The Bookman's Promise

It took 12 years, but the bookman we came to know and love in "Booked to Die" (1992) is finally back. After a less-enjoyable-than-hoped for encore in 1995, this time Dunning's plot works much more effectively and he's got tough-guy bookman Cliff Janeway on track again. For the most part, the pace is fast and furious, and just as in the original novel filled with fascinating minutia about the business - or should I say passion - of collecting rare books. For some, these side trips into the world of rare books might be offputting, but to me they are the frosting on the cake and I don't mind them at all. That said, there are a few false steps here; a hoodlum whose connection to and interest in a down-at-the-heels bookseller is hard to swallow, and an extended flashback to the days leading up to the beginning of the Civil War that puts the central plot on hold for several chapters. Yet even this is enjoyable as Dunning introduces us to the long dead subject of Janeway's search, author and historian Richard Burton. I can see the dilemma facing an author setting out to write this novel. How many different ways can you evolve a plot from the search for a book, the disappearance of a book? Not all that many, I think, and thanks to that, Dunning has thrown everything into this one, including a piece of advice that might actually have been responsible for starting the Civil War. Art Tirrell is the author of 2007's surprise hit, "The Secret Ever Keeps" "Simply put...the best underwater scenes I've ever read."

Leave it to John Dunning to remind modern readers that there was more than just one Richard Burton...not just the 20th century award-winning thespian (and husband to Liz Taylor), but also a fascinating, 19th century explorer, knighted by the British for his anthropological discoveries, his books, and his work as a linguist as he traveled the globe. Dunning weaves flashbacks of Burton's tour of the American south just before the Civil War into his modern-day tale about a hero we've been waiting to see again, rare bookseller and ex-policeman Cliff Janeway. Janeway, as you may or may not recall, is the centerpiece of two of Dunning's earlier works, which established a mini-cult for readers, proving, once and for all, that there is nothing booklovers love more than reading about books. It has been eight years since Dunning followed the success of Booked To Die, Janeway's first outing, with The Bookman's Wake. Mystery readers around the globe waited somewhat impatiently for Dunning's alter-ego (he, too, sold rare books) to reappear. The wait was worth it. In The Bookman's Promise, Janeway has purchased a first edition of Sir Richard Burton's, and the rare book leads him on a quest to find a missing collection of Burton's works, and, it's hoped for, a never-published journal about his travels in America with the relative of the woman who claims the books were stolen from her family. Dunning weaves slices of today's quest with exerpts from the old journal, as the men, separated by time and reason, travel the same paths in the American southeast. Along the way, Janeway gets involved in the struggle between powerful families, suffers the death of a friend, and begins a love affair. With the exception of traveling companions Erin, and Koko - both of whom are somewhat mediocre characters, Dunning populates Janeway's quest not only with fascinating places and glimpses into the past, but with well-drawn supporting characters. The Bookman's Promise educates as well as entertains, and was well worth the wait!

This is a book I've looked forward to for a long time, and I wasn't disappointed. The Bookman's Promise by John Dunning is a continuation of the Cliff Janeway series, and I really wish this guy would write more. Very good stories...Cliff Janeway is an ex-cop who left the force after an excessive force incident, and he decided to open a book store specializing in rare and collectible books. Dunning is an actual bookseller, and you can tell he knows the field well. Janeway decides to buy a $30K volume by Richard Burton (the explorer) and is contacted by an elderly lady who claims to be related to someone who knew Burton well. There is also rumor of a journal that Burton kept during a time period before the Civil War, and it could shed light on how the war actually started. She claims that a large collection of the Burton works were stolen from her when her uncle died, and Janeway promises to try and uncover what may have happened to them. She dies shortly after he makes the promise, and he can't let it go. The search leads to the seedy side of the book-selling world, and soon Janeway has made a few enemies who want him dead. He has to balance his promise against trying to stay alive and not cause any injury to the people surrounding him.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 reading. I can identify with the search for that hidden treasure and how it feels to hold a unique volume in your hands. If you love books, Dunning will quickly become a favorite author.

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.

On p. 11 of "The Bookman's Promise" John Dunning describes an author as"... a major talent... a writer who would never waste my time." Putting aside the character of the author Dunning describes, you have a very apt description of the man himself. It seems as if Dunning is incapable of writing anything less than fascinating. His "Cliff Janeway" novels, of which this is the latest, have only one flaw; they are too few and far between. His "Two O'clock Eastern Wartime" is an overlooked treasure that should be read by anyone who appreciates fine mystery/history writing. And his "Tune in Yesterday" is probably the definitive work on early radio (you know, the years when radio MEANT something!) But I digress. "Bookman's Promise", in and of itself, is a thrilling speculation on, among other things, rare bookdealers, literary chicanery, honor, decency, and (just for kicks) the life and work of Sir Richard Burton. Oh, did I mention it's a helluva good mystery?Buy this book now. Who knows, in a few years it may be out of your price range.