The Bookman's Tale: A Novel of Obsession [B1661]

2013 HCDJ in nice condition except for some ink writing on the text edge. A mysterious portrait ignites an antiquarian bookseller's search through time and the works of Shakespeare for his lost love. Guaranteed to capture the hearts of everyone who truly loves books, The Bookman's Tale is a former bookseller's sparkling novel and a delightful exploration of one of literature's most tantalizing mysteries.

Nine months after the death of his beloved wife Amanda left him shattered, Peter Byerly, a young antiquarian bookseller, relocates from North Carolina to the English countryside, hoping to outrun his grief and rediscover the joy he once took in collecting and restoring rare books. But upon opening an eighteenth-century study of Shakespeare forgeries, he discovers a Victorian watercolor of a woman who bears an uncanny resemblance to Amanda. Peter becomes obsessed with learning the picture's origins and braves a host of dangers to follow a trail of clues back across the centuries-all the way to Shakespeare's time and a priceless literary artifact that could prove, once and for all, the truth about the Bard's real identity.

From recent and somewhat mixed Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "What a great book. It has all the elements that make me love to read. Peter is such a vulnerable, believable, and likable main character. His love story with Amanda is so beautiful and touching. The quest to find an important piece of literary history is satisfied when he thinks he finds a copy of Pandosto the story upon which Shakespeare based a winter's tale. From 1995 all the way back to the 17th century the chapters take us back-and-forth in time. A good mystery and well written. I loved it and highly recommended."; "I really enjoyed it. The jumping timelines leaving on a constant cliffhanger did start to drive me crazy, but somehow it was still pretty heart wrenching with a warm hug to finish it."; "True literary mysteries have always held a fascination for me. Even though fiction, this one held me captive. I'm just sorry that it took me so long to pull it out of the tbr pile."; "This book turned out far better than I anticipated. I love books written along multiple timelines and this one has three. The current timeline of 1995, when a grieving young widower from the U.S. attempts to get back into his life as a bookseller/buyer in England. The slightly earlier time period when he meets and falls in love with his wife, as well as the book world. And, starting way back in the 1500's but moving quickly through the decades and centuries, the path of a rare manuscript that modern-day Peter finds and researches its authenticity. This went from an interesting 'literary mystery' to a heart-stopping thriller and murder mystery very quickly. I found some of the characters a bit lightly drawn but the story itself was very engaging. This is a book I'll pass on to a friend rather than drop off at the used bookstore."