I don't think there's a single reference book that will cover all your needs.
It's a real shame that Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory disappeared after Flight International bought them. It was an excellent contemporary reference and hella cheaper than Jane's.
Anyway, I'd suggest a two-pronged approach:
1. A second-hand copy of Airlife's General Aviation guide for lightplanes up to Islander size. Available for pennies on Amazon etc
2. Compiling an airliner recognition cheat-sheet from three-views available online. This is really the only way that you'll keep it up to date.