Women's Fiction
![Eva Jurczyk - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_B09414YGR8.jpg)
The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections
"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.
February 2022 INDIE NEXT Selection
January 2022 LIBRARY READS Selection
January 2022 Loan Star Selection
Pop Sugar 35 Must-Read Thrillers and Mystery Books
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.
February 2022 INDIE NEXT Selection
January 2022 LIBRARY READS Selection
January 2022 Loan Star Selection
Pop Sugar 35 Must-Read Thrillers and Mystery Books
Editorial Reviews
"Written for book lovers who will no doubt dive in and devour it. It's a literary read benefitting its theme...a keeper that could easily end up in someone's private collection." ― New York Journal of Books
"Jurczyk's unique debut has plenty for bibliophiles to relish, from dark stacks to precious manuscripts. Readers will sympathize with Liesl and her desperation to keep her head above the demands of a position she didn't ask for while untangling the intricate threads of the mystery." ― Booklist
"Toronto librarian Jurczyk's first novel is a valentine to librarians that doesn't shy away from their dark sides...[The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections is] the perfect gift for librarians and those who love them―and doesn't that include just about every reader?" ― Kirkus Reviews
"With its countless revelations about the dusty realm 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
"Filled with characters that resonate, glimpses into the reality of libraries and academia, and enchanting descriptions of rare books, this debut from a librarian will captivate bibliophiles." ― Library Journal
"This intricately woven literary mystery brings readers into the cut-throat world of academia where rare book collections compete for money and prestige, and where those in power will do whatever it takes to protect their institution. A strong female protagonist and complex relationships drive this impressive, genre-bending debut." ― Wendy Walker, international bestselling author of Don't Look for Me
"Who doesn't love a mystery involving rare books and bad librarians? This clever, deftly written story has all that and more. A great pleasure from beginning to end." ― Karen Joy Fowler, New York Times bestselling author
"An unflinching appraisal of the personal and professional effects of a woman's aging into invisibility." ― Publishers Weekly
"Jurczyk's unique debut has plenty for bibliophiles to relish, from dark stacks to precious manuscripts. Readers will sympathize with Liesl and her desperation to keep her head above the demands of a position she didn't ask for while untangling the intricate threads of the mystery." ― Booklist
"Toronto librarian Jurczyk's first novel is a valentine to librarians that doesn't shy away from their dark sides...[The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections is] the perfect gift for librarians and those who love them―and doesn't that include just about every reader?" ― Kirkus Reviews
"With its countless revelations about the dusty realm 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
"Filled with characters that resonate, glimpses into the reality of libraries and academia, and enchanting descriptions of rare books, this debut from a librarian will captivate bibliophiles." ― Library Journal
"This intricately woven literary mystery brings readers into the cut-throat world of academia where rare book collections compete for money and prestige, and where those in power will do whatever it takes to protect their institution. A strong female protagonist and complex relationships drive this impressive, genre-bending debut." ― Wendy Walker, international bestselling author of Don't Look for Me
"Who doesn't love a mystery involving rare books and bad librarians? This clever, deftly written story has all that and more. A great pleasure from beginning to end." ― Karen Joy Fowler, New York Times bestselling author
"An unflinching appraisal of the personal and professional effects of a woman's aging into invisibility." ― Publishers Weekly
Readers Top Reviews
Melissa ParcelJane D
I wanted to like this book. It has things that I usually adore: book about books/libraries, a mysterious missing book, a person who disappears. But...none of those things worked for me in this case. This is the story of Liesl, who works in the rare books and special collections division of a university library. She is nearing retirement age, and is on sabbatical to write a book when she is called back to head the department when her boss Christopher has a stroke. She quickly discovers that a rare Bible acquired by the university is missing. Then a long time staff member goes missing as well. Are the two connected? This book was very depressing. The outcomes of the various mysteries are not uplifting, nor are they particularly surprising. I felt like Liesl was a doormat throughout and never stood up for herself when everyone was trying to get their own way. There's so much about university politics and fundraising and that just bored me and made me glaze over. None of the characters had conversations that would have cleared things up, they spend so much time beating around the bush about subjects and situations that honestly should not have been major issues, but turned into them because they refused to talk about them. The missing co-worker storyline was just sad in so many ways. There are some sections of jumpy timelines that made zero sense to me because there were so few of them scattered throughout. This just wasn't the book for me, but I know that others have enjoyed it and it may have appeal to those who can overlook the melancholy. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
Jane Isay
Funny, real, full of fascinating information, and terrific mystery as well. What more could a mystery read ask for? There’s a lot to recommend this book. So enjoy!
