Mobile librarian Israel Armstrong is contemplating his
resignation for the umpteenth time when he's given a dream
opportunity. Israel relocated from London to Northern
Ireland over six months ago to take a job and he feels like
a fish out of water. Homesick, craving any hint of
familiarity, Israel is thrilled to learn that the library
steering committee is sending him to represent Tumdrum in
the annual mobile library convention in London. Less
enthused is Ted Carson, Israel's cranky fellow librarian and
travel companion, who's a jack-of-all-trades and keeps the
ancient library van going.
As delighted as Israel is to be returning to London, he
finds his welcome to be less than heartwarming. Everything
seems to have changed and home just isn't home anymore.
Israel can't make contact with his long-distance
girlfriend/roommate, Gloria, which is very odd. Things go
from bad to worse when the mobile library van is stolen from
its parking place. Who would want an ancient, crumbling heap
of a van?
Israel and Ted valiantly search for their missing vehicle
with little help from the police. With the help of Israel's
widowed mother, whom Ted has surprisingly warmed up to, they
begin to make some progress. Will they be able to recover
the van before the conference is over? Where is Gloria? Why
doesn't she return Israel's numerous calls and texts? Does
Ted harbor romantic feelings for Israel's mother?
The missing van and the AWOL Gloria are the extent of the
mystery here. Instead, the story is more about Israel's
realization that he's changed too much to go back to the
person he was before he left. Unfortunately, THE BOOK STOPS
HERE was not my cup of tea. Readers who don't mind constant
stream of consciousness and British humor will probably
enjoy this one more than I did. The mystery in this one is
light, but Mr. Sansom's other mobile library books have
meatier mystery storylines. Readers may want to read the
series in order before tackling this one.
Disgruntled, disheveled, fish-out-of-water mobile
librarian Israel Armstrong is finally going home to London,
rattling along with his irascible companion Ted Carson in
their rust bucket book van en route to the Mobile Meet. The
annual library convention gives Israel the opportunity to
catch up with his family, eat paprika chicken and baklava,
and drink good coffee. But they've barely found parking when
the unimaginable occurs: their library-on-wheels is stolen!
Who on earth would want to take a thirty-year-old
traveling disaster with the words "The Book Stops Here"
painted across the back? Israel and Ted are determined to
find out. But their search is leading them on a very twisty
trail through the countryside in pursuit of a suspicious
convoy of New Age travelers. And the hunt is raising
numerous troubling questions—such as where exactly is
Israel's high-flying girlfriend, Gloria? And is Ted really
making a move on Israel's widowed mother?
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