The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections by Eva Jurczyk tells the story of Liesl, a retired librarian who must fill in for her former boss when he has a stroke. But when a book in the library's rare books collection goes missing shortly after she takes up the position and a librarian goes missing, she might be more over her head than she originally thought.

I loved this book. It is part mystery, part love letter to books and the combination works perfectly. I was kept on the edge of my seat and couldn't put this book down. I appreciated that it was set in Toronto, in a location that is very clearly based on the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library because it allowed me to recognize and picture many of the places mentioned.

I really liked Jurczyk's writing style. It is incredibly compelling and suspenseful while being filled with beautifully descriptive detail.

Finally, I loved the characters. Even more than books, this novel is about people and the importance of paying attention to those around you. Jurczyk has breathed such humanity into her characters which makes them so real, honest and heartbreaking. This shows what a talented writer she is.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a fascinating novel about the secrets that people keep and the love of books that can inspire it.

The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections by Eva Jurczyk is available now from Poisoned Pen Press.

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