Geneva in the early 1800s is the quiet setting for this little gem. The story is simple: a young man inherits his late uncle's library. At first, it seems like a straightforward, if sizable, task of cataloging books. But as he digs deeper into the collection, he realizes the library isn't random. The specific books, their strange annotations, and their peculiar order start to form a picture of his uncle that clashes with the quiet, respectable man the family thought they knew.

Why You Should Read It

This isn't a thriller, but the slow unraveling of a life through objects is completely absorbing. Töpffer has a light, observant touch. He makes you feel the dust on the bindings and the weight of unasked questions. The real mystery isn't about a crime, but about a person—what he loved, what he hid, and what he truly valued. It's a story that makes you look at your own bookshelf and wonder what it says about you.

Final Verdict

Perfect for readers who enjoy quiet, character-driven historical fiction or anyone who has ever felt a book held a secret. It's for fans of stories where the setting—a room full of books—becomes a character itself. Think of it as a literary detective story where the clues are all in the footnotes and the margins. A short, thoughtful escape into a world of paper, ink, and hidden lives.