THE BOOKMAN'S WAKE - John Dunning

The second outing for retired Denver detective now book dealer Cliff Janaway.

He is looking for a girl believed to be in posession of a rare book by Edgar Alan Poe. This leads to a tale of obession and madness with a few murders thrown in

Again we have an excellent mystery coupled with trivia regarding the rare and used book trade which I find fascinating. The author is a book dealer so they information supplied is first rate.

The books are unavailable in New Zealand but there are plenty out of the USA, thank goodness. (Published 1995)

BOOKED TO DIE - John Dunning

Books fairs, I love them, fifty cents got me this little gem concerning book collector / detective Cliff Janaway. The main story has Janaway trying to solve the murder of a down and out book dealer and a sub story of Janaway trying to end the reign of the local crime boss.

So, great plot, great characters and as the author is a book dealer , it is packed with trivia regarding the second hand book trade. Stephen King is worth thousands, who would have thought.

You won't be as lucky as me and score this for fifty cents but the series is available in the USA , all secondhand through Abe Books
(Published 1992)