Booked to Die
Aug 2012 · Simon and Schuster
4.1star
8 reviewsreport
Ebook
432
Pages
family_home
Eligible
info
reportRatings and reviews aren’t verified Learn More
About this ebook
“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.
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).
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.
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).
Ratings and reviews
4.1
8 reviews
Paul Sadler
- Flag inappropriate
April 6, 2019
BOTTOM-LINE: Great first book in the series, worthy of an Edgar nomination. . PLOT OR PREMISE: Cliff Janeway is a book-loving police detective, and when a down-on-his-luck bookscout gets killed in an alley, Cliff thinks he knows who did it -- Jackie Newton, local sadist and suspected killer of homeless men. . WHAT I LIKED: The first half of the book has an almost "western" feel to it, with Jackie being the resident bad guy and Cliff the passing drifter who stands his ground against the bully. It has a nice feel to it, but nothing super special. Then Cliff moves into the bookworld looking for who killed Bobby the BookScout, and the book blossoms into a booklover who happens to also be a detective. It's a fantastic world, made real with the details. . WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: Jackie never seems real to me, more a caricature, and it is the bookworld that really brings it alive. Equally, there's some romance elements that don't really work in the story, seems more like going through the motions than immersive. . DISCLOSURE: I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow him on social media.
GiGi C
- Flag inappropriate
November 15, 2014
If you love books...you'll love these mysteries and learn a lot about collecting rare books!
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.
Rate this ebook
Tell us what you think.
Reading information
Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.
