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doreeny's review against another edition
3.0
Appropriately enough, I bought this novel at a used book sale. Set in Denver, this mystery features Cliff Janeway, a police detective cum bookman. The murder of a book scout, Bobby Westfall, is a case assigned to Janeway, but things soon go awry. Only the murder of two more people kicks the investigation into overdrive.
This is the first of five Janeway mysteries so this book introduces him. He makes an interesting protagonist. He is tough and determined, but has difficulty with authority and is known to break the rules. Sometimes he acts impulsively and recklessly and ends up in trouble. I most enjoyed his intelligence and wit. He is very knowledgeable about books; a competing book dealer says, “Janeway is the best bookman I’ve ever seen outside the trade” (144). His witty comments lighten the tone throughout. He derides a bookseller who specializes in Stephen King books: “He specialized in King and his followers – Dean Koontz, Clive Barker, et al., the little Kinglets. Behind every big ship you’ll find a dozen little ships atrailing. Most of their plots make absolutely no sense, but again, they stand tall where it really matters in today’s world, at the damn cash register. . . . The stupidity of some of these plots that sell in the billions is the scariest thing about them” (46). He admits his penchant for one-liners: “’Miss McKinley, I’m wasting a helluva lot of great one-liners on you. I’m starting to think you’ve got no sense of humor at all’” (197).
The mystery is a standard whodunit. What makes the book stand out is its examination of the antiquarian book trade. The ins and outs of this often cut-throat world are detailed. Janeway’s specialty is first edition fiction. Who knew that The Grapes of Wrath with a doodle by Steinbeck could be worth $2,000? Of course, this book was first published over twenty years ago, so much has changed with the used book business with the advent of the internet.
At one point, Janeway comments, “There’s nothing wrong with writing detective stories if you do it well enough” (14). Dunning’s detective story is written well enough and will certainly appeal to any bibliophile. I’m not sure I’ll read another book in the series, but should I come across it in a used book store, I’ll probably pick it up.
Please check out my reader's blog (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/) and follow me on Twitter (@DCYakabuski).
This is the first of five Janeway mysteries so this book introduces him. He makes an interesting protagonist. He is tough and determined, but has difficulty with authority and is known to break the rules. Sometimes he acts impulsively and recklessly and ends up in trouble. I most enjoyed his intelligence and wit. He is very knowledgeable about books; a competing book dealer says, “Janeway is the best bookman I’ve ever seen outside the trade” (144). His witty comments lighten the tone throughout. He derides a bookseller who specializes in Stephen King books: “He specialized in King and his followers – Dean Koontz, Clive Barker, et al., the little Kinglets. Behind every big ship you’ll find a dozen little ships atrailing. Most of their plots make absolutely no sense, but again, they stand tall where it really matters in today’s world, at the damn cash register. . . . The stupidity of some of these plots that sell in the billions is the scariest thing about them” (46). He admits his penchant for one-liners: “’Miss McKinley, I’m wasting a helluva lot of great one-liners on you. I’m starting to think you’ve got no sense of humor at all’” (197).
The mystery is a standard whodunit. What makes the book stand out is its examination of the antiquarian book trade. The ins and outs of this often cut-throat world are detailed. Janeway’s specialty is first edition fiction. Who knew that The Grapes of Wrath with a doodle by Steinbeck could be worth $2,000? Of course, this book was first published over twenty years ago, so much has changed with the used book business with the advent of the internet.
At one point, Janeway comments, “There’s nothing wrong with writing detective stories if you do it well enough” (14). Dunning’s detective story is written well enough and will certainly appeal to any bibliophile. I’m not sure I’ll read another book in the series, but should I come across it in a used book store, I’ll probably pick it up.
Please check out my reader's blog (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/) and follow me on Twitter (@DCYakabuski).
quotekatie's review against another edition
5.0
Great mystery, and lots of cool facts for book collectors. Love this series.
subversivegrrl's review against another edition
5.0
I love books. I read a lot of police procedurals. So a book about a former cop who has become a bookseller yet still finds himself in situations that call on his investigative skills? HEAVEN.
ronronia's review against another edition
4.0
Un misterio ambientado en el mundo de los libros de coleccionista, cómo no me iba a gustar.
wstuivenga's review against another edition
4.0
This is the second time I read this book. First time was back in 2005, but it was every bit as good the second time around! This is a book lover's dream mystery. Highly recommended!
And now (2023) I've read it for the third time, and it was just as good! Since there was over a decade between my readings, most of the details were fresh, and I certainly didn't remember how it came out.
And now (2023) I've read it for the third time, and it was just as good! Since there was over a decade between my readings, most of the details were fresh, and I certainly didn't remember how it came out.
hpnyknits's review against another edition
3.0
The mystery was good, but the “book talk” went on a bit.
karenstory's review against another edition
5.0
On January 28, 2011 the 4th Fridays Mystery Readers (the Library Book Discussion Group I use to lead) met for the first time to discuss The Bookman's Last Fling by John Dunning.
This book was the fifth in his series about Denver bookman Cliff Janeway.
Seven years and one month later, I finally picked up the first in the series, Booked to Die - and could not put it down!
For those of us who love books and mysteries, this was the perfect who-dun-it!
Back in 2011 we loved Cliff Janeway a retired cop turned rare bookseller.
So...
What took me so long to finally read the first book?
Who knows.....
But, I highly recommend it!
It is always interesting to read about the character's beginnings, and what better way than reading the first story?
This book was the fifth in his series about Denver bookman Cliff Janeway.
Seven years and one month later, I finally picked up the first in the series, Booked to Die - and could not put it down!
For those of us who love books and mysteries, this was the perfect who-dun-it!
Back in 2011 we loved Cliff Janeway a retired cop turned rare bookseller.
So...
What took me so long to finally read the first book?
Who knows.....
But, I highly recommend it!
It is always interesting to read about the character's beginnings, and what better way than reading the first story?
tiger_of_mu's review against another edition
5.0
Really liked this one and am looking forward to more. Starting the second one now.
greenmtgirl's review against another edition
4.0
I resisted the pulls of this novel because some aspects about it bugged me, but it wooed me and won me over.
It also got me thinking about my library in a wholly new way: I will never write m name or an inscription in a first edition again, and I'd like to know what my author-inscribed first editions of Mary Doria Russell novels are worth . . .
It also got me thinking about my library in a wholly new way: I will never write m name or an inscription in a first edition again, and I'd like to know what my author-inscribed first editions of Mary Doria Russell novels are worth . . .