Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
If you like collectable books, you'll enjoy this!, 18 Feb 2007
Brilliant book! The most enjoyable detective novel I've read for ages! The theme (books) isn't going to appeal to everyone, but if you know anything at all about the used/rare book trade then I'm sure you'll find something in this novel to like... I'm now looking forward to reading the rest of the series, starting with "The Bookman's Wake".
The book opens with a death - Bobby the bookscout is found murdered in an alleyway. But who would want to murder a bookscout? And why? Not for money, surely?... bookscouts like Bobby live from hand-to-mouth. But, then, surely nobody would commit murder for a book?... There must be some other motive?
For homicide detective, Cliff Janeway (with a passion for fiction first editions) the hunt for Bobby's killer goes through many phases, beginning with a personal vendetta against the lead suspect (he and Cliff have a colourful history). Midway through the novel Cliff reaches a stage in his career where he eventually decides that it's time his passion for books becomes something more than just a hobby... and with a couple of further murders the hunt for Bobby's killer is re-kindled as the quest becomes a personal one...
Really well-written with a good pace. Plenty of scope is left to the reader's imagination when it comes to the characters. Readers with little interest or knowledge of collectable books may find all the book detail and book price detail too intense, but others are going to love it!
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thoroughly entertaining, excellent mystery, 14 April 2002
In this story we are introduced to a tough homicide detective named Cliff Janeway. Cliff also has a soft side -- the side of him that has a passion for the printed word and collectible books. The story opens with an investigation of the murder of a Denver bookscout (a person who finds treasure at resale shops and Salvation Army stores, among other places, & sells it to used collectible book dealers). Cliff suspects a vicious criminal that he has been after for years, Jackie Newton. Cliff and Jackie enter a spiral that changes their lives forever. However, nothing in this book is quite as it seems .... one important part of the mystery isn't solved until the very last page!
The author made his characters thoroughly believable & thoroughly likeable. Mixed into this well written mystery are details about collectible books woven skillfully into the story.
A friend loaned me the paperback and I enjoyed it so thoroughly that I ordered the hardcover available on Amazon -- the book is that good! Buy it, if you love books as much as I do, you'll really enjoy and treasure this book!
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4.0 out of 5 stars
A Book Lover's Mystery, 19 Jul 2008
I was initially drawn to this book as I love 'books about books' and this sounded a quirky little read and just up my street.
Cliff Janeway is a great character, likeable but with his faults and most of all a real book lover. All the murders are connected with the book collecting business, so any book lover is in for a treat. The descriptions of the book trade pre-Internet are fascinating. The way the bookscouts went from shop to shop trying their best to find that hidden gem that will change their life.
As well as a very good mystery story with many twists and turns, there is so much detail of book collecting, so many descriptions of personal book collections and some really great one-liners that book lovers will appreciate. Mc Kinley says 'when you buy something unique and pay twice what it is worth, it's a great bargain'.
A great mystery, a likeable and believeable main character with a good plot that kept me guessing to the end.
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