[SensualPoet]

There is a lot of whimsy here: our hero is a kind hearted, somewhat naive proto-librarian who leaves the comforts of London ... and dismal career prospects ... for the decidedly down-scale post as librarian in a small Irish town which has apparently just closed its library and lost all its books. Ian Sansom's appropriately titled The Case of the Missing Books is crammed full of delightful, warm-hearted humour with echos of the The Vicar of Dibley.

Israel Armstrong, a pudgy vegetarian Jewish librarian with an Irish father, is down on his luck in London, working a dead-end job in a discount bookshop. When accepted for the job as librarian at Tumdrum, County Antrim, Ireland, he scoops up his few possessions and last of his cash, arriving a few days before Christmas to take up his post. But there's a problem: the local council has closed the library and, upon examination, all the books appear to have been stolen. Israel is pressed into the role of detective, and given the old book mobile as transport, as he attempts to track down the books, stumbling across other crimes and misdemeanours, hoping for a little love on the side.

A little too predictable, however charming, this light diversion succeeds allowing one to while away a few hours without guilt and with a hearty chuckle now and again. But like that puffy confection your too chi-chi neighbour offers on a summery afternoon, it's not a terribly filling experience. Consume with pleasure: but have another snack in the wings.