I did not like this book as much as i hoped i would. Like all readers, I love books about books, but I found all of the characters unlikeable. The mystery was interesting and is what kept me reading.

While I adore novels about books and readers, The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections was outside my typical read. I was drawn in by the unique title, and the illustrated cover design. I wanted to know what this department was about, who the lady on the cover was. After looking over the premise, I was officially hooked.

Leisl has worked in the department for decades, and until recently, handled the majority of administrative work while her boss managed acquisitions and the tedious professors and donors of the university. But when Christopher falls into a coma, Leisl must pick up the reins and step into the spotlight. Her boss has left big shoes to fill, not least because most people tend to overlook her or doubt her competence. It's clear from the get-go that no one believes she can handle the department. Even more so when the university's most recent and highly prized acquisition has gone missing.

The mystery behind the missing book kept me reading, even when we hopped back and forth between past and present, and occasionally a different perspective. I especially loved reading Miriam's brief point of view and would have loved to delve deeper into her side of the story. Unfortunately for me, the majority of characters while very human, were not likable or enjoyable. Everyone in The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections has secrets they'd prefer to keep hidden. Some are only hinted at, and the majority glossed over. I had a love/hate relationship with our main character, Leisl. On the one hand, I wanted her to prove them all wrong and to come out on top in classic underdog fashion. But on the other hand, Leisl tends to be selfish, bitter, and only willing to see things from her preferred perspective. We do see growth in her character as the events in the novel push her boundaries in often painful directions. Yet I also felt like the story ended as it began. Leisl makes what is to her the unselfish choice at the end, but it also feels like she's still sweeping things under the rug. Many of her personal problems are really solved, but she chooses to be content with her life anyway.

Expertly crafted by the very gifted Eva Jurczyk, The Department of Rare Books is perfect for fans of books, history, and a slow-burn mystery. No one is exactly as they seem, and everyone has something to hide. While I struggled to enjoy the story at times, I found much value and fun in the little hidden tidbits and the idea that even stodgy librarians may have led exciting lives, once upon a time.

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. Much thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Press for my advance review copy!

A book about a library. That is what drew me to read this book. The blurb sounded exciting and intriguing and so I went into it with big expectations.

So with the mystery of a prized lost manuscript discovered after the boss has a stroke Liesl Weiss now has to find out what is going on as she is now in charge. And now the librarian is missing too! So what is going on?

So although this is a mystery, it is story of Liesl and how she fits into this world. It did have all the twists and turns of a good mystery. Unfortunately I did find the conversations a bit confusing and I sometimes found it a be on the depressing side but I did like the dual timeline of the story.

A good book all in all and luckily not to long and drawn out.

3.5, rounded up.

As a librarian, I am always looking for books set in libraries. I like seeing the different ways authors can portray them. The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections is set at a university library, and it’s been a while since I’ve read a book set in a university library. Eva Jurczyk, the author, is a librarian in Toronto, so you can tell that she put a lot of love and work into this book.

For decades, Liesl Weiss has been working in the rare books department at a university library. She has spent much of this time directly supporting the department head, Christopher, by making him look good for the university president and many donors. But just at the beginning of her year-long sabbatical, Christopher has a stroke that leaves him unable to work. Liesl steps in as the interim department head and soon discovers that the library’s most prized acquisition has disappeared.

Liesl wants to contact the police and launch a full investigation to track down the missing manuscript, but the people within her department discourage any sort of investigation that could inform wealthy donors of the missing manuscript. Once a librarian within the department goes missing, Liesl begins to panic. Secrets begin to unfold and Liesl realizes she may be in over her head.

The pacing of this book is slow, and although it is a mystery, it leans heavily toward the literary fiction side. It was refreshing to read from the perspective of a woman in her sixties. This also means that she held a few beliefs and made a few judgments that I vehemently opposed, but it also made her a believable character.

One scene that stood out to me was when Liesl had a panic attack. She calls her spouse for support and the spouse specifically asks if talking will help or make the situation worse. I rarely see things like this when I read books featuring anxiety. People often jump to conclusions when they’re trying to help and it doesn’t always work.

This book wasn’t bad by any means, but it wasn’t the ideal book for me to read when I read it, so I blame some of my frustrations with this book on timing. I think plenty of other people will love it and I can see why it has received some of the early praise that it has. It was just difficult for me to read more than a chapter at a time.

If you are well-versed in mysteries and want something set in a library that moves at a slightly faster pace, I can’t fully recommend this. I was also not even a little surprised about most of the revelations toward the end.

If you like books about books and especially enjoy some of the politics behind academia, I think you’ll enjoy this book. I also recommend it for fans of literary fiction with a mystery at the center of its plot.

With many chapters set in a library where a very important book has gone missing, this mystery is perfect for people who truly care about books and looking after and preserving them. I thought it was really good to have an older woman as the protagonist of the novel too, because as a YA lover, most books I read have young people as the main character- it was different for me! Though the book is aimed at adults, it's fine for YA readers to give this a go too, and I think it will appeal to anyone who is passionate about books and feels they should be respected. However, there are some very serious themes, including a suicide, so please be aware of this when deciding whether to read.

I would say if you are going to read this, get a physical copy as I think reading a digital version can take away from the fact this book is all about books! It's the sort you definitely want to hold, I think. Happy publication day!

I adored this book! A book about books is always attractive, but this has an element of mystery as well. Rare books go missing, and so does a librarian who works there. Liesl Weiss, acting director, tries to solve the mysteries. The author has drawn some great characters and put them in an awkward situation where they all begin to suspect one another.

When the director of the rare books department of a large university has a stroke, Liesl Weiss is asked to step in to run things until he can return. The first thing on the agenda is showng the library donors a rare Plantin Bible that was just purchased. Once she finally is able to discover what the new code is to the safe, she gets the safe open, only to find it empty. 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, 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.
I wanted to like this book. I really tried. I love books about books, and so I thought this would be the perfect book for me, but unfortunately I could never get into it. I found all of the characters unlikeable, and the story dull. I almost gave up several times, but I forced myself to keep plugging along. It had a good mystery to it. That, I can say, was it's best feature. I can't in all honesty recommend it.

Thank you so much to the publishers for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. Typically a book about books makes this reader very happy and this book was no exception. This book was a very cozy mystery novel that was gloriously written. This book is done in muli-povs and dual timelines but we mostly hear from Liesl who is a librarian that is trying to solve the mystery!

Super fun read!

It’s publication day for The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections by Eva Jurczyk! Liesl Weiss has been (mostly) happy working in the 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.

Thanks to @netgalley and @poisonedpenpress for the ARC of this literary mystery set in a library, featuring a career librarian! I’ll pick up anything about a library or librarian so this was a delight. For me, it was a bit harder to get into but once I was in, I was hooked. Reviews are saying this is perfect for fans of Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore and Fredrik Bachman’s Anxious People and I think that’s a an excellent comparison. I also thought a little bit about the Netflix show, The Chair.

The book’s description had every component that I am interested in: a library, librarian, mystery, missing manuscript. Except I found the plot to be dull and the narrative wasn’t keeping my interest. I was disappointed, but this book wasn’t for me.

Upward-leaning 3.5 stars for this slow-burn mystery full of deep emotions and many condescending men. This one is all about introspection and expectations, a full-on intellectual mystery.
Liesl Weiss is the woman doing all the hard, detailed work behind the man with the big title in the rare books library of a large university. She's grown used to being all but invisible when she's forced to come back early from a sabbatical because the boss has a stroke and she needs to fill in for him. This is when all the secrets hiding in the stacks among the priceless books threaten to come to light, and it's not just the disappearance of the university's newest, most expensive book that she'll have to contend with.
It's definitely an interesting mystery and Jurczuk makes you work to figure it all out with red herrings all over the place that add depth to the story and characters just as effectively as they make you doubt who the culprit is.

Many happy thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the early read!

A testament to the love and respect towards libraries and librarians who are advocates in preserving information. A backdrop of a romanticized cozy library atmosphere with a twist unafraid to reveal the darker side of this institution. Liesl Weiss, a librarian lives a quiet life working behind the scenes in the rare books department at a university library. Her life is disrupted when her boss Christopher experiences a stroke and is on medical leave and temporarily takes Christopher's position until his pending return. While running the department, misfortunes occur, one of the most prized manuscripts, the Plantin Polyglot Bible goes missing. Not too long after, Miriam, one of the librarians, stops showing up to work. Liesl tries to sound the alarm, but is told to keep quiet in order to keep the major donors happy. With rousing suspicion, she investigates both mysterious disappearances that lead to a surprising result.

Eva Jurczyk adeptly explores Liesl's characterization. Straying from a traditional protagonist, she chose to create a female protagonist who was much older. Jurczyk draws a rich and complex portrait of Liesl's ongoing search for her sense of self professionally and personally. Following Liesl's journey in her growth was empowering. The author's thorough research in addition to her personal experience provides us great insight into the academia world, complex relations in funding, donors and the day to day work in a particular library. This book is definitely not a light cozy read. A thought-provoking examination on mental illness, the negative societal perception in women's aging, and sexual politics in the workforce are addressed. With perfect balance, Jurczyk also gifted us with an atmosphere of simplistic beauty such as the cozy winter imagery during Liesl's walk and their frequent dining of the enticing steaming spicy noodles that provided much warmth and a sensory footprint long after. An intriguing mystery premise, complex characterizations with a cozy bookish atmosphere that was both entertaining and thoughtful.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When a valuable manuscript and a librarian both go missing, the acting head of Special Collections is left with a department in pieces. As she attempts to puzzle together what happened, she must manage unsolicited advice and condescension from male colleagues, donors and the university president. Still, she forges partnerships with an impressive female professor and a detective, and she has a couple of other tricks up her sleeve. The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections will please library and book lovers with its setting, and fans of The Thursday Murder Club may appreciate another mystery featuring an empathetic protagonist of retirement age.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen for the digital ARC in return for my honest review.
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Unfortunately, this book wasn’t for me. I tried. I started, put it down, continue, put it down and just nothing was clicking for me. I had high hopes because of the description, but a quarter of the way through I lost interest. The MC was not interesting. She was boring and just felt like she was more of a secondary character.

Too bad really.

I received a complimentary ARC copy of The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections by Eva Jurczyk from Net Galley and Poisoned Pen Press in order to read and give an honest review.

...I particularly love the authentic protagonist, Leisl, whom I found to be an incredibly relatable character...

When I noticed this book on Net Galley I was thrilled, a biblio-mystery set in Toronto, what could be better? Librarian Leisl Weiss, close to retirement, has been forced to step-in as interim director of the rare books department at a Toronto university when the director, and her immediate boss suffers a stroke. One of her first items on her agenda as acting director is to prep an exhibit highlighting the incredibly rare Plantin Bible set. When she begins to tackle her duties, she cannot seem to find the rare bible volumes and begins searching everywhere, attempting to determine where her boss could have put them for safe keeping. With the department on alert, they search everywhere only to realize that the volumes are nowhere to be found in the library and must have been stolen. The image conscious president of the university is relentlessly pushing Leisl to get results to appease the many donors of the library. On the one hand he emphasizes the need for the donor's confidence, and on the other, the need for discretion, forbidding her to involve the police. The staff begins to turn on each other and tensions mount as fingers are pointed and innuendos made. When a professor is working on a research project another book is found to be a fake adding to Leisl's already hectic life.  Leisl, worn down and tired, makes a decision when a co-worker and friend disappears, Leisl is forced to think the unthinkable and contact the police and the investigation takes them in an odd direction.

The author is brilliant at helping the reader is gain insight into Leisl's thoughts, in particular, about aging and feeling invisible, we see the evolution of her relationships as well as emphasis on the plight of those whose loved ones are suffering from mental illness.

I have to say debut author Eva Jurczyk doesn’t disappoint, The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections is a well-written, authentic feeling story filled with multi-faceted characters as well as an intelligent and intriguing plot. I really enjoyed the plot, the twists, the turns which surprised me at the ending. I particularly love the authentic protagonist, Leisl, whom I found to be an incredibly relatable character. I loved this book and would highly recommend it!

I love mysteries set in libraries, as well as stories about women who finally come into their own. TDORBASC has all that and more! What would you do as a diffident older librarian who, upon an unwanted promotion, learns that the rarest manuscript in the collection has gone missing? A fine read for bibliophiles of all stripes and anyone who loves grand stories.

Pub Date 25 Jan 2022

Thanks to the author, Poisoned Pen Press, and NetGalley for the ARC; opinions are mine.

Leisl has been working in the rare books department of a large university for decades. Just as she's about to retire, her boss has a stroke, and she is named as his replacement until he recovers and returns to work. One of her first official duties is to present their most recent acquisition to a gathering of library donors, but the book has gone missing. When a long-time librarian stops showing up for work, Leisl must investigate both disappearances, learning a lot about her co-workers in the process.

This is a stand alone book that is the author's first novel, and it was a good. I learned a lot about dealing with rare books, as well as the politics involved in working for a large university. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and their backstories as the book progressed, and kept a running list of potential thieves as I read. I suspected the actual thief far earlier than those investigating the theft, which rarely happens.

The way the story jumped back and forth in time was really confusing, especially since the gaps between time jumps were inconsistent – fourteen years earlier, ten years earlier, nineteen years earlier, forty years earlier, nine years earlier, twenty-one years earlier… all with current day events popping up now and then. When the whole thing was done, I can see why it was presented in this manner, but it made the storyline difficult to follow. Despite this, I will look for more books by this author in the future.

Liesl the university librarian is a character with many subtleties. For years she was content to work behind the scenes, helping the director to shine. But when the director has a stroke and Liesl assumes his role, she discovers that priceless library holdings have disappeared. She is forbidden, by the university president, from calling the police. Instead, Liesl solves the crime herself and then uses that information to leverage much needed changes at the library.

Liesl has been working at the university library for decades. Her boss suffers a stroke and she takes on the responsibility of running the library.

There are many hurdles for her to get over….the university president, the people who work in the library that are not sure that she is capable of the job and her own insecurities.

Then, very rare books are found to be missing and Liesl wants to go to the police but is told no as it will scare away the big donors to the university. A library employee is now missing and this is when Liesl does contact the police.

This book will take you thru the mysterious disappearance of the books and the employee. It is will keep you guessing until the end. Very good debut novel.

I received an early digital copy.