Book Review: ‘The Department for Rare Books and Special Collections’

A brand new novel for all you bibliophiles out there!

Liesl Weiss has worked at the Department of Rare Books and Special Collections at a prestigious university for many years. She’s given up hope of leading her own department, content to work in the shadow of her much-revered boss. When he has a stroke, Liesl is placed in charge, but her first few weeks become a baptism of fire, with priceless books, and one member of staff, going missing. With the library donors piling on the pressure, and everyone who works at the library being a suspect, will Liesl manage to hold it all together and locate the prized manuscripts?

This is a mystery story with a difference, and a real treat for book lovers. I found that the setting very much overtakes the plot, but if you love libraries, and care more for a missing book than a missing person, then this may well be the book for you.

‘The Department for Rare Books and Special Collections’ is due to be published on 25th January 2022.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press, Eva Jurczyk and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.