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.
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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