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smalltownbookmom 's review for:
The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections
by Eva Jurczyk
4.5 rounded up
I REALLY enjoyed this debut literary mystery by Canadian librarian Eva Jurczyk!! Set in the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, Liesl Weiss is suddenly called in early from her sabbatical to fill in for the Head of the Department who has had a heart attack. Reluctant to return, Liesl finds herself in a mess as an expensive and rare book has mysteriously gone missing and no one wants to call in the police.
What follows is an in-depth and insider look at academic politics and inner workings of a Rare Books Library and the investigation into what actually happened to this priceless artifact.
What I loved:
-A wine-loving main character who is a mature academic librarian with a secretive past
-All the local references (hello Harbord Bakery!) and UofT landmarks
-The glimpses we get through flashbacks of Liesl's academic career from budding Librarian to seasoned academic
-The twists and turns that kept me guessing till the end
While not an edge of your seat thriller, this was a quietly satisfying and nuanced mystery that is sure to delight all the library lovers out there. Already selected as a Library Journal Top Winter Debut, and an Indie Next, Library Reads and Loan Stars top pick! Kirkus Reviews has called it “a valentine to librarians that doesn’t shy away from their dark sides”.
HIGHLY recommended from this Librarian who spent considerable time herself in the Fisher Library as a Grad Student Assistant. Definitely one to add to your TBR and wonderful on audio narrated by Hannah Cabell. Much thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Press for my advance review copy!
I REALLY enjoyed this debut literary mystery by Canadian librarian Eva Jurczyk!! Set in the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, Liesl Weiss is suddenly called in early from her sabbatical to fill in for the Head of the Department who has had a heart attack. Reluctant to return, Liesl finds herself in a mess as an expensive and rare book has mysteriously gone missing and no one wants to call in the police.
What follows is an in-depth and insider look at academic politics and inner workings of a Rare Books Library and the investigation into what actually happened to this priceless artifact.
What I loved:
-A wine-loving main character who is a mature academic librarian with a secretive past
-All the local references (hello Harbord Bakery!) and UofT landmarks
-The glimpses we get through flashbacks of Liesl's academic career from budding Librarian to seasoned academic
-The twists and turns that kept me guessing till the end
While not an edge of your seat thriller, this was a quietly satisfying and nuanced mystery that is sure to delight all the library lovers out there. Already selected as a Library Journal Top Winter Debut, and an Indie Next, Library Reads and Loan Stars top pick! Kirkus Reviews has called it “a valentine to librarians that doesn’t shy away from their dark sides”.
HIGHLY recommended from this Librarian who spent considerable time herself in the Fisher Library as a Grad Student Assistant. Definitely one to add to your TBR and wonderful on audio narrated by Hannah Cabell. Much thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Press for my advance review copy!