The Bookwoman's Last Fling

by John Dunning

Book Overview

In another enthralling bestseller by "master yarn spinner" John Dunning, rare book dealer and relentless private eye Cliff Janeway unravels a deadly plot marked by stolen classics and stable secrets.... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0743289455
• ISBN13: 9780743289450
• Release Date: May 2006
• Publisher: Scribner Book Company
• Length: 337 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.5" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

combining the best of all worlds of reading...

I don't think I could ask for a better prescription for writing mysteries than with Dunning's mysteries concerning an ex-cop who owns a bookstore. He is supposedly out of the world of crime, but somehow crime manages to find him, with even more danger for him and his friends than if he had stayed in the police business anyway! This is part of the problem for both him and his latest lady friend, who is not satisfied with just tagging along with him on his jaunts into a world with unscrupulous people who are as nearly insane concerning the worth of books and Janeway himself is. These books could only be written by someone with an immense background in books and in literature. Dunning obviously has that background. It's a joy to read and learn from even a mystery novel about a world most people never come in contact with (the world of the book). It is amazing the significant amount of value placed on these books, but as I have a housefull of books myself, I am all too aware of how easy it is to become wrapped up in the worth of a book! Janeway becomes involved in a round-about way with the dispersal of a book collection from an estate of someone who collected rare books that normall would not be worth much. Books are missing from a farm house, but the taking of those books seems to follow no rules. Janeway is asked to determine if the books are real or fake, and who this inheritance belongs to. His girlfriend arrives in the world of horse-racing to determine who else is involved, and his fears for her safety sometimes threaten to overwhelm his need for her assistance. That ends up in creating a conflict for both him and her... Karen Sadler

Cliff Janeway Hot Walks at the Track

The Bookwoman's Last Fling is a most unexpected and rewarding addition to this outstanding series. Think of this book as John Dunning trying his hand successfully at writing like Dick Francis with a bibliophile twist. As the book opens, Cliff Janeway is waiting at five a.m. in the parking lot of an all-night diner in Idaho for his new client, Mr. Willis, to arrive. Cliff is willing to be patient because he's already been paid $5,000 in advance. The client waits until six to show himself. And that's the smoothest part of that day. Willis is the representative of Harold Ray Geiger's estate, an estate enriched by a large collection of valuable juvenile first editions that the late Mr. Geiger's wife, Candice, has assembled before she died a number of years before. Until the books are accounted for, the estate cannot be settled and several valuable race horses cannot be taken west to the track. But Willis doesn't seem to be sure what he wants Janeway to do. Appraise the books? Figure out why so many virtually worthless books are sitting alongside extremely valuable ones? Locate books that may be missing? Or find out if someone killed Candice? Feeling unsettled, Janeway arranges to visit Geiger's daughter, Sharon, who inherited the other half of the rare book collection after Candice died of her fatal allergy to peanuts. Sharon saves horses headed for the slaughterhouse, and Janeway finds her a much more sympathetic person than Willis. From that contact, Janeway finds himself caught up in an investigation into Candice's death. With Sharon's help, the investigation first takes him Golden Gate Fields, a race track just north of Oakland, California and then to Santa Anita in Southern California. In the process, Janeway gets to know Sharon's step-brothers and uncovers many family secrets. But the investigation clearly alerts someone to be careful, and Janeway becomes a target for attacks. His instinct tells him that someone must have killed Candice. But who did it? Until late in the book, the suspects are few and the motives are unclear. In writing this book, John Dunning draws deeply on his knowledge of rare books as well as his experience as a young man working with race horses. The book's back cover displays a photograph of Mr. Dunning as a young man during those days. The race course material rings very deeply true and is quite an unexpected pleasure. The book contains an excellent development of Cliff Janeway's psychology. What does he want in life? By the end of book he and you'll know. I also liked the way the book develops a picture of Candice from second-hand sources. It's a difficult way to establish a major character, but Mr. Dunning does it quite well. Several other characters will interest you, but I suspect that Sharon will be your favorite. Even if you haven't read any other books in this series, you could begin with this one and have a delightful read.

Bravo, John Dunning!

This Cliff Janeway book mystery will rank as one of the better in the series as Dunning mixes his insider knowledge of horseracing with a mystery that may or may not include a 20-year-old murder but definitely includes a collection of juveniles (children's books) of unimaginable value. Cliff is called in to locate a collection of books that went missing from the collection, and he finds himself backstage at the racetrack. This is a well-crafted novel with a kicker resolution and plenty of motives, as many people are protecting secrets of one kind or another. Altogether a satisfying read, as much for the peek into a book collection that just about any book lover would die for.

Characters you'll remember; even the horse had a personality!

As a fan of this series I always look forward to the next book. This latest did not disappoint. The change of location was interesting, and there was a great sense of place. What I like most about this series, though, is the characters, and not just the main character. John Dunning creates characters in his books that you will long remember; if you read "The Bookman's Promise," you'll know what I mean. The character "Rick" from this book, and even "Candice," who is present only in memory, will remain with you. Even the personality of the horse comes through. A great addition to the series.

John Dunning knows how to craft a good mystery

Denver book buyer Cliff Janeway has been called to Idaho to assess the estate collection of H.R. and Candice Geiger, both deceased. But of course, the task is not that simple. The estate manager's demeanor runs the gamut from vague to downright surly. H.R.'s books are at the main house, while Candice's are with her daughter Sharon. Someone seems to have been stealing selected volumes from some series runs over the years. The three Geiger brothers are each crazy in their own way, or worse. Oh, and then there's that little matter about whether or not Candice was murdered so long ago. Janeway approaches it all with his usual calculating manner, using his ex-cop intuition to decide how to best be involved with the books, the loose ends, and with this seemingly dysfunctional family. And since the Geiger business is racehorses, Janeway gets his foot in that barn door, too. He follows the investigation to a racetrack in California, where he takes on work as a hot walker. Here he (and we readers) learn more about the scene behind the races. Before too long, we're all comfortable with hanging out with the ginny and the bug boy and tackling the endless duty of mucking out the stables. Cliff's girlfriend, bookstore partner and lawyer Erin, joins him for part of the investigation and is accidentally put into harm's way. The true identity of the perpetrator remains a mystery to us until the last 23 pages, when most savvy readers will get a sinking feeling in the pit of their stomachs, and no one will be able to warn Cliff of the danger ahead. We just have to hang on and hope that the good guy prevails. Granted, this might not be the strongest episode in the Cliff Janeway series, but it's still an enjoyable read and is heads above many other contemporary mysteries available today. The dialogue advances the plot, the description of the racetrack venue is fresh and intriguing, and the mystery and its action keep us turning pages. I heartily recommend new readers to the series to delve into other Dunning books. It's always a treat to spend time with Cliff Janeway. He's the West Coast answer to Bernie Rhodenbarr.