Good condition ex-library book with usual library markings and stickers. Good condition ex-library book with usual library markings and stickers. See less

$3.98 delivery Wednesday, July 2. Details

Or fastest delivery Wednesday, June 25. Order within 4 hrs 10 mins. Details

Only 1 left in stock - order soon.

$$8.68 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.

Enhancements you chose aren't available for this seller. Details

${cardName} not available for the seller you chose

${cardName} unavailable for quantities greater than ${maxQuantity}.

Ships from and sold by glenthebookseller.

Other sellers on Amazon

New & Used (76) from $1.54 + $3.98 shipping

Image Unavailable

Image not available for
Color:

To view this video download Flash Player

Follow the author

Eva Jurczyk

Follow

The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections: A Novel Paperback – January 25, 2022

by Eva Jurczyk (Author)

1,374 ratings

See all formats and editions

{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$8.68","priceAmount":8.68,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"8","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"68","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"yXQGJYidCcIUjdHC30lC%2Bv42%2Bsn%2FfBjYT9rkNhjNrjXmRKrBfhbNJvWOEzeHfA0hQFEsAIElUm2soLSc%2BaTiexVbpogbbJ0VOwSqHWouriIAZkYXM4nXGICbycvs8UKQbn%2Fa6u7F50LwQvz75He8Bg%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$1.54","priceAmount":1.54,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"1","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"54","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"yXQGJYidCcIUjdHC30lC%2Bv42%2Bsn%2FfBjYRLEmkzyQcz9aQmpdgM%2FGe4dImBsLMBgu7WW7UstRzfCXr442cyb78h1sB8A%2BX2w84znNRmvg788lpe1kfMAWV9NBHjpSCwsblb5RD%2BN8uPDMgMNC8w6Q1g7%2Ff0cjco7JI%2F0lMD0rAbheOxi9hTuoB95doOY5SZRO","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER

"A rare treat for readers. I loved this book!"―Matthew Sullivan, author of Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore

"Who doesn't love a mystery involving rare books and bad librarians?" ―Karen Joy Fowler, New York Times bestselling author

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.

From the Publisher

"Who doesn't love a mystery involving rare books and bad librarians?" -Karen Joy Fowler

"A rare treat for readers" -Matthew Sullivan

Editorial Reviews

Review

"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

About the Author

Eva Jurczyk was born in a mining town in Poland and wound up halfway around the world in a Canadian city that often masquerades as New York in the movies. As her day job, she buys books, building library collections for the University of Toronto Libraries. She travels to Paris whenever the wind is good but currently lives with her husband, son, and collections of books in Toronto, Canada.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Poisoned Pen Press
Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 25, 2022
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1728238595
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1728238593
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.84 x 8.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #558,637 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #6,340 in Amateur Sleuths
- #11,611 in Literary Fiction (Books)
- #13,790 in Women Sleuths (Books)

Customer Reviews:
1,374 ratings

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Videos

Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video!

Upload your video

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Eva Jurczyk

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read book recommendations and more.

Customer reviews

1,374 global ratings

How customer reviews and ratings work

Review this product

Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers find the book's storyline interesting and well-written, with one review noting its rich background. The book receives positive feedback for its library-related content, with one customer highlighting its educational value about rare books. However, the characters receive mixed reactions, with some finding them engaging while others describe them as mostly unlikeable. Moreover, the story complexity and pacing receive negative feedback, with customers describing it as depressing and very slow-moving.

Select to learn more

Storyline Readability Library use Likable characters Story complexity Pacing

20 customers mention "Storyline"20 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the storyline of the book, describing it as interesting with a great premise, and one customer notes that the background is rich.

"...But I love books and this is a story about loving books." Read more

"This book has potential. The concept is there in the storyline. Rare books gone missing and the messiness of the characters involved...." Read more

"This was a unique story and setting that made for fascinating reading...." Read more

"...While the story pulls you in, Jurczyk fails to fully explain plot points that were built up throughout the story in both conversations and flashbacks..." Read more

19 customers mention "Readability"19 positive0 negative

Customers find the book well-written and delightful to read, with one customer noting it's hard to put down.

"This book has potential. The concept is there in the storyline. Rare books gone missing and the messiness of the characters involved...." Read more

"This was a unique story and setting that made for fascinating reading...." Read more

"This was a quick and very enjoyable read. It resonated with my own experiences working for a university and archives...." Read more

"...of Rare Books and Special Collections ' is a novel for all who just love reading and just love books...." Read more

8 customers mention "Library use"8 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's focus on rare books and libraries, with one customer highlighting its educational value about rare books and another noting its background on running university research libraries.

"...You can tell the author has an appreciation and a love for libraries and the books housed within, which I totally appreciate...." Read more

"...was a slow telling of a mystery of missing books and a love story to libraries of rare books" Read more

"...The satirical elements focusing on philanthropists and college presidents were very effective...." Read more

"I enjoyed the background on running a university research library...." Read more

15 customers mention "Likable characters"5 positive10 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the characters in the book, with some finding them interesting while others describe them as mostly unlikeable.

"...It was like mental run on sentences. The characters felt half finished and partially introduced...." Read more

"...I really liked the interpersonal relations between the characters. All in all, a very good read" Read more

"...Most of the characters in this book are terrible, but in an interesting way so I never was put off by it...." Read more

"...The problem is that she is a poorly defined and muddy character. The reader is left with no understanding of or connection with her...." Read more

14 customers mention "Story complexity"4 positive10 negative

Customers find the book's story complexity negative, with several noting its depressing tone, and one customer mentioning that the plot wanders around itself and takes too long to unravel.

"...There are parts of the disjointed story that I still don't understand...." Read more

"...While the story pulls you in, Jurczyk fails to fully explain plot points that were built up throughout the story in both conversations and flashbacks..." Read more

"...Lots and lots of subtly throughout. Unlike most mystery stories, it keeps you guessing on "who done it"." Read more

"...The plot wanders around itself and the characters don’t ever seem to feel fully fleshed, but still manages to have some really funny moments, which..." Read more

12 customers mention "Pacing"3 positive9 negative

Customers find the pacing of the book very slow and uneven.

"Poorly edited and unevenly paced. It's been a while since I've anticipated reading a book with delight and been so disappointed...." Read more

"...The main problem is not the drinking, the flirting, the lackluster job performance, or even her constant self-doubt...." Read more

"This was a quick and very enjoyable read. It resonated with my own experiences working for a university and archives...." Read more

"...The whole story felt dark & dreary —the mysteries and their conclusions were disappointing, none of the characters were very endearing, and some..." Read more

Reviews with images

See all photos

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.

marcia whoolery
I love books
Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2025
Format: KindleVerified Purchase

I liked the mystery of who stole the books. I liked the illustration of the subtle and blatant misogyny. I liked the inclusion of depression with all the shame and guilt and misunderstanding. But I love books and this is a story about loving books.

Read more

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report
Laura Hansen
Thinking person's mystery
Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2024
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
As a university professor, I was hooked early on in reading the book, as so much of the writing about the dynamics between the library staff is art imitating life. I recognized the characters in the colleagues I have worked with throughout my career at various institutions. As a bibliophile, what is not to like about a mystery book about books? Lots and lots of subtly throughout. Unlike most mystery stories, it keeps you guessing on "who done it".

Read more

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Report
Mariam Mahler
A Good Start
Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2025
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
This book has potential. The concept is there in the storyline. Rare books gone missing and the messiness of the characters involved. It should be a fun read, or at least an intriguing one. It was obviously enough of a pull to keep me reading. Where I find issue is in the development of the main character, Liesl, and in some of the side characters and their personal lives that were infiltrating the staid walls of the university library of rare books. It was like mental run on sentences. The characters felt half finished and partially introduced. It was hard for me to get a gauge on Liesl and I found myself disliking here immensely. Was this a crime book? A book about mental health? A book about past lives and the mistakes therein? Where the book shone was in the imagery around the rare books. You can tell the author has an appreciation and a love for libraries and the books housed within, which I totally appreciate. This book, as a whole, isn’t bad. It just lacked some cohesion and charm.

Read more

Helpful

Report
Elizabeth
rare book lovers in academia
Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2022
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
In The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections, everyone has secrets. It only really becomes a problem when the director suffers a stroke, falling into a coma. This thrusts his second-in-command, Liesel, into his office, where she discovers the library's most recent $500,000 acquisition is missing. Was it misplaced or stolen? This is what haunts Liesel at every turn as they ransack the stacks looking for this book, because the university can't have the ignominy of becoming a victim of theft, especially not when they're about to launch a multi-million dollar donation campaign. How would that look? No, the book can't be stolen. But as Liesel searches, she becomes more and more sure that it was. It doesn't help when one of her workers goes missing. Now the police have to get involved, and the university isn't going to like that at all.

Underneath the current of mystery and book theft is Liesel trying to keep her head above water. She's nearing retirement, which is a refreshing age to find a woman in the main character role, but she's drowning under the responsibility and snippiness of her staff. Most of the characters in this book are terrible, but in an interesting way so I never was put off by it. As a college archivist, I felt the details rang quite authentic, especially where large institutions are concerned. Occasionally the book felt a little overlong and underplotted, but I enjoyed how neatly everything tied up and I especially loved the focus on women in the higher levels of academia.

Read more

15 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report
G. Robert Grant
A story like none other
Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2024
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
This was a unique story and setting that made for fascinating reading. It was a slow telling of a mystery of missing books and a love story to libraries of rare books

Read more

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Report
John F. Pepple
Characters avoid doing the obvious things
Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2022
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
I like libraries and I like rare books and manuscripts. My wife and I even own a few (of the cheaper variety, and yes, the cheapest can be purchased for a little over a hundred dollars). And I like mysteries. So, I wanted to like this book. But the main character, Liesl Weiss, kept doing strange things that I found exasperating. She has been forced out of her sabbatical to take over the duties of her library because her boss has had a stroke and is unconscious. It very quickly becomes clear that a recent and expensive acquisition has disappeared. She announces this to the staff, and to my surprise, she fails to question them regarding who had seen it and when, so that they could track it. Many pages later one of her staff volunteers that he never got to see it, something which should have been established right away.

Then while talking to the president of the university at a cocktail party, one of her staff comes up to her in obvious distress, needing to talk. Liesl says she will talk to her later, but then forgets! Furthermore, this woman, along with her husband, is a friend! When the woman stops showing up to work, Liesl calls and sends emails, but there is no answer. It is several days before it finally occurs to her to call the husband. It turns out they are separated, and he is unaware of her absences from work. At this point, I’m expecting Liesl to tell him to go over to her apartment and make sure she’s not lying dead on the floor. But no. She does nothing of the sort. Eventually, her own husband learns about the missing woman and insists that Liesl call the police. Which she finally does.

Prior to this, there is a great reluctance on the part of the university to call in the police, the explanation being that if the donors learn that things they paid for are disappearing, they won’t give any more money, and that will happen if the police are called. How about the campus police, then? Or a private detective? Throughout the novel, I thought there were obvious things that needed to be done which Liesl or others weren’t doing, and it was very frustrating. I almost quit reading.

Eventually, her boss dies, and for the library’s memorial program for him, Liesl tries to persuade the president of the university to talk to the mourners about something totally extraneous to the memorial. He refuses, and even though he was quite annoying throughout the book, for once I agreed with him. It’s a memorial for the dead guy, and it would be inappropriate to talk about this other business. It will have to wait.

By the way, for a book about a real library thief, read "Disappearing Ink" by Travis McDade. I actually knew the thief by sight and thought he seemed like a decent guy, which just goes to show how misleading one’s impressions can be.

Read more

58 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report
Kathie
Disappointing
Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2023
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
Poorly edited and unevenly paced. It's been a while since I've anticipated reading a book with delight and been so disappointed. There are parts of the disjointed story that I still don't understand. The author was probably trying to seed the story with false clues but did nothing to keep these red herrings alive.

Read more

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report

Top reviews from other countries

Diana A. Patterson
Mystery for book lovers
Reviewed in Canada on December 26, 2022
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I almost didn't guess the ending, so that's good. Sometimes the library where this supposedly took place is recognizable, but often it isn't. But I comment the writing of such mysteries, and I think for a first effort, it is commendable, and I look forward to more.

Read more
Report
Carla
Good Book
Reviewed in Canada on February 19, 2022
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
Haven’t read it yet —it’s a gift but it is a good looking well bound book and has print that is easy to read in terms of font size.

Read more
Report
Kathy
Not a good book at all
Reviewed in Canada on March 31, 2024
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
I did not enjoy the book at all .
Too many characters and too much jumping to the past .
I only read because it was a book in a Book Club .

Read more
Report

See more reviews

Follow the author

The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections: A Novel Paperback – January 25, 2022

Purchase options and add-ons

Frequently bought together

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

Review

About the Author

Product details

Videos

About the author

Eva Jurczyk

Customer reviews

Review this product

Customers say

Select to learn more

Images in this review

Reviews with images

A mystery for book lovers

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.

4.0 out of 5 stars I love books

5.0 out of 5 stars Thinking person's mystery

3.0 out of 5 stars A Good Start

4.0 out of 5 stars rare book lovers in academia

5.0 out of 5 stars A story like none other

3.0 out of 5 stars Characters avoid doing the obvious things

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing

Top reviews from other countries

4.0 out of 5 stars Mystery for book lovers

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Book

2.0 out of 5 stars Not a good book at all

I love books

Thinking person's mystery

A Good Start

rare book lovers in academia

A story like none other

Characters avoid doing the obvious things

Disappointing

Mystery for book lovers

Good Book

Not a good book at all