The Bookman's Promise : A Cliff Janeway Novel (Cliff Janeway Novels (Paperback))

Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable and Engaging
Review: For my first John Dunning novel, *The Bookman's Promise* was a great place to start. Coming in on the latest book in a series can sometimes be daunting. The characters have an established history, set up in previous books as it were, that is often referred back to and sometimes it just makes you feel like you're missing something. But that is not the case with this series. Janeway obviously has a very involved past, but I was given enough to feel as though I knew the character and didn't need to worry about what I missed by starting at the end of the series.

Aside from the infinitely interesting world of rare or "unique" books, this novel focuses on one historical persona in the shape and scars of Richard Burton. Now, I had heard the name, but knew little about the person. Where some may have found the emphasis on this one particular man distracting or not as engaging as booklore, I thought just the opposite. I love learning about people like Burton, and being introduced to him as I was in this novel motivated me to learn more. When a book makes you want to go right to your local library to get a better understanding of history (or whatever it may be), well, that's fantastic. And it makes me appreciate the work of fiction all the more. And the interlude between Charlie and Burton that has been mentioned in other reviews was quite refreshing. Charlie has a lovely voice, which makes his story so enjoyable and readable. To me the book would have been missing something without it.

I must say that *The Bookman's Promise* was thoroughly entertaining and I'm very glad to have read it. The day I finished it I went and purchased the other two books in the Janeway series. And even though it has its flaws (I wasn't thrilled with the ending and some of the characters had annoying tendencies, but overall that's being relatively picky) I would recommend it to anyone--whether they've read the other ones or not.

Rating:
Summary: FINNALLY, ANOTHER "CLIFF JANEWAY" NOVEL!!!
Review: It's been almost a decade since the last "Cliff Janeway" novel by John Dunning, but the wait was well worth it. Mr. Dunning's newest book, THE BOOKMAN'S PROMISE, brings back our ex-Denver homicide detective/book dealer in rare form as he seeks to find the murderer of a new friend and information concerning Sir Richard Burton's (legendary Nineteenth Century explorer and author) trip to the United States just before the start of the Civil War. It all begins when Janeway purchases a rare book by Richard Burton in pristine condition and inscribed by Burton to someone named Charlie Warren at an auction. Within weeks, an elderly woman appears at Janeway's bookstore, claiming to be the granddaughter of Charlie Warren and asking Janeway to help her find the missing library of Burton books that were stolen from her family after her grandfather died. As proof of her claim, she presents Janeway with another book by Burton, also in pristine condition and inscribed to her grandfather. This leads Janeway to a book dealer in Baltimore and a dangerous thug who's more than willing to kill in order to stop Janeway in his search. Janeway then heads to Charleston, South Carolina where Richard Burton and Charlie Warren spent several days, supposedly causing the start of the War Between the States. What will Janeway discover and how many people will have to die because of something that happened over 150 years ago? As in the previous two "Janeway" novels (BOOKED TO DIE and THE BOOKMAN'S WAKE), Mr. Dunning creates a marvelous mystery filled with strong character development, suspense, and bare-knuckles action, while at the same time delving into the intriguing world of rare books and what makes one book more valuable than another. Any "Janeway" novel is certainly a special treat for lovers of well-written mysteries and the world of antique books. John Dunning definitely knows his subject matter and manages to make it quite vivid and entertaining. I can't highly recommend this novel enough, or the two previous ones in the series. I sincerely hope Mr. Dunning won't wait as long before presenting his growing legion of fans with his next "Janeway" novel.

Rating:
Summary: Bookish but not too
Review: Perhaps it was because I was expecting a disaster--after all, an ex-cop turned antique book dealer! Come on! But what I found instead of a joke was a remarkable book with enough twists and turns to keep you busy on a Saturday night! This thing is just fantastic and I have to say that I was mightly impressed with John Dunning's talent as a writer. How does he come up with this stuff? As a crime/mystery novel, the story is good. Janeway is an interesting character, and you quickly become wrapped up in his quest. For me, the element that makes it a special read is the backdrop of book selling. I love books, and I love readingThe writing is great--on the same level as Jackson McCrae's "The Bark of the Dogwood" or Boyle's "Water Music," and the plot, pacing, and characters are amazing. I highly, highly, highly recommend this book!

Also recommended: McCrae's "Bark of the Dogwood--A Tour of Southern Homes and Gardens."