Israel Armstrong is about to turn 30. As if that wasn't bad enough, he has recently broken up with his girlfriend; he's a Londoner stuck in a tiny town in northern Ireland -- living in a converted chicken house -- and he works a dead- end job as a librarian in a mobile library. When a young teen, the daughter of a prominent local politician, disappears, authorities discover Israel was one of the last people to see her. In addition, he lent her one of the "Unshelved" books forbidden to younger readers. Now, with the police and his boss watching his every move, Israel decides it's up to him to find the girl and clear his name. If he can cast off his ennui and take action, maybe life will improve. Then again...he does live in a chicken coop.

Mystery takes a backseat to the eccentric locals and quirky charms of Tumdrum, Ireland, in this story. Israel, a rather dour protagonist, is the perfect foil for the colorful residents of the town. I wasn't sure what to expect from this series, as this was my first book, but I was pleasantly surprised and soon quite entertained by Israel's adventures; the droll narrative had me chuckling out loud more than once. If you like your mystery with a healthy dose of humor, you'll be delighted with this book. With apologies to Israel, I hope that he's stuck in Tumdrum for a long time to come.