[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"work-reviews-detail-the-department-of-rare-books-and-special-collections-hn4d":3,"work-reviews-list-the-department-of-rare-books-and-special-collections-hn4d":130},{"id":4,"slug":5,"title":6,"original_title":7,"description":8,"first_publish_year":9,"original_language":10,"primary_cover_url":11,"cover_3d_url":12,"cover_blurhash":13,"preferred_edition_id":7,"community_rating_avg":14,"community_rating_count":15,"page_count":16,"estimated_reading_minutes":17,"shelves_added_this_week":18,"enrichment_status":19,"community_depth_avg":7,"community_momentum_avg":7,"community_atmosphere_avg":7,"community_craft_avg":7,"community_impact_avg":7,"community_spice_avg":7,"is_non_fiction":20,"is_romance":20,"is_indexable":21,"rating_distribution":22,"authors":23,"genres":30,"characters":55,"places":60,"subjects":64,"series":89,"editions":90,"enrichment":111,"community_distribution":7,"default_edition":127,"faqs":128,"reviews_count":15,"contributions_count":18,"quotes_count":18,"photos_count":18,"created_at":129},"01kr830dcvg983605w9ckpcdys","the-department-of-rare-books-and-special-collections-hn4d","The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections",null,"Liesl Weiss, a quiet librarian in a university's rare books department, finds her life upended when her boss has a stroke and a priceless manuscript vanishes. Tasked with keeping the theft quiet, Liesl's investigation deepens when a colleague also disappears. She must now uncover the secrets hidden among the ancient books and the people dedicated to preserving them, realizing someone within the department is responsible.",2022,"en","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.seekquel.app\u002Fstorage\u002Fcovers\u002Feditions\u002F01\u002F01kr830dxh0k120362qz114jpt.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.seekquel.app\u002Fstorage\u002Fcovers\u002Fworks-3d\u002F01\u002F01kr830dcvg983605w9ckpcdys.png?v=41be3911e4","LTHw=T}rr=%f1POqWUj]MwI@S$ae","2.00",1,330,375,0,"pending",false,true,[18,18,18,15,18,18,18,18,18,18],[24],{"id":25,"slug":26,"name":27,"role":28,"bio":29},"01kr830dxb468xk0d8dpwsfg9k","eva-jurczyk-uedu","Eva Jurczyk","author","Eva Jurczyk is a Canadian writer. Her debut novel, The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections, is a mystery set in the world of academic libraries. She often explores themes of history and secrets within her fiction.",[31,35,39,43,47,51],{"id":32,"name":33,"slug":34,"is_fiction":21},5,"Thriller","thriller",{"id":36,"name":37,"slug":38,"is_fiction":21},6,"Mystery","mystery",{"id":40,"name":41,"slug":42,"is_fiction":21},9,"Literary Fiction","literary-fiction",{"id":44,"name":45,"slug":46,"is_fiction":21},40,"Suspense","suspense",{"id":48,"name":49,"slug":50,"is_fiction":21},41,"Psychological Thriller","psychological-thriller",{"id":52,"name":53,"slug":54,"is_fiction":21},44,"Crime","crime",[56],{"id":57,"name":58,"description":7,"role":59,"is_spoiler":20},"01kr830dykrk9j713hsm3nm698","Liesl Weiss","protagonist",[61],{"id":62,"name":63,"description":7,"is_fictional":20,"real_world_location":7},"01kr830dz6yp5f8zx98a6ydr4c","rare books department of a large university",[65,69,72,75,78,81,83,87],{"id":66,"name":67,"type":68},"01kjq6wyetsw6tpbsv85znafm0","Literary","subject",{"id":70,"name":71,"type":68},"01kjq7prptkrhh0ysgmt6vrpey","Mystery & Detective",{"id":73,"name":74,"type":68},"01kjsvay89rk8pvbpbjnk6mn8g","Women Sleuths",{"id":76,"name":77,"type":68},"01kjv2n8z11k3t86y74s6kbhvc","Amateur Sleuth",{"id":79,"name":80,"type":68},"01kjq7cgzpvgfzthz60sbhzqw7","Thrillers",{"id":82,"name":45,"type":68},"01kjq6vr2t1g7zgpxzbq9p8f3f",{"id":84,"name":85,"type":86},"01kkw43tvpdv9vw8315yz3xk78","Women","place",{"id":88,"name":53,"type":68},"01kjq6vr30v8w0cpga6zd9vnbq",[],[91,103],{"id":92,"title":6,"edition_name":93,"format":94,"format_label":95,"page_count":96,"audio_duration_minutes":7,"narrator":7,"publish_date":97,"cover_url":98,"cover_blurhash":7,"isbn_13":99,"asin":7,"publisher":100,"language":10,"quality_score":101,"submission_status":102},"01kr830dxt5z2nfe8qfmcqs42z","1","kindle","Kindle",336,"2022-01-25","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.isbndb.com\u002Fcovers\u002F8716723482803.jpg","9781728238609","Sourcebooks",10,"approved",{"id":104,"title":105,"edition_name":7,"format":106,"format_label":107,"page_count":108,"audio_duration_minutes":7,"narrator":7,"publish_date":109,"cover_url":11,"cover_blurhash":13,"isbn_13":110,"asin":7,"publisher":100,"language":10,"quality_score":101,"submission_status":102},"01kr830dxh0k120362qz114jpt","The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections A Novel","paperback","Paperback",323,"2022","9781728238593",{"summary":8,"pace":112,"complexity":113,"complexity_score":114,"audience":115,"mood":116,"themes":120,"setting_period":125,"content_warnings":126},"fast","dense",7,"adult",[117,118,119],"tense","atmospheric","intellectual",[121,122,123,124],"dark-academia","heist","locked-room","fish-out-of-water","Contemporary",[],{"id":104,"title":105,"edition_name":7,"format":106,"format_label":107,"page_count":108,"audio_duration_minutes":7,"publish_date":109,"cover_url":11,"cover_blurhash":13,"isbn_13":110,"asin":7,"publisher":100,"language":10},[],"2026-05-10T04:40:55.000000Z",{"data":131,"links":142,"meta":143},[132],{"id":133,"slug":134,"title":135,"user":7,"work_id":4,"is_draft":20,"verified_reader":21,"featured":20,"body":136,"overall_rating":137,"depth":7,"momentum":7,"atmosphere":7,"craft":7,"impact":7,"spice":7,"spoiler_level":138,"locale":7,"feed_item_key":139,"like_count":18,"comment_count":18,"top_likers":140,"viewer_can_reply":20,"created_at":141,"updated_at":141},"01kr830fs2bgs3b3mc2wv7hpe5","review-of-the-department-of-rare-books-and-special-collections-by-deleted-258","Review of \"The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections\" by deleted_258","The title hooked me at first, and reading the blurb intrigued me more. Love the academia setting and especially the department itself which atmospherically captivating and unique, like an old small library that only having limited published books on its shelves with only pencil is allowed if you want to take notes. \n\nThe first few chapters of the book get me invested but along the way it gets too underwhelming. The idea of its mystery was compelling-- a missing most prized manuscript, a no show to work librarian and a boss on coma holding a secret to the lost manuscript or maybe manuscripts? It lacks in execution that even with its few riveting subplots (gender inequality, workplace discrimination, academia politics, mental health) the development did not weave or progress seemlessly to me. Too slow moving and scattered.\n\nI also have problems with characters' exposition and their characterization. Weird how it says that Liesl has been working there for almost 40 years but still know too little about all those collection and that sudden love problems? What's up with that moment sitting on the bench with Francis, Liesl? I don't find the secondary as interesting too-- how they were being so disrespectful, and mostly having an unapproachable attitude really irks me so much. I feel bad that Miriam's story just wrapped in a total blame-- her psychological matter could be given more depth, or at least not abruptly settled in shame. \n\nYou might go for the setting for this one so I won't stop you if you already having this book inside your list, you'd probably love the book more than I do. Still find the central character's job as exciting (though it can be hectic too) and I appreciate that the author detailing those scope specifically into her narrative. Would go for 2 stars to this",2,"none","rv-01kr830fs2bgs3b3mc2wv7hpe5",[],"2026-05-10T04:40:57.000000Z",{"first":7,"last":7,"prev":7,"next":7},{"path":144,"per_page":145,"next_cursor":7,"prev_cursor":7,"has_more":20},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.seekquel.app\u002Fapi\u002Fworks\u002F01kr830dcvg983605w9ckpcdys\u002Freviews",20]