This was so dark and twisted and I loved every moment of the ride. I had genuinely no idea what was going on until it came together at the end.

Wow! Wow! Wow! This book is excellent and intense. It focuses on a young Bosnian woman who finds herself deeply affected by and entrenched in the Bosnian-Serbian war. This woman is strong and determined and not afraid to die. This book sheds a light on how evil some people can be in these situations. The atrocities and inhumane treatment of the Bosnians is shocking. This war happened in the 1990s, and yet until now, I only knew what was in the American news, which did not come close to depicting all that was going on. This book portrays human strength, survival and feelings in the context of this horrible war happening. There’s love, friendship, trauma, survival, coming-of-age, duty, responsibility, fear, suspense and more. I will be thinking about The Quiet Librarian for a long time. 5+ stars! Highly recommend! Thank you to NetGalley and Mulholland Books for the digital ARC.

“To give your life for another can only be an act of love in its purest form.”

Oh my! A story that shows the resilience created by love and loyalty. It was difficult to read in parts but those difficult parts are what makes war a war. While I could have read this in one sitting, I had to sit with it in small moments. This was my first foray with Mr. Eskens. I know I will read more of his writings.

The children at the library call her the Sweater Lady. With her dowdy clothes and her hair in a bun, middle aged Hana Babic looks the part of a librarian, but looks can be deceiving. When Detective David Claypool arrives to let her know that her best friend Amina is dead, she believes that the person who killed her was actually looking for Hana. There is a reward on her head dating back to 1995, when she became the deadly Night Mora during the Bosnian War. It has been thirty years. If she is to find Amina’s killer, then the hunted must become the hunter. As Nura Divjak, a young farmer’s daughter, she witnessed the murder of her parents and young brother by the Serbians. Now Amina has left Dylan, her grandson, in Hana’s care. He lost his parents and witnessed Amina’s death. Hana was not able to save her brother, but she vows to keep Dylan safe. It will take all of the skills that she once possessed to stop a killer.

Hana needs Claypool’s help. She is willing to share some of what she discovers but hides her past, believing that he would arrest her if he knew. As they work together, there are feelings that she has not allowed herself to experience since losing her lover in the war. Allen Eskins alternates chapters between 1995 Bosnia and present day Minnesota. After her family’s death she lived to seek vengeance against their killers. Now her past has come back to haunt her. She is a strong character who will stay with you long after the story’s end. It is suspenseful and beautifully told. If you are a fan of Kate Quinn or Kristin Hannah then Eskins is a must read. I would like to thank NetGalley and Mulholland Books for providing this book.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

This book was not at all what I was expecting but I enjoyed it immensely! The way the author seamlessly navigated the story between the past and the present was really something to marvel at! I loved all the history, even though it’s mostly heartbreaking, and learning so much about the war in Bosnia that I honestly knew nothing about! I would highly recommend this book if you enjoy some real history mixed with a thriller and suspense!

This was a hard read but I think important to learn about some of the wars in the 1990s that were only lightly covered. This was much more of a thriller than it was mystery or historical fiction. Despite the dark topic, I mostly enjoyed reading it.

This book goes back and forth between the present day and the time of the war in Bosnia. The past sets up the future and I think that this is a book that you have to allow to unwind as you read it. I was brought to tears several times during the course of reading this book.

Hana Babic is the quiet librarian. She is a refugee from Bosnia. She wants peace. She has lived horror. Sometimes we can put away the nightmares of our past and sometimes they come out regardless of how hard we try to forget. If we are lucky, we will find someone to share our worst experiences and help us make it though them. When Hana's greatest friend since those days in Bosnia, is murdered, the past becomes all too present.

I have been to Bosnia-Herzegovina twice. I have heard of the war and how the place where I was, Medjugorje, was saved from any destruction during it. There were many orphans after the war and some were blessed enough (if you can say that) to land in Mother's Village. The atrocities that occurred during that war were diabolical. This novel sheds a light on some of that. I am old enough to remember it and how long it took the International community to get involved. Genocide in the most brutal ways was occurring.

Mr. Eskens does an incredible job of bringing some of that time to light while also giving us an incredible protagonist to root for. I do not think that many of us can ever really comprehend the terror of those times and I thank the author for making it so real.
The ending was not what I expected, but it was a great one!

I thank Mulholland Books and NetGalley for this ARC. Note: Amazon refused to allow my review as it violated community standards. Very odd. Barnes and Noble accepted and I also listed it on FB.

Ever since I read Allen Eskens' debut novel with my book club some years ago, I have wanted to read more books from this Midwestern author. The Quiet Librarian combines historical fiction with a contemporary mystery/thriller. The dual timelines alternate between the Bosnian War 30 years ago and a contemporary murder case in Minnesota. Having read a lot of historical fiction dealing with World War II and the Holocaust, it was disturbing to read about the Serbian genocide happening even more recently. I learned so much about this war that I wasn't aware of at the time and had to keep reminding myself that it took place during my own lifetime. It is imperative that we continue to read books like this that show us the devastation that wars create. Thanks to NetGalley, Mulholland Books and the author for a copy to read and review.

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from NetGalley, Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Allen Eskens is one of my favorite authors. It's partly the genres he has written with compassion and interesting issues and also the Minnesota settings (where I lived for many years). The Quiet Librarian feels a bit of a departure from his usual stories. There are many triggering aspects if you are a sensitive reader.

Our main character, Hana, is a Bosnian refugee. She came to Minnesota after her family was murdered, including her 8 year old brother. She came with another refugee, Amina, who was even a younger teen than Hana. Her friend has been murdered leaving an 8 year old grandson in Hana's care.

The story intermixes flashbacks to the Serbian-Bosnian war 30 years ago when Hana was a teen and her family killed. She joined the resistance. Hana is trying to solve the murder of her friend, trying to figure out if they were after Amina or actually hunting Hana. The truth is more complex and she needs to make a safe place for her new charge, 8 year old Dylan. She had pulled away from him growing up because she couldn't protect her own 8 year old brother, but now she is his guardian.

She starts a complicated relationship with Detective Claypool to try to get enough information to track down the assailant and learn what is happening. But to get his info, she has to give a little. Thankfully, he doesn't suspect Hana as she was working at the library, at least an hour away, and a man was seen. An odd factor seems to be the stolen records at the office of Amina's therapist. Hana had cautioned Amina about saying too much but those files appear to be connected to the killing.

Hana does an incredible job of investigating and tracking down the truth and protecting herself and Dylan. Things are intense but I was very satisfied with the ending. I am always crushed by man's inhumanity to man (or woman) and this was difficult to read during these horrible times.

Now available!!!!! Read this book!!!


Allen Eskens is on my favorite authors list!

This book is very different than all other books I’ve read by the author. Enjoyed learning about the Bosnia/serb war from the woman’s victim role. Heartbreaking but written so well.

All the feels. Great character development. Mystery, romance, sorrow and hope!!

Hana our quiet librarian has quite a story to tell and was overwhelmed by her strength, courage and loved every detail that made her a fierce woman.

Thanks to netgalley and mullholland books for my electronic advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Don’t let the title fool you. Allen Eskens’ The Quiet Librarian is an action-packed page-turner!

The story opens with middle-aged Hana Babić reshelving books in the stacks of a S. Paul, Minnesota library. Known by library patrons as “the sweater lady,” Hana ever strives to remain invisible, but today she can’t escape unwanted attention. Detective David Claypool has arrived to question her about the death of Amina Junuzović. With her hands zip-tied, Amina has either jumped from the balcony of her condo or been pushed as her grandson Dylan approaches on the sidewalk, returning from school, and Hana’s name has been found at the scene. Shocked to learn of her friend’s death but worried that Detective Claypool may know Hana’s past, she tries to help him without revealing any secrets such as the significance of the blue marble pendant Amina handed two workers who tried to help her in the moments before dying of internal injuries.

The first forty-two chapters alternate between “Minnesota after Everything” and “Bosnia” followed by a date, the first 1972, the second 1992, and the rest 1995. The Bosnian chapters recount the story of Nura Divjak, a young Bosnian girl who grows into a young woman with festering reasons to seek revenge against three Serbian men. The remaining few chapters all take place in Minnesota but aren’t without increasing suspense of their own.

A former criminal defense lawyer and an award-winning novelist, Allen Eskens has gifted readers with yet another mystery-thriller—one that will bring the Bosnian war to life while keeping readers on the edge of their seats.

Thanks to NetGalley and Mulholland Books for an advance reader egalley.

I am a fan of Allen Eskens and his writing. This, however, was the first story that I ever read that focused on the war in Bosnia. The story is told in a dual timeline – modern day Minnesota, where the main character, Nura, has assumed a new identify as Hana Babic, working as a nondescript librarian and the 1990s in Bosnia, where Serbian soldiers are attacking and killing Bosnians.

The book delves into the Bosnian war and provides so much insight into the horrific treatment of Bosnians and the heroic efforts they take the defend themselves. It seems that all books focused on war bring out the best and the worst of humanity. The aggressors take any action hurt, abuse or kill those they consider to be lessors and the heroic acts by those who want to defend their rights and freedom.

In modern day Minnesota, one of Hana’s best friends is killed and she is left to care for the friend’s orphaned grandson. As the story unfolds, we learn about why Hana changed her name and the actions she took during the Bosnian War to seek revenge for her family and the actions she is willing to take today to avenge her best friend’s death.
Eskens does not disappoint with this latest book. This story takes you down a path to explore the impact of trauma, revenge and the power of ordinary individuals.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

#NetGalley, #TheQuietLibrarian, #AllenEskens

4.5 stars
I’ve read a few books set during the Serbian genocide in the 90s. This one was the best of them. I learned new things from this book that I didn’t know before. It was trigger but these are important things we should know about. I liked that the dual timeline followed the same character. I also liked the main character’s revenge themes in both timelines. The narration wasn’t good for me so definitely read the book!

4.5 ⭐

Allen Eskens has done it again with this wonderful novel that is both historical fiction and mystery/thriller. The story is told in dual timelines from war torn Bosnia to thirty years later in Minnesota.

Hana has lived in the shadows for years as a reserved librarian but must come out of hiding and become the gutsy heroine that she was so many years ago in Bosnia as she avenged her family's deaths.

This book was a quick read for me as I was on the edge of my seat the whole time! I highly recommend it to anyone that loves stories about strong women.

Thanks to NetGalley and Mulholland Books for the advanced digital copy of the book.

Allen Eskens is hands down one of my favourite authors. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy of his latest - The Quiet Librarian.

Hana works as a librarian and she keeps to herself. She dresses to hide, always with a sweater. When a police detective shows up and asks to speak to her, she knows that her past has finally caught up with the here and now. Someone knows who she is and what she's done.

Eskens interviewed survivors of the Bosnian War of 1990 who came to Minnesota as refugees. Their stories are woven into Eskens' fictional characters as well as time and place.

Eskens excels at storytelling. The concept, the setting, the history and ... Hana. The mystery was so well drawn - I was truly on the edge of my chair. The book is told in now and then chapters, guaranteed to keep up for 'just another' chapter. And no word of a lie, I had to put the book down many times as the danger overwhelmed me. I wanted a certain ending for Hana. Did I get one? You'll have to find out yourself. A brilliant read!

The Quiet Librarian is a very interesting look into The Bosnian War, a part of modern history that many of us never think about. I admit to not knowing much about it before reading this book.

This is the story of Hana Babic, a librarian in Minnesota who was once known as Nura Divjak. Hana’s closest friend , Amina, has just been murdered and Hana needs to uncover who killed her and if they are going to be coming for her next. The chapters alternate between Nura’s experience in Bosnia and Hana’s attempts to unravel the crime, sometimes working with the detective assigned to the case, and sometimes just using him for information. Through flashbacks, we learn that Nura’s entire family was slaughtered before her eyes and she swears to avenge them. It was her plan to simply murder those who killed her family, but she winds up fighting with a makeshift army and making quite a name for herself as a killer. Somewhere along the way, she meets Amina and she also emigrates to America.

There is a lot that I really liked about this story, but it didn’t grab me in the same way as a lot of books do. I love the historical fiction aspect of the story and was fascinated to learn more about the Bosnian War. I think if it had focused more on the historical fiction and less on the mystery/suspense it would have been more powerful. I also struggled to see Nura as a killer and felt that the relationship between Hana and Detective Clayton was too far fetched. Interesting concept, but only a 3 star read.

I'm not typically drawn to historical fiction, but I found this book to be quite engaging. I appreciated the dual timelines and how seamlessly they transitioned between the past and present. It's hard to fathom everything Hana endured, yet her resilience to keep moving forward is truly admirable.

This author is a master at his trait, I love reading his books, I read The Life We Bury years ago, and it was absolutely one of the best books I ever read. Since then, I have tried to read all his other books, which are all equally memorizing and hard to put down. If you have not read this book or the one I listed, you need to run not walk.

The present and the period of the Bosnian war alternate throughout this novel. As you read this book, you should, in my opinion, give yourself permission to relax because the past shapes the future. While reading this novel, I found myself crying multiple times.

The librarian who keeps to herself is Hana Babic. She is a Bosnian refugee. Peace is what she wants, since she has experienced unimaginable horrors. Even though we make every effort to forget the nightmares of our past, occasionally they nevertheless surface. If we're fortunate, we'll discover someone with whom we can share our darkest moments and get through them. As soon as Hana's best buddy from those she spent in Bosnia, is dead, the past starts to become too much life present day life.

In addition to providing us with an amazing protagonist to support, Mr. Eskens does a fantastic job of shedding light on aspects of that period. The author's portrayal of the terror of those times is so realistic that I doubt many of us can ever truly understand it.
Although it was a fantastic finish, it was not what I had anticipated!

Allen Eskens is known for his emotionally resonant mysteries, and The Quiet Librarian is no exception. This novel masterfully ties together past and present, telling the story of a seemingly unassuming librarian whose carefully guarded secrets come to light when her closest friend is found murdered. As an ambitious detective starts digging into the suspicious death, a compelling tale of love, loss, and the burden of the past unfolds.

What truly makes this novel shine is its characters. Eskens excels at writing complex, deeply human protagonists, and the librarian is no exception. Their quiet resilience and hidden pain make them incredibly compelling. The detective also adds an interesting dynamic—driven yet empathetic, providing the perfect contrast to the librarian’s reticence. Their relationship is one of the most engaging aspects of the book, shifting from curiosity to understanding in a beautifully organic way.

The Quiet Librarian is more than just a mystery—it’s a poignant exploration of the stories we keep hidden, the choices that define us, and the unexpected connections that change our lives.

What a well written, absorbing work of historical fiction and mystery! There are two settings and timelines, 1995 during the Bosnia-Serbian War in Bosnia, and Minnesota in the current time. Hana works hard to stay under the radar with plain clothing and a job in a library. When her best friend is murdered, Hana realizes her past has caught up with her. The chapters looking back at Hana aka Nura’s experiences of terror and loss are heartbreaking. As a policeman becomes involved with Hana through the investigation, complications arise as Hana tries to hide her past while solving the murder. This is a must read, bringing to light the horrendous history of the Bosnian-Serbian War. Highly recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.