Review of The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections by Eva Jurczyk

International Bestseller

"With its countless revelations about the dusty realms of rare books, a likable librarian sleuth who has just the right balance of compassion and wit, and a library setting that is teeming with secrets, The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections is a rare treat for readers. I loved this book!"―Matthew Sullivan, author of Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore

Anxious People meets the delights of bookish fiction in a stunning debut following a librarian whose quiet life is turned upside down when a priceless manuscript goes missing. Soon she has to ask: what holds more secrets in the library―the ancient books shelved in the stacks, or the people who preserve them?

Liesl Weiss long ago learned to be content working behind the scenes in the distinguished rare books department of a large university, managing details and working behind the scenes to make the head of the department look good. But when her boss has a stroke and she's left to run things, she discovers that the library's most prized manuscript is missing.

Liesl tries to sound the alarm and inform the police about the missing priceless book, but is told repeatedly to keep quiet, to keep the doors open and the donors happy. But then a librarian unexpectedly stops showing up to work. Liesl must investigate both disappearances, unspooling her colleagues' pasts like the threads of a rare book binding as it becomes clear that someone in the department must be responsible for the theft. What Liesl discovers about the dusty manuscripts she has worked among for so long―and about the people who care for and revere them―shakes the very foundation on which she has built her life.

The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections is a sparkling book-club read about a woman struggling to step out from behind the shadows of powerful and unreliable men, and reveals the dark edge of obsession running through the most devoted bookworms.

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**My thoughts**

I'm not sure what I was expecting with this book. The title makes it sound super exciting, kind of like a Dan Brown-esque thriller. Only it is more like a cozy mystery, though not your typical cozy.

I was able to visualize the library and its special department. It kind of made me want to go back to school to get the necessary credentials to get such a job. Or to at least scour local university ads for a starter position. I do love antique books.

I also thought about how a local friend of mine would handle such a situation, as he owns a used bookstore and deals with antiques and rarities. But how would I have handled it? I wish Liesl would have been a little more forceful, though I understand it's difficult to fight the patriarchy at times. I'd like to think I would have been.

And is it sad to say that the theft of such a rare book gives me a bit of anxiety? I was almost more concerned about that than the missing person.

Back to Liesl. Her relationships with the men in her life seem oddly complciated. We do get frequent flashbacks involving the characters that I think are supposed to provide more insight. I'm not sure how much they helped me. Sometimes I wasn't sure how one of these flashbacks fit into the story as a whole.

Even though I found the story somewhat odd, I still read it relatively quickly and appreciated some of the twists. It's not going to be for everyone, but just might give you a good enough escape for a weekend.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me a requested review copy via Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.