The Sign of the Book Cliff Janeway Bk 4, John Dunning. (Hardcover 0743255054) Book Reviews, Used Book available for Swap

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The Sign of the Book - Cliff Janeway, Bk 4
Author: John Dunning

Denver bookman and ex-cop Cliff Janeway is enjoying the good life, buying and selling the books he adores as he ekes out a living in his store on seedy East Colfax. And it doesn't hurt that superstar lawyer Erin D'Angelo has joined him as a partner in both business and love. — Erin is a special lady, so it's hard for Janeway to refuse... more » her when she asks a favor. Will he travel to the little mountain town of Paradise, Colorado, to check on one of Erin's girlhood friends who's in deep trouble? Laura Marshall sits in the county jail, accused of murdering her husband, Bobby.

The situation is delicate because Bobby and Erin were a couple before he married Laura. In fact, it was Laura's affair with Bobby that ended Erin's relationship with each of them, and the women have been estranged ever since. Now Laura has called on Erin for help, but Erin's not sure she even wants to see her onetime best friend, let alone get involved in her case. Could Janeway visit Laura on Erin's behalf and try to find out what happened the night Bobby died?

The clincher for Janeway: Bobby Marshall was a book collector, and Janeway can't resist a house full of books any more than he can resist Erin's uncharacteristic request. His normally self-sufficient girlfriend is clearly at loose ends. He drives to Paradise the next day.

Janeway soon discovers that neither he nor Erin is likely to be able to save Laura Marshall. The young wife and mother is terrified of something and has already admitted to the arresting officer -- a smarmy local deputy with a huge chip on his shoulder -- that she shot her husband and then tried to dispose of the bloody evidence.

But did everything really happen as Laura claims? And what about the books? Bobby had a vast library, but at a casual glance, the titles seem ordinary, even to a seasoned bookman like Janeway. Could they possibly be a motive for murder?

Janeway, Erin, and local attorney Parley McNamara discover that the case against Laura Marshall is far more complicated than it seems. Professionally, Erin must decide whether to represent Laura; and personally, whether a decades-old friendship can be resurrected. Janeway wants to know the significance of Bobby's book collection. He senses their importance, and under his careful scrutiny, the rows of unremarkable volumes could reveal a killer's motive.

ISBN-13: 9780743255059
ISBN-10: 0743255054
Publication Date: 3/1/2005
Pages: 368
Rating:

Currently 4.1/5 Stars.

4.1 stars, based on 48 ratings

Publisher: Scribner
Book Type: Hardcover
Other Versions: Paperback
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

Barbara S. (BarbSchmidt) reviewed The Sign of the Book (Cliff Janeway, Bk 4) on 4/21/2007 + 8 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 4

I love Cliff Janeway,the detective in the series, and I love John Dunning's writing. All his plots are interesting, pulling you along, but this one is the best so far. I found myself trying to read slowly, to extend the pleasure. It ended all to soon as the pages flipped by more and more quickly.

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Karen K. (krin) reviewed The Sign of the Book (Cliff Janeway, Bk 4) on 7/27/2007 + 407 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 3

Enjoyable mystery centered in Colorado during the wintertime. Janeway calls upon his skills as a former police officer (keeping himself alert during stakeouts) and as a expert bookseller (assessing the worth of rare books). There are some nice twists and a few red herrings to throw Janeway and the reader off the trail, but all is resolved at the end.

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Jean H. reviewed The Sign of the Book (Cliff Janeway, Bk 4) on 10/24/2006 + 28 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 3

Different type of bookman book, many twists and turns.

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Winston C. (Crabby-doctor) reviewed The Sign of the Book (Cliff Janeway, Bk 4) on 9/6/2006 + 296 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 2

I have just finished this book and I think it is Dunning's best one!

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Kelly P. (KellyP) - , reviewed The Sign of the Book (Cliff Janeway, Bk 4) on 4/6/2007 + 143 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 1

John Dunning's 4th novel about retired-cop-turned-bookdealer Cliff Janeway. This is an excellent series!

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Marykaye M. (pawprints) reviewed The Sign of the Book (Cliff Janeway, Bk 4) on 6/1/2007 + 92 more book reviews

A wonderful addition to Dunning's Cliff Janeway series. Cliff and his attorney girlfriend, Erin, take on a client accused of murdering her husband. Laura, the client, used to be Erin's best friend until she seduced Erin's boyfriend Bobby and later marriend him. Now he's dead and although Laura's confessed, Cliff and Erin don't think she did it. Who is she protecting? One of the best things about reading Dunning's mysteries is how much the reader learns about the book trade. For book lovers, that's almost as important as solving the mystery!

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Janiva T. (dallas) reviewed The Sign of the Book (Cliff Janeway, Bk 4) on 5/12/2006 + 16 more book reviews

Last in the Bookman series. It will leave those who have become Cliff Janeway fans waiting for #5. The rare books field comes alive in this series.

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Audrey A. (Arosea) reviewed The Sign of the Book (Cliff Janeway, Bk 4) on 6/13/2021 + 455 more book reviews

The Sign of the Book tells the story of the murder of a man who has an unusual collection of autographed books, and Janeway is brought into the story by his lover, Erin D'Angelo, who is the defense attorney of the murdered man's wife. Janeway determines that the signatures in the books are authentic, but he has a funny feeling that they are forged. Whether they are genuine or forged is critical to the outcome of the murder investigation. The story has some interesting twists and turns that lead to a startling conclusion.

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Jenn S. - , reviewed The Sign of the Book (Cliff Janeway, Bk 4) on 11/6/2010 + 33 more book reviews

Another excellent book from John Dunning, thoroughly enjoyed reading about aspects the bookselling business woven into the mystery story, only marred by language that added nothing to the story.

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keycollect reviewed The Sign of the Book (Cliff Janeway, Bk 4) on 8/24/2007

I really like all these Cliff Janeway Bookman novels!

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