Rating: 
Summary: Two Books In One
Review: When a book scout is found dead, the victim of a brutal bashing, Cliff Janeway is on the case. Not only is Cliff a cop, he's also a book-collector. This gives him a big advantage when chasing down the killer. Unfortunately, things don't go as smoothly as they might, thanks to his arch-enemy, Jackie Newton.This book has an added bonus for would-be book collectors. Not only is it a fine mystery that will hold you enthralled, but it is full of handy tips on what to look for when buying a collectable book. If you had a bud of an interest in book-collecting before reading this, it should be swollen and ready to burst by the time you come to the end.
Rating:
Summary: Well written mystery should appeal to book lovers
Review: Dunning crafts an intriguing plot set in the world of used and rare books. His characters are quickly three dimensional, the dialogue is realistic, and the mystery is genuinely puzzling. The protagonist is a homicide detective on the Denver Police Department -- at least for a while -- and is immediately sympathetic and complex. I thought the ending was a bit jumbled, but eventually all strings are tied up. This is a worthwhile read, and should be particularly interesting to book aficionados or those familiar with Denver.
Rating:
Summary: Good solid mystery
Review: Cliff Janeway is a Denver homocide detective. When bookscout Bobby Westfall turns up beaten to death in a Denver alley Janeway's first thought is that it's Jackie Newton doing the killing again. Newton just barely beat the rap on a series of similar killings but Janeway is still after the man, but perhaps too zealously. Janeway and Newton eventually tangle, but it costs Janeway his job. Now a civilan, Janeway once again finds himself embroiled in the Westfall case but this time he may be the killer's next target. Mr. Dunning is a fine writer. His characters are well done, the plotting is believable, and his dialog is right on. It's also obvious that he knows about books. I found this mystery to be very well done with the killer's identity a mystery right up until the very end. In today's market of mediocre mysteries this book and Mr. Dunnings "The Bookman's Wake" stand out. I'd recommend them.
Rating: 
Summary: A "Books Book" to Die For!
Review: Dunning's bookseller series is absolutely wonderful! If you love reading good mystery/adventure fiction while actually learning something (at least semi-) arcane, you'll love hero Cliff Janeway and his life amidst the bookshelves... (But then I also love the Jonathan Gash series about Lovejoy -- and claim I'm learning something about antiques! Go figure...) SCOTT
Rating:
Summary: The Best Mystery!
Review: It seems (at times), my life is a cotinuous happy accident. I re-found this book after losing it. Some years ago, after reading the book, I lent it to someone and they lost it and I since forgot the name of the author. Not to be confused with Lawrence Block's "Bernie Rhodenbar" character (I thought wrongly "Booked to Die" was a Lawrence Block creation.) I love mysteries and especially mysteries involving books! "Booked to Die" is both, and a great story from start to finish. John Dunning's Cliff Janeway is a real interesting character and one you won't forget. BUY THIS BOOK! You'll be glad you did and you'll learn something about the book business.
Rating:
Summary: "A real find"
Review: Rarely have I been so captivated by a book. I read most of the popular stuff in the mystery/suspense/crime genre, and this book blew me away! Upon finishing it I immediately called my bookstore to see if it stocked the sequel, "The Bookman's Wake". The main character, Cliff Janeway, is a homicide detective whose hobby is collecting rare books. The reader is introduced to the world of rare book dealers, and gives interesting insights into how and why today's - and yesterday's - books are sought after. Why is a first edition by Stephen King or Thomas Harris worth almost as much as one by Hemingway or Steinbeck? This is fascinating stuff for the reader who loves books. This is one of those jewels that you run across maybe once overy year or two, and say WOW. If it's not obvious, I LOVED THIS BOOK.
Rating:
Summary: Who knew that books "were to die for"?
Review: Murder mysteries are not a genre that I read with any frequency. But I do like books. And perhaps even more to the point, I like books about books. "Books are your friends" is an aphorism that my father frequently used to encourage me read. In an interesting twist on that saying, John Dunning reveals that books can also be your enemies; that besides their intrinsic value as entertainment and purveyors of enlightenment, they can be the cause of envy, greed, and ultimately...murder! That is, if they are the right (or should I say the "wrong") books. Does this seem a little cryptic? If so, that's because I don't want to give away the plot, which I think is competently developed and sufficiently filled with enough diversions and blind alleys to be intellectually challenging. But the thing that Dunning has so shrewdly and insightfully captured is the seductiveness of books. For those truly caught in their web, for those who deeply revere the printed word in all its different forms, books take on a life of their own and assume a value as great as any other source of wealth. And since wealth as we are so frequently told is a "source of all evil", it is--in retrospect--not so surprising that they too can lead to cruel and calculated killing. It's this additional element that subversively underlies the appeal of "Booked to Die" and makes it so much more than simply another murder mystery.
Rating: 
Summary: Not a story that will keep you up at night....
Review: ....or even one that will make you care who killed the bookscout. Although the book is fairly well written and it's interesting to read about the world of used book buying and selling, you end up not really caring about any of the characters (dead or alive!). Too many cardboard characters (two dimensional cliches). Toward the end of the book, I found myself racing to finish it -- not because I was caught up in the plot or the action, but just so I could put it in my used-paperbacks-to-be-sold pile and start reading something better. Had I misplaced this book and never finished it, I wouldn't have spent five minutes wondering what happened.
Rating:
Summary: The Only Time I Wrote to an Author
Review: Although I am a voracious reader of mysteries, in all my 40 (ahem!) years I have written only one fan letter to an author in response to his book. The one letter I did write, back in 1993, was to John Dunning, after I finished "Booked to Die." I just had to tell him how much I admired this book, and encourage him to write more, quickly. The plot twists and turns were jaw-dropping, the plots and sub-plots terrific, and I learned a little about collecting books. His character development is great. Almost every time Dunning killed somebody off, I really almost grieved for them. All in all, an excellent read.
Rating:
Summary: Mystery for bibliophies
Review: The most literally literary mystery I've seen. Nothing compares with it. The sequel was good, but not as good. Biblio lore abounds.
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