Murder By The Book3210 SE Hawthorne Blvd
Portland, Oregon 97214
While in Portland this week helping take care of the Grandboy, I visited a wonderfully creative bookshop, called Murder By The Book. It’s a small shop located in east Portland in the middle of a unique neighborhood with all kinds of interesting and unusual shops. It’s just the kind of independent bookshop I love to find, and this one specializes in mysteries and thrillers, which I love.
For a small shop, it had a great inventory of both new and used books. But the best things about the shop were the names of their sections. They like “punny” names, and so I chuckled my way through the whole store. “Shot On Location” was the section which “featured detectives from other cultures, foreign & Native American.” “Through A Glass Darkly” featured classic and modern noir. “A Site for Sore Eyes” was a bookshelf holding their large print mysteries. The “Once Upon a Crime” section held historical mysteries, and “The Game’s Afoot” held all their “Sherlockiana.”
It was busy when I went in, but the staff was friendly and loves to give tours of their store. I didn’t have much time to spend there, but next time I’m in Portland, I intend to stop in again and thoroughly explore this welcoming and humorous bookshop.
This is my second independent bookshop I’ve enjoyed visiting for the Independent Bookshop Reader’s Challenge.
A Fondness For Reading 
It sounds like a marvellous store!
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I’ve been to this bookstore!! I think I told you that we used to live in the Portland suburbs (Beaverton). Anyway, I’m a mystery read from way, way back and I stopped by this place more than once. Thanks for sharing this as well. I so wish we had a mystery bookstore here in Austin.
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this does look like a great little bookshop, I like how they have the staff picks set up 🙂
nice pictures!
http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/
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Kate, it was fun to find. It’s very small, but had a great selection of books, and I just got the biggest kick out of the names of each section. Very clever.
That’s so fun, Kay! You know, then, that it’s a small place, but with a big heart. I’d love to spend more time going through each section. I didn’t have much time to spend this time, but next time…
Thanks, Naida. I was self-conscious going through the store with my camera, so I didn’t take very many photos. It was a store with a lot of personality.
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That story sounds great! I love the display table with the skull.
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I’m so glad you visited this store, I’ve heard about several times, it’s nice to get a close up view. Plus, what a great name!
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Nymeth, it’s a fun store. I loved the skull, too. Very creative staff!
Kim, I’d just heard about it recently and was anxious to check it out. I loved the creative names for the sections, and it had a really good mystery/thriller inventory. I’ve got to go back the next time I go to Portland.
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Thanks for sharing this! I just virtual bookstore visits, almost as much as real life ones!
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You’re welcome, Tara. Me, too! I love to see posts about bookstores or libraries from other places!
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