The Bookman's Promise : A Cliff Janeway Novel

Abridged
Author: John Dunning
Narrator: George Guidall
Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Series
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Date: March 2004
Length: 6 hours
Ratings:
  • Book Rating: 4.5/5
Formats:
  • CD

Overview

Cliff Janeway is back! The Bookman's Promise marks the eagerly awaited return of the award-winning crime novel series that helped the nation turn on to first-edition book collecting.

The Bookman's Promise juxtaposes past and present as Denver ex-cop and bookman Cliff Janeway searches for a book and a killer.

The quest begins when an old woman -- Josephine Gallant -- learns that Janeway recently bought at auction a signed first edition by the legendary nineteenth-century explorer, Richard Francis Burton. The book is a true classic, telling of Burton's journey -- disguised as a Muslim -- to the forbidden holy cities of Mecca and Medina. The Boston auction house was a distinguished and trustworthy firm, but provenance is sometimes murky and Josephine says it is rightfully hers.

She believes that her grandfather had a fabulous collection of Burton material, but everything mysteriously disappeared shortly after her grandfather's death. With little time left in her own life, Josephine begs for Janeway's promise: he must find her grandfather's collection. When a friend is murdered, Janeway must find the answers. Someone today is willing to kill to keep the secrets of the past.

Rich with the insider's information that has made John Dunning famous, The Bookman's Promise is riveting entertainment from an extraordinarily gifted author who is as unique as the books he so clearly loves.

Reviews (4)

Bookman's promise

Written by Lee Werley from Chapel Hill, NC on August 2nd, 2006

  • Book Rating: 3/5

When I first started I thought it was another book by John Dunning. It sounded like the same setting, characters, etc. I did finish it and it was okay. The reader did a good job.

The Bookman's Promise

Written by Anonymous from Southfield, MI on July 19th, 2006

  • Book Rating: 4/5

I agree with a previous reviewer--I wish this had been unabridged. It's a great story and the reader, George Guidall, is excellent (as he always is).

What a pleasure!

Written by Anonymous from Coarsegold, CA on July 27th, 2005

  • Book Rating: 4/5

This was a thoroughly enjoyable title. I wish that it had been unabridged! Well written and well read.

Good Story made better by a Good narrator

Written by Anonymous on May 28th, 2005

  • Book Rating: 5/5

Since I ride during the commute I often doze off - this one kept me awake! Not only was the story a good mystery, but the narrator who also does the Hillerman novels is excellent!

Author Details

Author Details

Dunning, John

"John Dunning is the Nero Wolfe Award-winning author of Booked to Die and The Bookman's Wake, a New York Times notable book of 1995. An expert on rare and collectible books, he owned the Old Algonquin Bookstore in Denver for many years. He is also an expert on American radio history and the author of On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio (Oxford, 1998) and was for many years host of the weekly Denver radio show Old-Time Radio. He has a personal archive of 40,000 shows on high-quality recordings. John Dunning lives in Denver, Colorado. "