The Case of the Missing Books

Sansom Ian. The Case of the Missing Books. NY: Harper, 2005.

submitted by R. Stuhr

Mystery is not usually a genre I'm excited about reading, but how could I pass up this particular mystery? The main character is Israel Armstrong, the Jewish-Irish London raised underemployed librarian who has so far found work in a mall bookstore. Israel finally finds a bona fide librarian position at a public library in Ireland, only to find out that the library has been closed. He still has a job, but his new library is mobile, in fact his new library consists of an old book mobile or "mobile learning center." He is convinced by the local bureaucrat to take the job on at least temporarily to get the mobile library started up. Israel soon discovers, however, that all of the books are missing. This not too intense mystery unravels as Israel gets to know the local library constituency and has encounters with chickens, mud, and angry citizens. He may or may not solve the mystery, but the local readers are well served before the novel ends.

This is fun reading and the author knows something about libraries and city councils.

Burling 3rd Floor PR 6119 .A575 M66 2006b

This is the first in a series, so if you like this one, you are in luck!