Books within books…

Books in bookcases that you tilt to open secret rooms, books with weapons or drugs inside, books that contain secret codes—these are ways books appear in genre fiction plots. A Bible or Koran in a religious character’s study, Kama Sutra or Marquis de Sade’s Justine in a sexual predator’s lair, or Josemaria Esciva’s work for a religious fanatic—these are more examples of books that might be found mentioned in a novel.

One reason I loved the movie The League of Extraordinary Gentleman was that...