Book Review: The Sign of the Book

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

The Sign of the Book     Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
John Dunning
Class/Genre:   Mystery
Series: Cliff Janeway # 4
Scribner, Mar 2005, $25.00, 368 pp.

Former Denver police officer Cliff Janeway has known his Twice Told Books bookstore partner, attorney Erin D’Angelo for two years so that he is capable of telling when she has something bothering her. He remains patient until Erin explains she needs Cliff to do her a favor. Laura Marshall is accused of killing her spouse and wants Erin to defend her. However, Erin informs Cliff she will never forgive Laura for stealing her lover who became her husband, but still the ethical side of her needs to know if Laura’s confession that she killed Bobby is legal and true.

Cliff would do anything for Erin so he journeys to Paradise to learn the truth and offer some assistance to Laura’s lawyer Parley McNamara struggling to overcome the confession. In the Western Colorado town, Cliff aggravates the arresting officer, battles with bibliophiles who behave more like mob goons than book lovers, and begins to wonder if one of the three Marshall kids killed their father as Laura never seems to fully cooperate with her defense.

THE SIGN OF THE BOOK is an excellent cleverly designed mystery filled with red herrings, and numerous twists and turns, but fans will still compare this to the already classic last year’s THE BOOKMAN’S PROMISE, which few works can compare with. The story line is fantastic as readers go down a path thinking they know what will happen only to find a sudden yet logical detour that works quite well and is totally believable. The sidebars involving rare books are always a bonus, but that might be this reviewer’s personal bias. The Bookman is terrific in this fine investigative tale.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner