The Staff Shelf: The Mysterious Bookshop

When we walk into a bookstore, the first place we go is the staff recommendation shelves—it’s how you get a quick sense of the personality of the store. The very best bookstores are merely a reflection of the eclectic, deeply felt opinions of the book-lovers who work there. As part of our Interview with a Bookstore, we asked the staff at The Mysterious Bookshop what they recommend.

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SLIDESHOW: The Mysterious Bookshop Staff Shelf

: IAN KERN (MANAGER) RECOMMENDS: It’s really tough to write a PI novel these days without giving into the temptation of parroting the old masters, but Berney does it with aplomb. Not only does his latest book reimagine the PI genre for the 21st century, it’s also an emotionally devastating read.

: IAN KERN (MANAGER) RECOMMENDS: . I’ve always been impressed by Meno’s ability to create true-to-life characters packaged with a high or sly humor. His latest novel, though, enters new territory with a much more serious tone, delivering a crime story with some very dark deeds, callousness, a little heart, and a bounty of beautiful writing.

: IAN KERN (MANAGER) RECOMMENDS: In this, her second novel, Wyld weaves gothic horror, crime, and literary fiction into a tale so darkly sublime it will raise hairs on the back of your neck. If you’re looking for a new author to rock your literary world, Wyld is it.

: CHARLES PERRY (MARKETING COORDINATOR) RECOMMENDS: When the body of Ferdinand Ravinel’s murdered wife goes missing, he–her murderer–faces an earth-shattering guilt. Confronted by the impossibility of her disappearance, and by incomprehensible reports from those who have seen her, quite alive, wandering about the town, Ravinel descends into madness. A high-point for psychological suspense.

: OTTO PENZLER (OWNER) RECOMMENDS: The author is truly a poet and this novel, about a man on trial for murdering his wife who falls in love with her again as secrets come to light, is unbearably poignant and suspenseful.