The Bookwoman's Last Fling, by John Dunning

I love Cliff Janeway, but I don't understand him. He likes books a lot, as objects, than I can wrap my mind around. Dunning, too, is a collector, and I've like his writing since his very first Janeway novel which mentioned Centennial Racetrack. We drove past Centennial ever Sunday on our way to church, and it was a sad day when it was plowed under and turned into condos.

But anyway... Janeway has been asked, or rather hired, to assess a collection of first editions for an estate in Idaho. The man who just died didn't collect the books; his wife had done so but she died 20 years ago. The executor wants everything sorted out quickly, but Janeway soon realizes that he can't do this quickly: there are just too many books. Complicating that is the detail that some of the books have been replaced at some point with cheaper editions that are worthless.

Soon, the case turns into a quest to find out just how Mrs. Geiger died. Janeway finds himself working for a race team trying to find out about all the horse people who knew her. And then he finds himself in the trunk of a car which is then set afire. He escapes (of course), and is even more interested in who might want him to butt out (of oourse).

It's certainly not straightforward and he meets a lot of unpleasant people. He also meets some really good people, and eventually is reminded--forcefully--that he's not the Lone Ranger, and that it's a fine line to be crossed between love and obsession.

Good book. The really wonderful thing about the books in this series is that they are not written quickly. There is a long wait between each one. I think that means they are better-written, but the anticipation may also make them seem better. I don't know; either way, I always enjoy Cliff.