Booked to Die — John Dunning

Tough, book-loving Denver homicide detective Cliff Janeway wants to nail Jackie Newton -- a suspected psychopath who just barely beat the rap for a series of vagrant killings. Janeway is certain his sleazy, sadistic nemesis is to blame for the recent murder of a down-and-out rare book hunter -- and treats Newton to another brutal helping of off-duty justice that ultimately costs the overzealous cop his badge.

A civilian once more, Cliff Janeway now has time to pursue his true passion -- the buying and selling of valuable first editions -- and to get to the bottom of the unfortunate bookscout's still-unsolved slaying. For somewhere undercover, in the bizarre, cutthroat world of bookmen and collectors, someone is dealing death along with vintage Chandlers and Twains.