When the safe in Christopher’s office is finally opened there is no Bible. Liesl is in charge with Christopher gone, but she is not respected by senior male librarians. With uncertain authority and a diplomatic personality she struggles to investigate what has happened to the missing multi-volume Bible.
Everyone wants the Plantin Bible to be misplaced but how is a multi-volume Bible misfiled? Liesl wants to call the police but President Lawrence Garber refuses to allow her to report as stolen a Bible that has been misplaced. Only when another book cannot be found are the police contacted.
A hand search is undertaken that goes deep underground. Ordinarily, Liesl loves the basements of the library where books are shelved by size to maximize space and let the “fragile” books support one another. Now she is depressed and anxious as she and another librarian slowly go from stack to stack of books. She considers the quest to be futile.
The donors who provided thousands of dollars for the acquisition want to see “their” Bible. It is getting harder and harder to deflect wealthy men not accustomed to or tolerant of delay.
There is nothing in Christopher’s personal computer. He was a “digital ghost”.
There is a fascinating visit to a book fair at the huge convention centre by the Toronto airport. Aisles of booksellers are ranked by Liesl. She equally slots the buyers. The book world is relatively small with significant trust. A vendor hands a buyer a book upon receiving a $25,000 cheque.
She has spent 40 years in the Department and loves the rare books and special collections.
As the investigation proceeds explanations must be given about the missing books. Liesl is advised:
“Don’t get too creative, and don’t be more honest
than you have to be.”
Recommending evasion inevitably means manipulation.
Determining the identity of the thief or thieves should not be that difficult. With the Department having good security against intruders the investigation must focus on the librarians. Yet it proceeds slowly. The police take little role as the university administration does not push the original complaint. President Garber wants as little attention as possible to the missing books. Donors might turn reluctant to give if the university cannot safeguard what their donations have purchased.
Liesl has a significant flaw as an investigator. She does not want any of her colleagues to be a thief.
The head librarians have well developed personalities. There is friction, credible conflict between them. At the same time there are the bonds of decades together. When there is loss of life among them they grieve deeply and sincerely.
They all have secrets in their lives. They are gradually revealed during the investigation.
I had an early inkling about the thief but put it aside and was as saddened as Liesl when she discovered the thief.
The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections is a wonderful place for those who love the feel, the sight, the weight, the smell, the print, the contents of great and rare books. The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections book is a thoughtful mystery with an admirable clever sleuth. No guns, knives, bombs or other means of mayhem were wielded in the library. Liesl is a woman of mature years with great integrity. I admired her determination to solve the mystery. I would love to visit her Department.
Oh, Bill, just the title of this one got me interested! The subject matter, the main premise, the whole thing interests me. It sounds as though Liesl is well-developed character, too. Many years ago, when I was a student, I worked at our school library (it was a volunteer thing; I wasn't paid). This makes me think of that.
ReplyDeleteMargot: Thanks for the comment. I same sure you were a capable librarian. Jurczyk's library is a grand place for books prized for being wonderful books.
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