on how to open a bookstore, spot a first edition, warehouse it, price it, and enjoy it for its own sake."
-- Kirkus Reviews (starred)
"Crisp, direct prose and nearly pitch-perfect dialogue enhance this meticulously detailed page-turner."
-- Publishers Weekly (starred)
"Fascinating...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 Sunday Globe
"A joy to read for its wealth of inside knowledge about the antiquarian book business and its eccentric traders...A soundly plotted, evenly executed whodunit in the classic mode...Cliff Janeway makes a honey of a debut."
-- The New York Times Book Review