The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections By Eva Jurczyk
Poisoned Pen Press, 2022. 323 pages. Mystery
Liesl Weiss has been happy working behind the scenes in the rare books department of a large university for many years. But when her boss suffers a stroke, she must take over and soon discovers that the library’s more prized manuscript is missing. Everyone tells her to keep quiet and keep the donors happy, but when a librarian goes missing as well, it becomes clear that someone in the department must be responsible. Amidst the dusty manuscripts are secrets about her colleagues that have been years in the making, and Liesl must unravel them all in order to find the missing books.
This is a witty mystery with great character development and lots of little secrets that keep the reader engaged. I especially loved all the details about the special collections and the politics that occur at universities. Liesl has a wealth of personal issues, but is relatable and easy to sympathize with. As someone who has worked in special collections, I found the book authentic and addressed many of the issues that continue to influence academia today. This is a good read for anyone who loves old books, mysteries, or flawed main characters.
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TT