Library Journal - Audio
06/01/2022
Liesl returns from sabbatical when a health issue puts the boss out of commission. Closer to retirement than a burning desire to take the helm, Liesl immediately discovers a very rare and expensive Plantin Bible set has gone missing. Then a librarian goes missing, too. Discouraged by the university president and her colleagues from going to the police about either disappearance for fear of alienating donors, Liesl begins her own investigation to determine whether the two incidents are related. Eventually the police get involved at the behest of the missing librarian's husband. The story has enough personal detail that the characters, their interactions, and their history are as intriguing as the mystery. The end result reveals the exciting life of librarians and is a study in leadership. Narrator Hannah Cabell does a great job conveying Liesl's frustration, stress, and exhaustion. She also voices the other characters with equal aplomb. VERDICT Jurczyk's debut will attract listeners who are also librarians, and is a great addition to public library collections.—Christa Van Herreweghe
APRIL 2022 - AudioFile
The rare books department of a Toronto university library is the setting for this intriguing mystery audiobook. When the chief librarian has a stroke, his second in command, Liesl Weiss, is called back from sabbatical to cover for him. It’s a move not widely supported by her department. Narrator Hannah Cabell creates a cast of believable characters. She highlights Liesl’s internally voiced concerns when she discovers that a rare Bible has disappeared from the library. She feels it’s her responsibility to uncover what happened to it. Cabell’s characterizations are so finely tuned that it seems as if the listener is in the room with the characters. Her timing helps keep the story moving toward its slightly inevitable conclusion. K.J.P. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
From the Publisher
"FEBRUARY 2022 INDIE NEXT SELECTION * JANUARY 2022 LIBRARY READS SELECTION * JANUARY 2022 LOAN STAR SELECTION * Pop Sugar 35 Must-Read Thrillers and Mystery Books * CrimeReads Best Traditional Mystery of the Year" — FEBRUARY 2022 INDIE NEXT SELECTION * JANUARY 2022 LIBRARY READS SELECTION * JANUARY 2022 LOAN STAR SELECTION * Pop Sugar 35 Must-Read Thrillers and Mystery Books * CrimeReads Best Traditional Mystery of the Year
"Eva Jurczyk’s debut mystery...is as winning as I had hoped. It’s a pleasure to watch Liesl grow more confident and assured on every page. Jurczyk, herself a librarian at the University of Toronto, skillfully captures the tendency in academia to prioritize institutional reputation over uncovering truths." — New York Times
"Let me introduce you to the bibliophilic mystery of your dreams." — CrimeReads: Best Traditional Mysteries of 2022
"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
"The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections by Eva Jurczyk is a mystery that's tailor made for bibliophiles." — PopSugar
"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
"An unflinching appraisal of the personal and professional effects of a woman’s aging into invisibility." — Publishers Weekly
"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
"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
"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
"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
APRIL 2022 - AudioFile
The rare books department of a Toronto university library is the setting for this intriguing mystery audiobook. When the chief librarian has a stroke, his second in command, Liesl Weiss, is called back from sabbatical to cover for him. It’s a move not widely supported by her department. Narrator Hannah Cabell creates a cast of believable characters. She highlights Liesl’s internally voiced concerns when she discovers that a rare Bible has disappeared from the library. She feels it’s her responsibility to uncover what happened to it. Cabell’s characterizations are so finely tuned that it seems as if the listener is in the room with the characters. Her timing helps keep the story moving toward its slightly inevitable conclusion. K.J.P. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
