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Mobile Library Mystery #1
Fallet med de försvunna böckerna
Israel Armstrong is a passionate soul, lured to Ireland by the promise of an exciting new career. Alas, the job that awaits him is not quite what he has in mind. Still, Israel is not one to dwell on disappointment, as he prepares to drive a mobile library around a small, damp Irish town. After all, the scenery is lovely, the people are charming--but where are the books? The rolling library's 15,000 volumes have mysteriously gone missing, and it's up to Israel to discover who would steal them...and why. And perhaps, after that, he will tackle other bizarre and perplexing local mysteries--like, where does one go to find a proper cappuccino and a decent newspaper?
205 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2005
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3849 people want to read
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February 23, 2015
It was obvious from when I ordered this book that it would not be your average mystery: young Jewish (half Irish) man arrives from joblessness in London to a small town in Ireland - Tumdrum - in the expectation of taking up a post as the new town librarian. After a hellish trip, which turns out to be fairly typical of his luck, he discovers that funding has been cut, the library will be sold and razed, and his new job is to be driving the mobile library replacing the brick and mortar stationary library. Which is going to be a problem: Israel can drive, but not well, and not necessarily a bus.
This isn't so much a mystery, as billed, as it is a fish-out-of-water - or fish among fowl - story. The mystery is not the sort usually featured in adult books of the genre, but more of a Nancy Drew (or Hardy Boys) (or Scooby Doo) type: in other words, no one is murdered. I would actually be a lot more comfortable calling this a cozy mystery than most stories involving murder ... but it's not cozy. The setting, the characters, the tone of the writing: not cozy. And ... not a mystery, very much. The aim of the book is to show us Israel Armstrong plopped down in a hostile-to-him environment, and how (whether) he copes. (Also, I figured it out about 150 pages before Israel did, and this isn't as much fun as it ought to be.)
There is much to like in the book: Israel's initial flailings at working his way into the job and the village are funny, and he is not entirely unsympathetic. No one who becomes a librarian in order to have access to free books can be entirely unsympathetic. There is a mystery in there, and it's interesting. Some of the other characterizations are fun to read. And the description of the (doomed) library is heavenly.
But ... Israel's not very likeable. He's a wimp, a bit hypochondriacal, has no social skills, doesn't know how to say either no or yes (or please), and rubs very nearly everyone the wrong way almost instantly: he's the perfect schlemiel. This should inspire sympathy, the schlemielness, but he's also a shlimazel (thank you, Laverne & Shirley). If there seemed to be any hope that he might find his footing and improve I - and the townsfolk - might like him better, but there doesn't. All he wants from the moment he hits Irish soil is to go home, and between that and the wall of events that prevents him from leaving he is ineffectually miserable – which I just didn't find fun, or funny, to read.
Some of the other characters in the book are just over-the-top unpleasant, as well. I like Ted, a lot, though the first impression there was not good. But even he took against Israel, and it grows old when almost every single person feels, at best, contempt for the poor schlub. If you start out liking Israel, after a while you feel like you must be missing something, he's so, otherwise, universally (except for Brownie) disliked. And the narrator gives every indication of having been to Ireland under duress and hating it, prompting him now to try to burst every Emerald Isle Auld Sod blarnified bubble the reader might harbor. Neither the place nor the populace is welcoming. And then there's Linda ... I keep feeling like her every scene should offend me, and I'm not sure if that's a latent feminism or a horror of racial prejudice or something else entirely, or a combination ... I think it's partly the feeling that an impartial narrator shouldn't dislike a character so much. The descriptions are so repetitively specific that she's Asian, or fat (and constantly eating, and maybe that's where the offensiveness lies), or both, that it's not so much Linda I don't like as the narrator. That's not a comfortable situation for what presents itself as something of a cozy mystery. This wasn't to my taste, and I doubt I'll pursue the rest of the series.
This isn't so much a mystery, as billed, as it is a fish-out-of-water - or fish among fowl - story. The mystery is not the sort usually featured in adult books of the genre, but more of a Nancy Drew (or Hardy Boys) (or Scooby Doo) type: in other words, no one is murdered. I would actually be a lot more comfortable calling this a cozy mystery than most stories involving murder ... but it's not cozy. The setting, the characters, the tone of the writing: not cozy. And ... not a mystery, very much. The aim of the book is to show us Israel Armstrong plopped down in a hostile-to-him environment, and how (whether) he copes. (Also, I figured it out about 150 pages before Israel did, and this isn't as much fun as it ought to be.)
There is much to like in the book: Israel's initial flailings at working his way into the job and the village are funny, and he is not entirely unsympathetic. No one who becomes a librarian in order to have access to free books can be entirely unsympathetic. There is a mystery in there, and it's interesting. Some of the other characterizations are fun to read. And the description of the (doomed) library is heavenly.
But ... Israel's not very likeable. He's a wimp, a bit hypochondriacal, has no social skills, doesn't know how to say either no or yes (or please), and rubs very nearly everyone the wrong way almost instantly: he's the perfect schlemiel. This should inspire sympathy, the schlemielness, but he's also a shlimazel (thank you, Laverne & Shirley). If there seemed to be any hope that he might find his footing and improve I - and the townsfolk - might like him better, but there doesn't. All he wants from the moment he hits Irish soil is to go home, and between that and the wall of events that prevents him from leaving he is ineffectually miserable – which I just didn't find fun, or funny, to read.
Some of the other characters in the book are just over-the-top unpleasant, as well. I like Ted, a lot, though the first impression there was not good. But even he took against Israel, and it grows old when almost every single person feels, at best, contempt for the poor schlub. If you start out liking Israel, after a while you feel like you must be missing something, he's so, otherwise, universally (except for Brownie) disliked. And the narrator gives every indication of having been to Ireland under duress and hating it, prompting him now to try to burst every Emerald Isle Auld Sod blarnified bubble the reader might harbor. Neither the place nor the populace is welcoming. And then there's Linda ... I keep feeling like her every scene should offend me, and I'm not sure if that's a latent feminism or a horror of racial prejudice or something else entirely, or a combination ... I think it's partly the feeling that an impartial narrator shouldn't dislike a character so much. The descriptions are so repetitively specific that she's Asian, or fat (and constantly eating, and maybe that's where the offensiveness lies), or both, that it's not so much Linda I don't like as the narrator. That's not a comfortable situation for what presents itself as something of a cozy mystery. This wasn't to my taste, and I doubt I'll pursue the rest of the series.
February 10, 2020
Israel Armstrong traveled to Northern Ireland to start a new job as a librarian. When he reaches the library, he finds that his job description has changed. He now has to drive a mobile library around some of the small villages of County Antrim. But the books have disappeared!
This is a light book with lots of slapstick humor. Nothing goes right for Israel--he's the guy who breaks his eyeglasses, steps in manure, and has his pants burn while drying by the stove. It wasn't the right book for me, but it's a quick "beach read" for someone who enjoys that type of humor.
This is a light book with lots of slapstick humor. Nothing goes right for Israel--he's the guy who breaks his eyeglasses, steps in manure, and has his pants burn while drying by the stove. It wasn't the right book for me, but it's a quick "beach read" for someone who enjoys that type of humor.
August 11, 2011
Avete presente quei commenti in copertina scritti per chissà quanti millemila euro da giornali importanti, come il New York Times etc. etc.? Vorrei dire, quei commenti che ci prendono per il culo 'Scrittura magistrale, una storia da togliere il fiato' e lusinghe varie? Ecco, io mica ci credo mai a queste cazzatine che scrivono sullo stile, su quant'è bravo Tal dei Tali, su quanto la sua storia sia una spirale di emozioni, però, quando ho letto 'Antidoto alla malinconia' scritto dal The Guardian su la copertina de 'Il caso dei libri scomparsi' mi son detta che prenderanno per il culo la gente per quanto riguarda le velleità artistiche dell'autore, ma non potranno mica prendere per il culo gli stati d'animo della gente! Quindi, malinconica più che mai, ho iniziato a leggere.
Il The Guardian ci ha proprio azzeccato, udite udite, se avete bisogno di sorridere, di pensare che, per quanto siate sfigati, c'è sempre e comunque qualcuno MOOOLTO più sfigato di voi, significa che dovete entrare in libreria e fiondarvi sulla mirabolante saga delle avventure di quel ciccione di Israel Armstrong, laureato in lettere, disoccupato, inglese trapiantato in Irlanda, vegetariano e farmacodipendenti. La cura alla vostra malinconia richiede pochi euro e nemmeno la ricetta, pensate un po' il potere strabiliante dei libri!
Con una penna ironica e divertente al punto giusto, Ian Sansom ci regala la meravigliosa figura di un bibliotecario il cui minore dei mali è quello di ritrovare i 15.000 libri perduti del bibliobus che deve condurre tra le verdi strade d'Irlanda; un romanzo ironico nella scorza, ma serio dentro nell'affrontare il tema tragico e avvilente della sempre più numerosa chiusura delle biblioteche e del sempre minore impiego di risorse dei comuni nella cultura.
Gettatevi a capofitto in questa storia che vi insegnerà:
1) che i rimedi per leggere si trovano nonostante tutte le leggi e iniquità del mondo
2) che anche nei momenti più avversi, può giungere un raggio di luce.
Il The Guardian ci ha proprio azzeccato, udite udite, se avete bisogno di sorridere, di pensare che, per quanto siate sfigati, c'è sempre e comunque qualcuno MOOOLTO più sfigato di voi, significa che dovete entrare in libreria e fiondarvi sulla mirabolante saga delle avventure di quel ciccione di Israel Armstrong, laureato in lettere, disoccupato, inglese trapiantato in Irlanda, vegetariano e farmacodipendenti. La cura alla vostra malinconia richiede pochi euro e nemmeno la ricetta, pensate un po' il potere strabiliante dei libri!
Con una penna ironica e divertente al punto giusto, Ian Sansom ci regala la meravigliosa figura di un bibliotecario il cui minore dei mali è quello di ritrovare i 15.000 libri perduti del bibliobus che deve condurre tra le verdi strade d'Irlanda; un romanzo ironico nella scorza, ma serio dentro nell'affrontare il tema tragico e avvilente della sempre più numerosa chiusura delle biblioteche e del sempre minore impiego di risorse dei comuni nella cultura.
Gettatevi a capofitto in questa storia che vi insegnerà:
1) che i rimedi per leggere si trovano nonostante tutte le leggi e iniquità del mondo
2) che anche nei momenti più avversi, può giungere un raggio di luce.
August 14, 2011
I did not like this book. It’s a fish-out-of-water tale where Israel Armstrong moves from London to northern Ireland to be a librarian. As are many small communities, Israel has a rough transition that is exacerbated by almost every member of the community. He’s so hapless that his continual misfortunes don’t garner an abundance of sympathy. I did not find a single character in this book likable.
He also must solve the mystery of the missing library books which goes just as badly as his transition to his life in northern Ireland. If I’m reading a mystery, I wanted the character to do something other than make a royal ass of himself at every turn. Calling this a ‘mystery novel’ requires a great stretch of the imagination.
I could see several instances where some people might appreciate this. There are plenty of instances of schadenfreude and subtle yet rambling humor. I’d also imagine they appeal to someone with a British sense of humor. However, hard as I tried, I did not like this book.
He also must solve the mystery of the missing library books which goes just as badly as his transition to his life in northern Ireland. If I’m reading a mystery, I wanted the character to do something other than make a royal ass of himself at every turn. Calling this a ‘mystery novel’ requires a great stretch of the imagination.
I could see several instances where some people might appreciate this. There are plenty of instances of schadenfreude and subtle yet rambling humor. I’d also imagine they appeal to someone with a British sense of humor. However, hard as I tried, I did not like this book.
March 15, 2008
This is a charmer. This is the story of a vegetarian librarian from London who finds himself in rural Ireland running a run down bookmobile with no books. Israel Atmstrong, the librarian, is a composite of Walter Mitty, Inspector Clouseau and a bit of Ignatius Reilly. The people in the village would also be right at home in Twin Peaks. How can anyone resist this? The joy in this read is the richness of the characters coupled with wonderful writing of Ian Sansom. I have read some criticism that it isn't a very good mystery. Well, look at the title again. "The Case of The Missing Books", it is not meant to be a serious page turning mystry. Not even Nancy Drew or the Bobbsey Twins came up with that one. Lighten up! This little masterpiece is funny, sweet, and absolutelly delightful!
January 13, 2022
From the book jacket: Israel Armstrong is a passionate soul, lured to Ireland by the promise of an exciting new career. Alas, the job that awaits him is not quite what he had in mind. Still, Israel is not one to dwell on disappointment, as he prepares to drive a mobile library around a small, damp Irish town. After all, the scenery is lovely, the people are charming – but where are the books?
My reactions
This was an enjoyable diversion, full of quirky characters and unlikely scenarios. Israel is as far from a hero as one could imagine – rumpled, decidedly UNambitious, content to do just enough to get along. But he does manage to rise to the occasion, despite more than a few setbacks and missteps.
I’m not sure I’ll bother with reading another in the series, as I like a little more actual mystery in my cozy mysteries. But I did enjoy the references to books!
My reactions
This was an enjoyable diversion, full of quirky characters and unlikely scenarios. Israel is as far from a hero as one could imagine – rumpled, decidedly UNambitious, content to do just enough to get along. But he does manage to rise to the occasion, despite more than a few setbacks and missteps.
I’m not sure I’ll bother with reading another in the series, as I like a little more actual mystery in my cozy mysteries. But I did enjoy the references to books!
November 20, 2007
I know I should've loved this book, but I really didn't -- probably because it's rougher and grimmer than I could enjoy right now. However, I still think it deserves four or five stars, for all the open-minded readers who WILL enjoy it. Besides, the main premise -- that the new librarian has to go search for the library's books, all of which have been misplaced -- gets automatic points for originality and fun.
May 5, 2012
"Israel Armstrong is a passionate soul, lured to Ireland by the promise of an exciting new career. Alas, the job that awaits him is not quite what he had in mind. Still, Israel is not one to dwell on disappointment, as he prepares to drive a mobile library around a small, damp Irish town. After all, the scenery is lovely, the people are charming -- but where are the books? The rolling library's 15,000 volumes have mysteriously gone missing, and it's up to Israel to discover who would steal them ... and why. And perhaps, after that, he will tackle other bizarre and perplexing local mysteries -- like, where does one go to find a proper cappuccino and a decent newspaper?"
~~back cover
I disagree so vehemently with that description! Our Israel is NOT a passionate soul -- he's a wet, useless twit beset upon by daft, rude, conniving buggers, treated abominably and set up to be the scapegoat in some sort of fraudulent scheme by the town council. The town is certainly small and damp, but the scenery is not lovely and the people are certainly not charming: after all, he's billeted in a chicken coop that still occupied by the original inhabitants, and humiliated when he tries to complain about it. His clothes are destroyed, along with his credit cards -- leaving him without a cent to be going on with. (And the daft prat doesn't even manage to get the credit cards replaced, leaving him unable to replace his trousers, which were destroyed on the Rayburn. And he couldn't buy a cappuccino if he could find one.) His erstwhile girl friend back in London has obviously decided to curtail the proceedings as she's either gone when he calls or else cuts the conversation painfully short. He keeps on calling, obviously recapitulating the great Richard Thompson song "I thought she was saying good luck -- she was saying goodbye."
I could go on, but you get the picture. This is not a genre I've ever enjoyed, and I wouldn't have gathered up the series had I known what I was getting into. I started the second book, and just couldn't stick it.
~~back cover
I disagree so vehemently with that description! Our Israel is NOT a passionate soul -- he's a wet, useless twit beset upon by daft, rude, conniving buggers, treated abominably and set up to be the scapegoat in some sort of fraudulent scheme by the town council. The town is certainly small and damp, but the scenery is not lovely and the people are certainly not charming: after all, he's billeted in a chicken coop that still occupied by the original inhabitants, and humiliated when he tries to complain about it. His clothes are destroyed, along with his credit cards -- leaving him without a cent to be going on with. (And the daft prat doesn't even manage to get the credit cards replaced, leaving him unable to replace his trousers, which were destroyed on the Rayburn. And he couldn't buy a cappuccino if he could find one.) His erstwhile girl friend back in London has obviously decided to curtail the proceedings as she's either gone when he calls or else cuts the conversation painfully short. He keeps on calling, obviously recapitulating the great Richard Thompson song "I thought she was saying good luck -- she was saying goodbye."
I could go on, but you get the picture. This is not a genre I've ever enjoyed, and I wouldn't have gathered up the series had I known what I was getting into. I started the second book, and just couldn't stick it.
June 13, 2010
This is one of the worst books I've read. There is not one redeeming character, including the main character. The description said "Israel is not one to dwell on disappointment, as he prepares to drive a mobile library around a small, damp Irish town." Ummm.. yeah, he does, and in a very whiny way. However, given the people who dwell in the town and the treatment he's received, I would probably be whiny as well. Some may find this character somewhat comic, I'm finding him sad and pathetic.
I managed to finish this book, but the characters did not improve. Not one person was kind to Israel. His living situation was terrible and so far below what a reasonable person would expect that I wondered not only why anyone would offer this but why he didn't go look for better accommodations. To add insult to injury, he didn't solve the mystery! Oh, it got solved alright, but the ending was a complete let down.
I managed to finish this book, but the characters did not improve. Not one person was kind to Israel. His living situation was terrible and so far below what a reasonable person would expect that I wondered not only why anyone would offer this but why he didn't go look for better accommodations. To add insult to injury, he didn't solve the mystery! Oh, it got solved alright, but the ending was a complete let down.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 13, 2009
Israel Armstrong, a half-Jewish, half-Irish slacker is hired by the local council of Tumdrum, a small town in Northern Ireland, to be the librarian for a newly-instituted mobile library. There's only one small problem (aside from the fact that Israel hates everyone in and everything about Tumdrum): the library's entire collection of books is missing and Israel is expected to find it. Our hero becomes an unlikely gumshoe, determined to trace his missing collection and in the process discovers that Tumdrum isn't the worst place in the universe after all.
The Case of the Missing Books is great fun and I look forward to reading more novels by Ian Sansom.
The Case of the Missing Books is great fun and I look forward to reading more novels by Ian Sansom.
October 6, 2018
"Mai una gioia" potrebbe tranquillamente sintetizzare questo primo capitolo della saga!
E' davvero divertente e a tratti surreale, ma estremamente attuale...infatti Israel deve trasferirsi dalla periferia più remota, Tundrum nell'Irlanda del Nord, per raggiungere la capitale Londra per prendere servizio come bibliotecario.
Ma c'è un problema: il posto di lavoro non esiste e non è finita qui, perchè gliene capiteranno di tutti i tipi.
E quando gli sembrerà di avere aggiunto una pezza, cominceranno a sparire i libri, uno dopo l'altro!
Il perchè di queste sparizioni diventerà il suo obiettivo principale e ne vedremo delle belle!!
E' davvero divertente e a tratti surreale, ma estremamente attuale...infatti Israel deve trasferirsi dalla periferia più remota, Tundrum nell'Irlanda del Nord, per raggiungere la capitale Londra per prendere servizio come bibliotecario.
Ma c'è un problema: il posto di lavoro non esiste e non è finita qui, perchè gliene capiteranno di tutti i tipi.
E quando gli sembrerà di avere aggiunto una pezza, cominceranno a sparire i libri, uno dopo l'altro!
Il perchè di queste sparizioni diventerà il suo obiettivo principale e ne vedremo delle belle!!
February 16, 2012
Mi chiedo perchè sono condannata a finire un libro anche se non mi piace già dalle prime pagine. Forse coltivo la speranza fino alla fine, che capiti qualcosa, che l'autore abbia un'lluminazione che salva il romanzo in extremis, insomma qualunque cosa. Con Ian Sansom non è capitato niente. Una noia, ma una noia di una noia pazzesca. L'unico sentimento che mi ha ispirato è stato quello di entrare nel libro e prendere a calcioni nel sedere il protagonista. Che non fa ridere per niente, ma è terribilmente forzato nella sua eterna sfiga. Senza parlare delle note a fine libro (che odio), dove l'autore fa sfoggio, con noi poveri deficienti che leggiamo, della sua immensa cultura. Mi ha ricordato le stesse sensazioni provate con i film di Fantozzi: tutti ridono, a me viene il nervoso. Devo avere qualcosa che non va. Ho dato due stelle solo perchè è ambientato in Irlanda (anche se ritratta in modo penoso) e per la copertina.
May 15, 2015
E' il primo libro che ho preso in prestito dalla sezione ebook delle biblioteche di Milano, tanto per provarne il funzionamento. Mi sono basata solo sul titolo e sulla copertina, e mi sono trovata a metà senza accorgermene. Israel, londinese un po' sfigato, accetta un lavoro da bibliotecario in uno sperduto paesino rurale dell'Irlanda del nord. Peccato che, come si evince dal titolo, la biblioteca sia vuota. Anzi, è pure chiusa: gli assegnano uno scassato furgoncino, un autista bilioso e il compito di ritrovare i volumi scomparsi entro la fine dell'anno per far partire il servizio di biblioteca mobile.
La storia è bella, ma Israel fa un po' troppo la figura del cretino. I paesani sono troppo paesani, troppo contadini chiusi e attaccabrighe. Poi c'è la vamp, la bella, il nonno rimbecillito, il prete con la passione per i gialli... capisco che è una commedia, ma i personaggi sono un po' troppo macchiette per apprezzarlo fino in fondo.
La storia è bella, ma Israel fa un po' troppo la figura del cretino. I paesani sono troppo paesani, troppo contadini chiusi e attaccabrighe. Poi c'è la vamp, la bella, il nonno rimbecillito, il prete con la passione per i gialli... capisco che è una commedia, ma i personaggi sono un po' troppo macchiette per apprezzarlo fino in fondo.
March 16, 2010
First, I have to thank Bonnie for her review of book 4 in this series: I'd never heard of Ian Sansom and the Mobile Library Mysteries before, but her great review made me want to read them.
I loved every minute of reading this book. I don't have one of those dainty, giggly-girl laughs, I have an embarrassingly loud, guffaw-type of laugh, and let me tell you, I've embarrassed myself in the lunchroom, the doctor's waiting room, and woken up my husband laughing out loud at this book. The dialog is absolutely brilliant, and Sansom's writing is so very clever. I can't remember when I've ever enjoyed a book more, and I've already started the 2nd in the series.
I'm just sad that there are only 3 in the series: I need to savor these.
I loved every minute of reading this book. I don't have one of those dainty, giggly-girl laughs, I have an embarrassingly loud, guffaw-type of laugh, and let me tell you, I've embarrassed myself in the lunchroom, the doctor's waiting room, and woken up my husband laughing out loud at this book. The dialog is absolutely brilliant, and Sansom's writing is so very clever. I can't remember when I've ever enjoyed a book more, and I've already started the 2nd in the series.
I'm just sad that there are only 3 in the series: I need to savor these.
August 12, 2012
this was a charity shop find, and I'm glad I brought it home, full of funny characters, in situations that were perfectly believable (well, possibly not the books, but the way new people are treated in a small village)
I particualrly enjoyed the character of TEd, off to look for more now!
I particualrly enjoyed the character of TEd, off to look for more now!
August 24, 2014
DNF
I really wanted to like this book, but I didn't.
A cast of unlikeable characters, inane dialogue and a little too much slapstick. At times I was reminded of the Abbott and Costello's "Who's On First."
Disappointing.
November 11, 2019
Israel Amstrong è un bibliotecario: un timido, sovrappeso, goffo bibliotecario a cui ne capitano di tutti i colori, in primo luogo, l'essere diventato un bibliotecario senza libri.
Divertente ma che sia il perfetto antidoto contro la malinconia, come viene indicato in copertina, proprio non saprei dirlo.
Non mi ha appassionato e dopo la lettura non mi sono trovata più felice (o meno malinconica) di prima di iniziarlo. Forse non ero nello spirito di leggerlo? Mah chissà...
Certo per un amante dei libri questo è come un santo graal. Un libro pieno zeppo di citazioni, di titoli di altri libri, che parla di un bibliotecario e di una biblioteca ambulante in un paese dove tutti adorano leggere... eh?? Mica male...
Peccato che non sia scattata la scintilla.
Divertente ma che sia il perfetto antidoto contro la malinconia, come viene indicato in copertina, proprio non saprei dirlo.
Non mi ha appassionato e dopo la lettura non mi sono trovata più felice (o meno malinconica) di prima di iniziarlo. Forse non ero nello spirito di leggerlo? Mah chissà...
Certo per un amante dei libri questo è come un santo graal. Un libro pieno zeppo di citazioni, di titoli di altri libri, che parla di un bibliotecario e di una biblioteca ambulante in un paese dove tutti adorano leggere... eh?? Mica male...
Peccato che non sia scattata la scintilla.
May 7, 2018
The story was funny. Started off a little slow but got better as you got further into the story. Kind of a different idea.
August 19, 2023
With this one, I can personally ignore everyone else’s reviews. If there is one thing I know about the Irish, it is the love of stories and story telling. This is a great story of an Irish community protecting stories. Perhaps I just love stories about libraries. Anyway, I don’t care if anyone else likes it, I definitely liked it.
May 29, 2012
The Case of the Missing Books is effectively a cozy set in Northern Ireland. It has a quirky, awkward, central character as the sleuth and a cast of other colourful characters, and it takes place in a small town where everybody knows everybody else. The central plot revolves around Armstrong trying to find his feet in a strange place, where the locals are at one level welcoming and, at another, standoffish, whilst he tries to locate the missing books. It’s one of those books that I’m kind of ambivalent about. It passed a few pleasant hours, but did not set the world alight. The plot is relatively straightforward and there is a gentle humour throughout, though no real belly-laughs; a kind of Last of the Summer Wine sitcom/farce vibe. My one real problem was that I found it difficult to believe in Israel Armstrong as a character. There were a few things that didn’t add-up. On the one hand he’s been a compulsive reader since a young child and he knows about books, and yet what’s in those books barely seems to have penetrated his skull. His bookishness and educational attainment didn’t quite sit right. And in general terms he's blessed with about every negative trait going, with few social skills or powers of deduction, and yet somehow he bumbles through whilst offending just about everybody at some point. Overall, if you’re a cozy fan then this might appeal.
January 9, 2021
I am not sure why I even continued to read this book. When I first got this book, I thought it would be a fun read about a librarian with a mystery to solve. I was expecting a cozy book. There was no cozy nor real mystery. It was easily figured out but to get to it, you had to wait to the very last page. Also, the ending was a no brainer either, pretty much figured that one out at the beginning.
Instead, I got a cumbersome book with a whiny, unlikeable librarian, other characters who were bullies or inept, and a whole lot of liars.
Repetitive scenery was the norm as well as repetitive language. I do not mind a well placed f-bomb or flowery language on occasion but really, this book did not have even that. I was lucky if I read full sentences. Also, a few words in the book were racist and sematic overall. For an author who has supposedly written articles and other books, this was a flop!
Again, why did I read the whole book to the end is a mystery to me. Don't bother!
Disclosure: Fortunately, I had purchased this from a thrift store for my own collections, a saving grace. The views expressed here are 100% my own opinions and may differ from yours. ~Michelle
Instead, I got a cumbersome book with a whiny, unlikeable librarian, other characters who were bullies or inept, and a whole lot of liars.
Repetitive scenery was the norm as well as repetitive language. I do not mind a well placed f-bomb or flowery language on occasion but really, this book did not have even that. I was lucky if I read full sentences. Also, a few words in the book were racist and sematic overall. For an author who has supposedly written articles and other books, this was a flop!
Again, why did I read the whole book to the end is a mystery to me. Don't bother!
Disclosure: Fortunately, I had purchased this from a thrift store for my own collections, a saving grace. The views expressed here are 100% my own opinions and may differ from yours. ~Michelle
September 9, 2009
Israel Armstrong is an overweight vegetarian Englishman with a Jewish mother and an Irish father who takes the job of librarian in a Northern Ireland village. A few problems erupt immediately, however. The library is closed permanently, the Mobile Library he's supposed to use is an empty, rusty van, AND all the books are missing! And the craziness begins.
I do not enjoy slapstick comedy, and I'm sure I would not like a movie version of this book. But I think that the reason this works in book form is that Israel is a foil for the machinations of all the minor characters - and there are quite a number of those. In fact, the villagers are the real strength of this strange cozy-mystery. The locals 'tested' Israel at every turn - when he asked for directions to Ballymuckery they sent him through Ballygullable, and of course he was gullible enough to fall for it. What really happened to the books?! Guess you'll have to read it to find out.
I do not enjoy slapstick comedy, and I'm sure I would not like a movie version of this book. But I think that the reason this works in book form is that Israel is a foil for the machinations of all the minor characters - and there are quite a number of those. In fact, the villagers are the real strength of this strange cozy-mystery. The locals 'tested' Israel at every turn - when he asked for directions to Ballymuckery they sent him through Ballygullable, and of course he was gullible enough to fall for it. What really happened to the books?! Guess you'll have to read it to find out.
May 8, 2011
The Case of the Missing Books by Ian Sansom is the first installment of Israel Armstrong, librarian/inept detective. Israel is a Jewish librarian from London who accepts a position as librarian in a small town in Ireland at the urging of his girlfriend. It is significant that Israel is Jewish because it is a very big deal to the residents of this small town.
Once in Ireland, Israel suffers a series of mishaps that leave him physically and emotionally bruised, penniless, and the unhappy librarian of a mobile library (re-named a "mobile learning center" in an attempt to move the title up a notch in prestige) that, unfortunately, is missing all its books.
This very light but enjoyable comic mystery is a quick read and a pleasant way to pass a few hours.
Once in Ireland, Israel suffers a series of mishaps that leave him physically and emotionally bruised, penniless, and the unhappy librarian of a mobile library (re-named a "mobile learning center" in an attempt to move the title up a notch in prestige) that, unfortunately, is missing all its books.
This very light but enjoyable comic mystery is a quick read and a pleasant way to pass a few hours.
April 6, 2015
So much more could have been done with this plot the slight humor could not make up for for the missing substance.
When a protagonist is as supercilious as this one, its not possible for this reader to triumph along. Perhaps a reader more versed in detective style would appreciate the references and innuendoes that fell flat for me.
When a protagonist is as supercilious as this one, its not possible for this reader to triumph along. Perhaps a reader more versed in detective style would appreciate the references and innuendoes that fell flat for me.
November 11, 2019
Me lo aspettavo più divertente ma soprattutto Paperino è meno sfigato del protagonista
July 5, 2025
About ten years ago, I stumbled across the third book in the Mobile Library series, read it, really liked it, even wrote a positive review of here at Goodreads ...
... and then promptly forgot about the series.
Nearly ten tears later, I found a text only free copy of this book and thought I'd give the series a crack again. For the craic.
Loved it. After reading some God-awful books lately, it was just the story I needed to keep from losing what's left of my tiny, little mind. I lived in the UK from 2000 - 2005, and this book was first published in 2005 -- right in "my" time frame. This book had a great blend of humor, characterization, and that sprinkling of obscure literary and cultural references that can really spice up prose.
There are two things you need to know before tackling this series:
1) If you haven't lived in the UK for years, skip this. It doesn't matter if your great-great-grandmother was Irish, or if you're an Anglophile -- if you haven't had years of experience with the tragi-comedy of life in the UK, you are not going to understand a lot of this series, including this book.
2) This series is a parody of murder mysteries. It's emphasis is on parody, not on mystery. If you want to just figure out whodunnit, go elsewhere.
I was really sorry when this book finished.
... and then promptly forgot about the series.
Nearly ten tears later, I found a text only free copy of this book and thought I'd give the series a crack again. For the craic.
Loved it. After reading some God-awful books lately, it was just the story I needed to keep from losing what's left of my tiny, little mind. I lived in the UK from 2000 - 2005, and this book was first published in 2005 -- right in "my" time frame. This book had a great blend of humor, characterization, and that sprinkling of obscure literary and cultural references that can really spice up prose.
There are two things you need to know before tackling this series:
1) If you haven't lived in the UK for years, skip this. It doesn't matter if your great-great-grandmother was Irish, or if you're an Anglophile -- if you haven't had years of experience with the tragi-comedy of life in the UK, you are not going to understand a lot of this series, including this book.
2) This series is a parody of murder mysteries. It's emphasis is on parody, not on mystery. If you want to just figure out whodunnit, go elsewhere.
I was really sorry when this book finished.
February 16, 2017
This book was . . . I don't know how to describe it. I'm at a loss. It took me far too long to read (almost a week!) and, apart from some of the dialogue, just moved at too slow of a pace. But I slogged my way through it. . .
. . . only to be let down in the end! The mystery of the missing books solved itself, with no help from Israel. So after all of his bumbling, he never did find the books or figure out who stole them ( *grrr*). So I was pretty disappointed.
In the end, Israel was I don't know and I don't much care. I will not be reading more of this series.
Israel was too weak-willed for me to want to read more of his adventures with the Mobile Library. And for all that he's a reader and a librarian, he wasn't too bright. :-(
There is definitely room for growth, but I just don't care enough to read more to see if he will grow. I'm glad to be done with this book.
. . . only to be let down in the end! The mystery of the missing books solved itself, with no help from Israel. So after all of his bumbling, he never did find the books or figure out who stole them ( *grrr*). So I was pretty disappointed.
In the end, Israel was I don't know and I don't much care. I will not be reading more of this series.
Israel was too weak-willed for me to want to read more of his adventures with the Mobile Library. And for all that he's a reader and a librarian, he wasn't too bright. :-(
There is definitely room for growth, but I just don't care enough to read more to see if he will grow. I'm glad to be done with this book.
March 11, 2018
This mystery involves the theft of 15,000 books from the library that the Irish village council had closed, due to lack of funds. This hilarious story features Israel Armstrong, the Irish Jew (who was brought up and living in London), and who has the misfortune to be hired to be the librarian for this village. Since the building has been closed, he will be in charge of the bookmobile instead, a rusted out bus with no shelves and no books! What is more, he and the bookmobile driver, Ted, discover that all the books that were supposed to be in the closed library building have all gone missing. And Israel, although brand new to the area, is tasked with the job of getting them all back. All kinds of silliness abounds, such as Israel being put up in a chicken coop; and this vegetarian being confronted with meat on every front. This is the first of a four book series, which I plan to continue reading.
October 19, 2021
A few too many clichés and stereotypes in this for my liking: male librarians, ex-boxers, Irish people, Jewish people, vegetarians, sectarianism, London coffee shops, etc. No doubt a shorthand for creating a sense of character and place but a bit of a blunt instrument in this case. Not much mystery or detection here either, the case resolves itself around the blunderings of the main characters. The humour, such that it is tends to rather cruel and non PC - have we come so far since 2006? - vegetarians too timid to refuse a full cooked breakfast isn't side-splittingly funny.
Saying all that I made it to the end, but wasn't tempted to read the first chapter of the next book in the series thoughtfully included at the back of this book. Perhaps I've used up my quota of unfinished books this year!
Saying all that I made it to the end, but wasn't tempted to read the first chapter of the next book in the series thoughtfully included at the back of this book. Perhaps I've used up my quota of unfinished books this year!
May 31, 2017
A light, fun read that's not really a mystery, more a fish-out-of-water story. London librarian Israel Armstrong, a schlubby Jewish vegetarian, accepts a post in rugged, rural Tumdrum, Northern Ireland, only to find when he arrives that the library has been closed and he'll have to run the mobile library (aka Bookmobile). Oh, and his lodgings are in a converted chicken coop
However, there's a snag, which one can guess from the title of the book: All the library books are missing. Friendless, cashless and largely clueless, Israel has to get to the bottom of the puzzler while trying not to further alienate the quirky villagers. Of course it all ends up fine, and there are more books in the series, so we know he stays in Tumdrum.
The book is laugh-out-loud funny in spots and chuckle-to-oneself droll in many others, and generally enjoyable, if a bit predictable. I'll be reading the next one to find out what happens next in Tumdrum!
However, there's a snag, which one can guess from the title of the book: All the library books are missing. Friendless, cashless and largely clueless, Israel has to get to the bottom of the puzzler while trying not to further alienate the quirky villagers. Of course it all ends up fine, and there are more books in the series, so we know he stays in Tumdrum.
The book is laugh-out-loud funny in spots and chuckle-to-oneself droll in many others, and generally enjoyable, if a bit predictable. I'll be reading the next one to find out what happens next in Tumdrum!
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