[9/10]Cliff Janeway walks the thin red line between two worlds : on one side, the Law enforcement officer club with its macho ethos and its band of brothers loyalties and on the other, the slightly geeky ecosystem of book collectors - first editions, limited art prints, antiques, signed rarities, etc. In the first world, he functions as a clasical gumshoe, smart and snarky, street tough with a flaming temper and a wicked right hook. In the second, he is a passionate rare book hunter and shop owner, making a second career for himself after being kicked out of the Force for taking the Law in his own hands. The major hook of the Bookman series for me is the extremely credible way John Dunning makes the case that the book world is the more cutthroat habitat, the more ruthless and dangerous of the two. People are motivated by their strongest passions, and when those passions for rare books turn deadly, it is time for Cliff Janeway to enter the scene and solve the mystery. In the first issue ( Booked to Die ) a book scout is killed over a collection of rare first editions of mostly pulp novels, and that is only the starting point of the investigation. For the second outing, Janeway is lured away from his Denver bookshop by a former colleague in the Force, with the promise of some 'easy' bail bond money, and with a mysterious reference to a book that never existed. I made a bookmark of his own take of the situation from later in the novel, because this is quite the complex plot, reminding me strongly of the intricate and even random cases of Philip Marlowe: I replayed the case in my head, trying to remember everything from the top. Slater walked into my store and we did our little macho dance. I crossed swords with Pruitt, came to know Eleanor and the Rigbys, absorbed the legend of the Graysons, met Huggins and Amy Harper. But through it all I kept thinking about a woman I had never met and probably never would, a blind woman who had gone crazy in Baltimore. Slater is the former Police officer turned private investigator who sends Cliff to catch the fugitive from justice Eleanor - a girl accused of breaking and entering into a family home and then shooting the owners. Pruitt is an associate of Slater that also tails the girl, he's a nasty bit of business with a bad atitude and a violent streak. The Rigbys are the parents of Eleanor, owners of a small publishing business inherited from the Graysons - Richard and Darryl - a couple of brothers famous a generation ago for printing state of the art very limited editions of literary classics, who died in a suspect fire incident at their mansion. Huggins is an alcoholic book scout, one of the top authorities in the country regarding the Grayson catalogue, and Amy Harper is another girl in distress gravitating at the perifery of the case. The blind woman from Baltimore is a victim in a random, motiveless killing. Or is she?If the picture looks familiar, it's because the same location was used in the David Lynch cult TV series Twin Peaks.All of these people gather in Seattle and its environs, a change of scenery away from Denver and Colorado, but just as attractive with its majestic mountains, forests and waterfalls. Dunning makes it both an integral part of the plot and a bit of a running joke with its constant rains that get on Cliff Janeway nerves. The plot is, as I already said, a bit loose, meandering with frequent forays into the book publishing lore. The McGuffin that holds it all together and links the various colourful characters to one another over two generations is the perfect book , the quest of a lifetime for Darryl Grayson to create his masterpiece: an illustrated limited run edition of The Raven by Edgar Alan Poe that never saw the light of day when the artist/publisher was killed in the fire. A wealthy collector from the West Coast believes the book exists and is ready to pay a fortune for a copy of it. The fugitive Eleanor holds the answer to this question, but Cliff manages to lose her track, after an initial friendship. So he has to go back in time and search through all the biographical materials printed about the Graysons, interview their relatives and friends and keep ahead of a mysterious killer who has him in his sights. I read somewhere that fiction’s the only way you can really tell the truth. The book develops from this point into a long quest to separate the myth of the Graysons from the real men hiding behind the pages of their official biographies, a study of a genial mind descending into obsession. Some readers who expect a fast paced plot may find sections of the book slow, but I was fascinated by all the details about choosing / creating custom fonts (I have more than 1000 installed on my own Windows system, although I rarely use them), inks, stock paper grades, layout, hand printing, bookbinding, private customer lists. Dunning research is impressive, not a surprise, given his background as a bookman himself. The references to classic, pulp and modern writers are toned down compared with the first novel in the series, but there are a couple of great scenes with Cliff and Eleanor doing the rounds of second hand and specialized boutiques in the Seattle area - another of my personal favorite pastimes.The pacing really picks up towards the end, with several lively action scenes and a satisfying finale. Again, I was reminded of Chandler and his Philip Marlowe novels, in a good way. Only the romantic angle left me a little cold, it felt tacked on (view spoiler)[ as was the almost killing of Cliff's girlfriend (hide spoiler)]
If you're one of those people like me who love real books, savoring their smell when cracked open for that very first time, here is something special for you. John Dunning's follow-up to Booked to Die is a novel of intrigue and murder amidst the book world, or more to the point, those who love books and spend hours searching the shelves of used book stores for a rare first edition.Cliff Janeway is the Denver bookman and part-time detective who goes looking for a girl who may have in her possession a rare Grayson Press edition of Poe's, "The Raven," a book worth a fortune to those who know about such things. But Janeway soon discovers everything is not as it first appears when he attempts to help the young and frightened Eleanor. A bit more complex than the first entry in the series, Dunning's second mystery is exciting and compelling, peppered with insights and observations about books from a writer who loves and respects them as much as we do. We are treated to keen observations about humanity while Dunning uses rain in Seattle and snow in Denver for atmosphere, creating a wistful feel to the ending.The Bookman's Wake is a smart read that will be enjoyed by anyone who loves books. If you like an intelligent mystery with sharply drawn characters and keen observations on our society as well, then this book is definitely your cup of tea. Dunning took a break of many years before writing another in this series, and in my opinion, they do not live up to the magic found in such abundance here. Booked to Die and The Bookman's Wake, however, are both stellar entries.
What do You think about The Bookman's Wake (1996)?
The Cliff Janeway series has quickly become my favorite detective series. This is the second book in the series, although I haven't been reading them in order. (I've found that reading these books in order isn't necessary for the plot lines, nor does it detract from the enjoyment of the books). This series is more of an intellecutal detective series. I love exploring the world of rare books and seeing/feeling the passion of the characters for book collecting. Although Janeway seems eager to form sexual relations, the scenes are brief and are handled well. This book left me feeling exhilirated and wanting more Janeway and more collectible books!
—Tosha Sisler
I like Cliff Janeway, the cop turned bookman,which is why I am trying to read the entire series, but Dunning's novels do not hold my interest. A mystery novel begins with a crime being committed. Readers guess at the identity of the criminal. At novel's end the criminal is unmasked and usually caught to pay price for misdeeds. The hero/heroine usually gets into some dire circumstances, and fights which is usually the most boring part of a mystery novel for me.A book about buying and selling books will, of course, mention a lot of authors and titles. The Janeway series seems all about the books and less about advancing the plot. Perhaps it is overkill, long narratives filled with details that may/may not have something to do with the story.I read once that authors should avoid naming characters with similar names, such as Janet and Janice. I became confused with characters in The Bookman's Wake. There were two brothers named Grayson. Another character is Gatson Rigby. Often the characters were spoken of as "Grayson", "Gatson," "Richard," "Darryl," or "Rigby," and I became quite lost as to which of the men I was reading about.I like stories that flow smoothly, start to finish. Due to those two things this story did not flow, hence my low rating, despite liking Dunning's humor.
—Alyce Rocco
Here's the second in the Cliff Janeway antiquarian book dealer/detective series; while it was certainly "okay" for escape reading, it didn't quite measure up to John Dunning's first in the bookman series. I was disappointed to have figured out a key piece of the plot chapters ahead of the big reveal, though not every twist and turn. Still, that dampened my enthusiasm for this particular John Dunning murder mystery -- a mystery that has a whole lot of book printing/book collecting details as well as a cast of characters that feels almost-but-not-quite too numerous and unwieldy. Those book-business related details set this mystery apart in a good way. Still, some readers will be fascinated by the book-related information while others will be impatient when those same details make the plot more sluggish -- as happens in places. The setting also shifts from Denver to the Seattle area -- not for the better; Janeway finds the weather dreary -- but he won't let his bad attitude rest and that makes him a slightly less appealing sleuth. I had mixed feelings about Janeway that began during the first book -- and I remain more solidly on the fence. This second book does feel a bit dated. Nevertheless, the general skill of the author would not discourage me from reading him again -- I'm just not going to be in a rush. I have a feeling Dunning has written at least another book or two that I would enjoy as much as I did the first one.
—Kristine
