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writegeist's review against another edition
4.0
This one was recommended to me by a friend who knew one of my dreams was owning a bookstore. And what reader doesn't have that dream, huh? Of course, reality steps in. Running a bookstore is work! Dunning has melded his bookstore experience with a well-crafted police procedural / citizen detective novel and added a touch of the noir. It's been a while since I skipped going to bed just because I couldn't put down a book, but Dunning had me from the first page. Who knew there was so much going on in the book business? Another series I'll keep an eye on.
estuaryaerosmith's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars, rounded down
this book was fine, nothing inherently wrong with it. it was just like i was reading fluff. three hundred pages and nothing much happens the whole time. i didn’t hate it, but it definitely was not my favorite.
this book was fine, nothing inherently wrong with it. it was just like i was reading fluff. three hundred pages and nothing much happens the whole time. i didn’t hate it, but it definitely was not my favorite.
winnimartha's review against another edition
3.0
At some point I'm going to have to acknowledge that detective fiction just isn't my favourite -- this was a pretty good story, and I enjoyed the bookish subject matter, but I don't particularly feel the need to read the next book in the series.
jcoryv's review against another edition
4.0
Listened to this on Audible… Father’s Day trip to pick up the twins in Seymour, Texas.
Slightly corny and too many cliches, but it’s hard to beat books about books. Looking forward to the next one.
Slightly corny and too many cliches, but it’s hard to beat books about books. Looking forward to the next one.
jayeeis's review against another edition
5.0
This book is a slow burn. I might even call it a slog since it took me several months of on/off reading to finish it, but the last chapter makes it all worth it. Expertly written and every thread is tied up with a bow by the end.
wyvernfriend's review against another edition
3.0
If I really wanted to know this much about bookselling and the calculation of prices of rare books I think I would have used another way to find out. This is a book where the author really did write about what he knew, and boy does he know a lot about bookselling.
A bookscout is found dead and Detective Cliff Janeway investigates, not only is he a detective but he's also a book collector of sorts. The investigation leads him into all sorts of trouble and he has to make some choices about his life.
Interesting but after a while I really didn't care.
A bookscout is found dead and Detective Cliff Janeway investigates, not only is he a detective but he's also a book collector of sorts. The investigation leads him into all sorts of trouble and he has to make some choices about his life.
Interesting but after a while I really didn't care.
rjsetserauthor's review against another edition
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Read for my book club.
Booked to Die was an interesting mystery that held my attention throughout most of the book. I think I was more interested in the information about the book dealers and the book scouts than I was the actual mystery. It's very informative in that regard and kept me invested. I can't say that I love Cliff as a main character, but his impulsive and somewhat hot-headed decisions make for an unpredictable storyline.
Overall, I'd read more of the series, but I only recommend it if you like slow-moving mysteries and are curious about used book store dealers and book scouts.
Content: High cursing content. Some explicit sexual content. Violence and action are also present, but not overly detailed (pretty standard for a mystery/thriller).
Booked to Die was an interesting mystery that held my attention throughout most of the book. I think I was more interested in the information about the book dealers and the book scouts than I was the actual mystery. It's very informative in that regard and kept me invested. I can't say that I love Cliff as a main character, but his impulsive and somewhat hot-headed decisions make for an unpredictable storyline.
Overall, I'd read more of the series, but I only recommend it if you like slow-moving mysteries and are curious about used book store dealers and book scouts.
Content: High cursing content. Some explicit sexual content. Violence and action are also present, but not overly detailed (pretty standard for a mystery/thriller).