Mystery to Me — Local services in Madison

Really well-curated selection of mysteries. Won't have everything, but seems to lean a bit more toward literary mysteries over serials, which worked for me. Helpful staff for making recommendations!

Other strong sections include gift books and novelties, interesting non-fiction, youth and children's lit. Very very small history section, also small but nicely chosen selection of poetry.

Due to the heavy emphasis on mystery and youth & children's lit, this bookshop may not appeal to all, but what they focus on, they do very well and with a lot of passion -- they even have a podcast, a newsletter, and live readings/signings. As a former bookseller it was a lovely experience to walk into a store where staff were so actively engaging with customers and making thoughtful recommendations. Will definitely visit the next time...

I never knew book catalogs could come in human form until I visited this bookstore. I asked for a variety of books for vastly different friends of mine and each book they suggested was a hit with the recipient. For example, I asked for a book for someone who had loved Harry Potter as a child but had recently been on a Stephen King kick, and they suggested a book so perfect I actually got multiple thank you cards. If you're curious, they suggested City of Broken Magic by Mirah Bolender.

Additionally, Mystery to Me cultivates an environment of open-mindedness and warmth. All are welcome and it shows. The only drawback is that, like a favorite armchair left in the sun, being in the store can be comfortable to the point that you lose...

A local, independent book store focused on community and the joy of reading.

The shop is not limited to mystery books and has all of the popular bestsellers along with deep shelves filled with literary adventures. They make great use of the space available to them. The staff are warm and welcoming, readily available to answer any questions you have.

On independent bookstore day they set up a stand for book prescriptions. They had local book experts (@hilareads_ and @gabriellasgoodreads) listen to your literary symptoms and provide a proper prescription. There was a long line of enthusiastic readers that day, but the fanfare around the event was a joy to...