John Dunning, Bibliomystery Author, has Died
John Dunning, an award-winning author of bibliofiction, rare bookseller, and book collector, has died at the age of 81. His website says, “In 2006, John had a large benign brain tumor which was surgically removed, but it caused the loss of one eye and progressive neurological problems. Sadly he passed away May 22, 2023, and will be sorely missed.”
I wouldn’t say that Dunning’s books are the reason I love reading, but they are what got me hooked on books, looking for rare tomes and the hobby of studying up on points.
Dunning’s Cliff Janeway series was fantastic. The first in the series was the Nero award-winning mystery Booked To Die. In it, a retired cop, bookscout, book dealer, and bibliophile, Cliff Janeway, would trawl through Colorado looking for rare books when not on the job evaluating large private libraries. You can bet that where rare, expensive books are – the criminals are not far behind.
I love that the Denver Post called Dunning “one of Colorado’s most beloved bibliophiles.” What a way to be remembered! Dunning was once a news reporter and once owned the now-closed Denver-based bookstore Old Algonquin Books and collected old radios, which was the subject of another of his books. He was famous for using his 1964 Hermes Ambassador manual typewriter to write his books as well.
The Cliff Janeway series ran for five books.
- Booked to Die (1992) – won a Nero Award; nominated for the 1993 Anthony Award.
- The Bookman’s Wake (1995) – nominated for a 1996 Edgar Award
- The Bookman’s Promise (2004)
- The Sign of the Book (2005)
- The Bookwoman’s Last Fling (2006)
The first two books are the best and ‘most bookish’ in the series. They’re all good fun, but towards the end of the series, Dunning was peppering in more and more horse racing and romance storylines. None of these is a bad thing, but it dilutes the hard-boiled edge of the bibliophile detective fiction set in Booked to Die and The Bookman’s Wake.
If you’re looking for a taste of Dunning’s inspired book-hunting writing, there is a 19-page chapbook he wrote titled Bookscout. While only 50 copies were printed, you can find ebook versions of Bookscout on most ebook platforms. It’s usually available for $1.99 and is produced by The Mysterious Bookshop and Open Road Media. It tells the tale of Joel Beer as he creeps through bookstores, thrift stores, and yard sales, trying to find $5 books worth hundreds of dollars.
I have long looked for more bibliomysteries like what Dunning wrote. They are hard to find. It’s not hard to find a mystery or thriller that is set in a bookstore or revolves around and bookshop owner or a specific book. But to find a book that talks about books like the Cliff Janeway series is a rare thing indeed.
