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This page lists novels and non-fiction by John Dunning.

Cover images are when possible of the first US edition and a recent paperback or digital edition.

By John Dunning:
- novels
- non-fiction

The Holland Suggestions

John Dunning

1975

"The first time he notices how much Judy looks like her mother, Jim Ryan is so surprised he nearly faints. Vivian was the most interesting woman he had ever known, but their relationship was traumatic, and seeing her every day in their daughter's face sends a chill through him that he cannot understand. He is just getting up the nerve to tell his daughter the truth about her mother when a picture arrives in the mail that will change his life forever. It is an ordinary snapshot of a treacherous-looking mountain pass, but it stirs a powerful force deep within Jim's unconscious and compels him to visit the quiet town in the photo. He proceeds as if hypnotized, risking his life and his family for an answer to the riddle that has corrupted his dreams."

Looking for Ginger North

John Dunning

1980

"The old wooden tower looms over the racetrack, an eyesore that is too famous to tear down. To Wes Harrison, it is more than an architectural curiosity; it is a bitter reminder of Ginger North, the track employee who, three decades earlier, leapt from the tower to her death. Around the track, she is a legend, something to reminisce about in between races, but to Harrison, Ginger North is much more: she was his mother. A troubled ex-cop, Harrison drifts into the world of the racetrack as a way of connecting with his mother's spirit. Armed with a few old case files, he takes a job on the grounds, seeking answers about Ginger's death. Standing in his way are certain people -- jockeys, trainers, grooms, and owners -- who do not want the truth to come out. Conflict is natural among those who work with horses, but at this track, the competition could be deadly."

Denver

John Dunning

1980

"Denver is a panoramic novel as vibrant as the city for which it is named, as tumultuous as the era in which it is set. John Dunning never lets the reader lose sight of the men and women who live their lives on the pages of this saga. While crosses burst into angry flames and menacing droves of white-robed Klansmen gather against the torch-lit skies, passions, fears, joys, and hates are played out in Denver in the 1920s."

Deadline

John Dunning

1981

"After years of churning out copy as a newspaper reporter, Dalton Walker still can't resist a fire. When a circus tent goes up in smoke, seventeen are killed, and one body in particular draws his attention: a little girl, charred beyond recognition. The adult that brought her there must have survived, but no one comes forward to claim the body. Why? It is a strange case, and the more Walker digs, the stranger it becomes. At the same time, his new editor hands him a fluff piece -- a profile of something New York City has never seen before: an Amish Rockette. As Walker investigates how a girl who was taught that dancing is a sin could have found her way to Radio City Music Hall, he begins to suspect that her apparent fear of reporters is more than just shyness. Danger surrounds the dancer, who is learning that life on the kickline can be just as perilous as a circus-tent fire."

Booked to Die

John Dunning

1992

A Cliff Janeway novel.

"Denver homicide detective Cliff Janeway may not always play by the book, but he is an avid collector of rare and first editions. After a local bookscout is killed on his turf, Janeway would like nothing better than to rearrange the suspect's spine. But the suspect, local lowlife Jackie Newton, is a master at eluding the law, and Janeway's wrathful brand of off-duty justice costs him his badge. Turning to his lifelong passion, Janeway opens a small bookshop -- all the while searching for evidence to put Newton away. But when prized volumes in a highly sought-after collection begin to appear, so do dead bodies. Now, Janeway's life is about to start a precarious new chapter as he attempts to find out who's dealing death along with vintage Chandlers and Twains."

The Bookman's Wake

John Dunning

1995

A Cliff Janeway novel.

"Denver cop-turned-book-dealer Cliff Janeway is back, lured by an enterprising ex-cop into going to Seattle to bring back a fugitive wanted for assault, burglary, and the possible theft of a priceless edition of Edgar Allan Poe's The Raven. The bail jumper turns out to be a young, vulnerable woman who calls herself Eleanor Rigby, and who happens to be a gifted book scout. Janeway finds Eleanor enchanting - and is equally intrigued by the deadly history surrounding the rare volume. Stalked by people willing to kill to get their hands on it, a terrified Eleanor slips from Janeway's grasp and disappears. To find her, Janeway must unravel the secrets surrounding the book and its mysterious maker, for only this knowledge can stop the cruel hand of death from turning another page."

Dreamer

John Dunning

1995

A novella originally published in a signed, limited edition.

"Her name is Dreamer Calhoun. Raised in South Carolina, she grew up dirt poor, married young, and was soon burdened with a child she could not care for. When her old life slipped away, Dreamer moved west, working on an assembly line and taking night classes until she could gain a toehold in business. Two decades later, she is the biggest name in town -- a mogul with the world at her feet. But a boy named Bobby is about to drag her back down to earth. Ever since a newspaper article came out about her long-lost son, young men have been appearing, claiming to be Dreamer's child. But something about Bobby Shields convinces her to listen to his story. He is an odd boy, an impudent drifter who sought Dreamer out on a psychic's advice. She does not want to believe him, but Bobby Shields may have the power to change Dreamer's life forever."

Bookscout

John Dunning

1998

A limited edition chapbook edition of a short story that was originally published in "This Week In Denver".

"Six days a week, Joel Beer hunts for books in Denver. He stalks them in bookstores and thrift stores, at yard sales and estate sales, his eyes scanning spines quickly and ruthlessly, searching for the $0.25 gem that he can resell for $250. If he were the only scout in town, he might be able to make a living, but there are close to a dozen full-timers now - including his archrival, Popeye Lamonica - and Joel is having trouble paying his rent. Facing eviction, Joel and his partner - a slow-witted vagrant named Lacy - go on the hunt. They are about to give up when they find an estate sale offering a $0.50 copy of Walter Behr's Something for Nothing that is worth $500. But Popeye sees it, too. To make this treasure his, Joel will do whatever it takes - even if it means sacrificing his career."

Two O'Clock Eastern Wartime

John Dunning

2001

"Summer of 1942, when radio was in its prime, when daylight saving time gave way to 'wartime', when stations like WHAR on the New Jersey coast struggled to create programming that entertained and inspired a nation in its dark hour. Into this intense community of radio artists and technicians in Regina Beach, New Jersey, come Jack Dulaney and Holly Carnahan. They are determined to find Holly's missing father, whose last desperate word came from this noisy seaside town. Holly sings like an angel and has what it takes to become a star. Jack - a racetrack hot-walker and novelist who's hit every kind of trouble in his travels from sea to sea - tries out as a writer at WHAR and soon discovers a passion for radio and a natural talent for script writing. While absorbing the ways of radio, from writing to directing, he meets some extraordinarily brave and gifted people who touch his life in ways he could not have imagined. Jack's zeal for radio is exceeded only by his devotion to Holly, who needs his help but who is terrified for his safety. Strange things are happening in Regina Beach, starting with an English actor who walked out of the station six years ago and was never seen again. And Holly's father is gone too, in equally puzzling circumstances. As Jack and Holly penetrate deeper into the shadows of the past, they learn that someone will do anything, including murder, to hide some devastating truths."

The Bookman's Promise

John Dunning

2004

A Cliff Janeway novel.

"The quest begins when an old woman, Josephine Gallant, learns that Janeway has 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 the book is rightfully hers. She believes that her grandfather, who was living in Baltimore more than eighty years ago, had a fabulous collection of Burton material, including a handwritten journal allegedly detailing Burton's undercover trip deep into the troubled American South in 1860. Josephine remembers the books from her childhood, 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. It's a virtually impossible task, Janeway suspects, as the books will no doubt have been sold and separated over the years, but how can he say no to a dying woman?"

The Sign of the Book

John Dunning

2005

A Cliff Janeway novel.

"Occasionally, Denver bookman Cliff Janeway has one of those perfect days - he sells a couple of good books and he buys something even better - perhaps a tough-to-find Steinbeck in mint condition. Even the jacket is fine. Working from his store on seedy Colfax Avenue, Janeway doesn't have enough of those days, but he's not complaining. Things are looking up because of his new partner and friend, lawyer Erin d'Angelo. So when Erin asks Janeway for a favor, it's hard to say no. She wants him to go over the mountain to the small town of Paradise where a former good friend, Laura Marshall, is in jail, accused of killing her husband. What happened at the Marshalls' remote mountain home? Did Laura kill Bobby, or is she trying to protect her oldest son? And where were the three children when the shooting occurred? What did they see?"

The Bookwoman's Last Fling

John Dunning

2006

A Cliff Janeway novel.

"to Idaho to appraise his book collection, but by the time Janeway arrives, his host is dead. He winds up tracking down some rare volumes that have vanished and probing the decades-old death of Geiger's wife, a wealthy heiress who collected valuable juvenile fiction. When a fresh body turns up and Janeway himself almost falls victim to a killer, the bibliophile detective finds that his decision to pursue the truth puts him at odds with his longstanding significant other."

Tune in Yesterday: The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio, 1925-1976

John Dunning

1976

"Descriptions of the plots and characters of the most popular radio shows are included as well as basic information on schedules, writers, sponsors, and performers."

On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio

John Dunning

1998

"Here are some 1,500 radio shows presented in alphabetical order. The great programs of the '30s, '40s, and '50s are all here - Amos 'n' Andy, Fibber McGee and Molly, The Lone Ranger, Major Bowes' Original Amateur Hour, and The March of Time, to name only a few. For each, Dunning provides a complete broadcast history, with the timeslot, the network, and the name of the show's advertisers. He also lists major cast members, announcers, producers, directors, writers, and sound effects people - even the show's theme song. There are also umbrella entries, such as "News Broadcasts," which features an engaging essay on radio news, with capsule biographies of major broadcasters, such as Lowell Thomas and Edward R. Murrow. Equally important, Dunning provides a fascinating account of each program and engrossing biographies of the main people involved in the shows."