Anthologies#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Ten Tales |
1994 |
Buy |
Cliff Janeway Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Booked to Die |
1992 |
Buy |
| The Bookman’s Wake |
1992 |
Buy |
| The Bookman’s Promise |
2004 |
Buy |
| The Sign of the Book |
2005 |
Buy |
| The Bookwoman’s Last Fling |
2006 |
Buy |
Non-Fiction#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Tune in Yesterday: The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio, 1925-1976 |
1976 |
Buy |
| Truly Murderous |
1979 |
Buy |
| On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio |
1998 |
Buy |
Short Stories/Novellas#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Bookscout |
1994 |
Buy |
| Dreamer |
2013 |
Buy |
Standalone Novels#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| The Holland Suggestions |
1975 |
Buy |
| Denver |
1980 |
Buy |
| Looking For Ginger North |
1980 |
Buy |
| Deadline |
1981 |
Buy |
| Occult Murders |
1989 |
Buy |
| Two O’Clock Eastern Wartime Export |
2001 |
Buy |
John Dunning was a Denver-based mystery writer whose Cliff Janeway series brought the world of rare books and antiquarian book dealing into the crime fiction genre. Booked to Die (1992) introduced Janeway as a Denver cop who kills a suspect and leaves the police force to open a used bookstore. His expertise in rare books keeps pulling him into murder investigations connected to valuable first editions and book collections.
The Cliff Janeway series ran to five books, including The Bookman’s Wake, The Bookman’s Promise, The Sign of the Book, and The Bookwoman’s Last Fling. Dunning was himself a rare book dealer, and his detailed knowledge of book collecting, editions, and the antiquarian trade gave the series an authenticity unusual in the mystery genre. Before Janeway, he published several standalone novels and non-fiction works, including two encyclopedias of old-time radio that remain reference books in that field.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many books has John Dunning written?
John Dunning has written seventeen books across five series.
What was John Dunning's first book?
John Dunning’s first book is The Holland Suggestions, published in 1975.
What is the Cliff Janeway series about?
The Cliff Janeway series follows a Denver homicide detective who quits the force and becomes a rare book dealer. His knowledge of the book trade puts him at the center of murder cases involving rare and valuable books. Booked to Die, the first book, won the Nero Wolfe Award.