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Magical Bookshop #1
Every Trick In The Book
Turning over a new leaf doesn’t always go according to plan...
When Jemma James takes a job at Burns Books, the second-worst secondhand bookshop in London, she finds her ambition to turn it around thwarted at every step. Raphael, the owner, is more interested in his newspaper than sales. Folio the bookshop cat has it in for Jemma, and the shop itself appears to have a mind of its own. Or is it more than that?
Gradually Jemma starts to make a difference ... and then the anonymous letters start arriving. Who is behind them, and why?
As the threats escalate, and the shop becomes increasingly turbulent, Jemma and Raphael must work together to find the culprit. And what else will Jemma find in her investigations?
Every Trick In The Book is the first in the Magical Bookshop humorous mystery series, set in modern London.
When Jemma James takes a job at Burns Books, the second-worst secondhand bookshop in London, she finds her ambition to turn it around thwarted at every step. Raphael, the owner, is more interested in his newspaper than sales. Folio the bookshop cat has it in for Jemma, and the shop itself appears to have a mind of its own. Or is it more than that?
Gradually Jemma starts to make a difference ... and then the anonymous letters start arriving. Who is behind them, and why?
As the threats escalate, and the shop becomes increasingly turbulent, Jemma and Raphael must work together to find the culprit. And what else will Jemma find in her investigations?
Every Trick In The Book is the first in the Magical Bookshop humorous mystery series, set in modern London.
200 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 4, 2020
95 people are currently reading
293 people want to read
About the author
Liz Hedgecock
97 books181 followersI grew up in south London, did an English degree, and then took forever to start writing. The stories started to grow longer...and then the murders began!
I tend to write Victorian mysteries of a not-too-scary nature. I've somehow managed to have 3 separate Sherlock Holmes-themed series (why make things easy?). I also co-wrote the Caster & Fleet mystery series with Paula Harmon, and my Maisie Frobisher Mysteries series is a spinoff from that.
I write a modern cozy mystery series, Pippa Parker Mysteries, and my newest series, The Magical Bookshop, is a cozy mystery series with a touch of fantasy and magic.
Visit my website for book info, links to stories, and my blog, in which I ramble on about all sorts of things. Hope to see you soon.
I tend to write Victorian mysteries of a not-too-scary nature. I've somehow managed to have 3 separate Sherlock Holmes-themed series (why make things easy?). I also co-wrote the Caster & Fleet mystery series with Paula Harmon, and my Maisie Frobisher Mysteries series is a spinoff from that.
I write a modern cozy mystery series, Pippa Parker Mysteries, and my newest series, The Magical Bookshop, is a cozy mystery series with a touch of fantasy and magic.
Visit my website for book info, links to stories, and my blog, in which I ramble on about all sorts of things. Hope to see you soon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
March 2, 2024
Entertaining relationship listening 🎵🎎
This kindle e-book novella is from my Kindle Unlimited account book 1 of 6
Jemma loses her job and finds a job in a bookstore then the fun begins.
I would recommend this series and author to readers of fantasy relationships novels. 2024
This kindle e-book novella is from my Kindle Unlimited account book 1 of 6
Jemma loses her job and finds a job in a bookstore then the fun begins.
I would recommend this series and author to readers of fantasy relationships novels. 2024
July 23, 2025
2.75 stars (Audible Plus Catalog). Entertaining + light. Definitely cozy, not a major mystery, but when set in a bookshop, who cares!
November 18, 2020
Jemma James loses her current position
due to her job being eliminated. Even her
best friend at the company knew the job
was going to be cut and didn’t warn her.
What’s up with that? What is Jemma to
do now?
Walking home disappointed, Jemma walks
into Burns Books. It is a dilapidated
second-hand bookstore with a quirky
dressed owner and a not so pleasant,
marmalade cat named Folio who is the
plump, bookshop cat.
Jemma sees a Help Wanted sign in the
bookstore. She ends up interviewing for
the job. She takes the job on a temporary
trial basis, finally ending up full time.
Jemma sells more books in one day which
is a record for the shop. Every box of books
that Jemma opens is filled with the exact
books she needs to put on the shelves.
The bookstore seems to have a mind and
personality of its own
Jemma plans ways to bring the bookstore
into the 21st century but to no avail. The
owner, Raphael is not open to her new ideas.
Jemma tries everything trick in the book but
nada is happening.
Then she discovers threatening letters being
left under the front door. Who is sending
them? Jemma decides to play detective.
Surprises lay ahead for her.
I was thoroughly enchanted with the antics
of the bookshop, the quirky owner, the
shenanigans of the cat, the literary knowledge
of the customers and the great selection of
second hand books available.
This was a quick, enjoyable read. It is the
first book in the Magical Bookshop series.
Looking forward to the next book.
I received a free copy of this book via
Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
due to her job being eliminated. Even her
best friend at the company knew the job
was going to be cut and didn’t warn her.
What’s up with that? What is Jemma to
do now?
Walking home disappointed, Jemma walks
into Burns Books. It is a dilapidated
second-hand bookstore with a quirky
dressed owner and a not so pleasant,
marmalade cat named Folio who is the
plump, bookshop cat.
Jemma sees a Help Wanted sign in the
bookstore. She ends up interviewing for
the job. She takes the job on a temporary
trial basis, finally ending up full time.
Jemma sells more books in one day which
is a record for the shop. Every box of books
that Jemma opens is filled with the exact
books she needs to put on the shelves.
The bookstore seems to have a mind and
personality of its own
Jemma plans ways to bring the bookstore
into the 21st century but to no avail. The
owner, Raphael is not open to her new ideas.
Jemma tries everything trick in the book but
nada is happening.
Then she discovers threatening letters being
left under the front door. Who is sending
them? Jemma decides to play detective.
Surprises lay ahead for her.
I was thoroughly enchanted with the antics
of the bookshop, the quirky owner, the
shenanigans of the cat, the literary knowledge
of the customers and the great selection of
second hand books available.
This was a quick, enjoyable read. It is the
first book in the Magical Bookshop series.
Looking forward to the next book.
I received a free copy of this book via
Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 28, 2021
This is an utterly charming, light-hearted little book set in a bookshop that has it's own personality and cat. There is a mystery to solve that does not involve murders, and a cast of characters that are delightful. A fun little read for a raining afternoon.
February 17, 2023
This one is an entertaining puzzle. Now I want to know more about what's actually going on.
July 11, 2021
Not magical enough
This is a pleasant but rather dull read. It starts well with heroine Jemma suddenly being made redundant and impulsively taking a job in a London bookshop whose owner, Raphael, seems to actively discourage customers. I've been in bookshops like that. Jemma uses her management skills to try to make the shop profitable but the shop itself seems to object to some of her changes. When anonymous threatening letters arrive at the shop, Jemma investigates...
The mystery element in `Every Trick in the Book' is very slight and creates no real tension. For much of the novel very little happens and I quickly got tired of reading about Jemma's junk-food habit and attempts at home cooking. I'd hoped to enjoy the promising set up - magical book shop, mysterious owner, temperamental cat - but the writing just isn't imaginative enough. Raphael is eccentric without being fascinating and the shop's main magical act - choosing the right books for customers - is done with much more panache in Amanda Flower's `Magical Bookshop Mysteries'. There is clearly much more to be revealed about Raphael and his shop but I'm not gripped enough to continue with this series.
This is a pleasant but rather dull read. It starts well with heroine Jemma suddenly being made redundant and impulsively taking a job in a London bookshop whose owner, Raphael, seems to actively discourage customers. I've been in bookshops like that. Jemma uses her management skills to try to make the shop profitable but the shop itself seems to object to some of her changes. When anonymous threatening letters arrive at the shop, Jemma investigates...
The mystery element in `Every Trick in the Book' is very slight and creates no real tension. For much of the novel very little happens and I quickly got tired of reading about Jemma's junk-food habit and attempts at home cooking. I'd hoped to enjoy the promising set up - magical book shop, mysterious owner, temperamental cat - but the writing just isn't imaginative enough. Raphael is eccentric without being fascinating and the shop's main magical act - choosing the right books for customers - is done with much more panache in Amanda Flower's `Magical Bookshop Mysteries'. There is clearly much more to be revealed about Raphael and his shop but I'm not gripped enough to continue with this series.
August 4, 2020
This is a very light-hearted story of an ambitious young woman, Jemma, who finds herself out of a job, she visits a very old and down at heel bookshop and notices that the owner is advertising for an assistant. Despite a much lower salary she sees a challenge to bring the shop, and its rather eccentric owner into the twenty-first century.
Things don't quite go as expected, there are poison pen letters, a grumpy, and downright dangerous shop cat called Folio, the owner, Raphael, is very reluctant to make any changes, and finally, the shop itself seems to have a mind of its own.
The characters are wonderful, very believable and relatable, the story is light-hearted but has a very definite message about loyalty and friendship and just a little bit of magic from the shop.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and I am very intrigued to see what happens in the next book, what will the shop get up to?
It is worth mentioning that although this book is part of a series, it is a complete story in its own right, and all the major plot points are resolved, so it also makes a great stand-alone read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Things don't quite go as expected, there are poison pen letters, a grumpy, and downright dangerous shop cat called Folio, the owner, Raphael, is very reluctant to make any changes, and finally, the shop itself seems to have a mind of its own.
The characters are wonderful, very believable and relatable, the story is light-hearted but has a very definite message about loyalty and friendship and just a little bit of magic from the shop.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and I am very intrigued to see what happens in the next book, what will the shop get up to?
It is worth mentioning that although this book is part of a series, it is a complete story in its own right, and all the major plot points are resolved, so it also makes a great stand-alone read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 5, 2023
Cute cozy mystery with fantastical elements, featuring a secondhand bookshop, its eccentric owner and equally eccentric cat, a new assistant with lots of ideas, and a series of anonymous threatening letters. This was a quick, fun read. There's clearly something strange afoot in this bookshop, but as of yet, it's left up to the reader's imagination what exactly that might be... I'm definitely sufficiently intrigued to want to find out.
July 28, 2020
Magic mystery!
Who doesn't love a magical bookshop!? I sure do! It is well written, funny, magical and mysterious. And I realky like the 4 main characters: Folio, Raphael, Jemma and Burns Books. I can't wait to read more in this series!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Who doesn't love a magical bookshop!? I sure do! It is well written, funny, magical and mysterious. And I realky like the 4 main characters: Folio, Raphael, Jemma and Burns Books. I can't wait to read more in this series!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Read
October 9, 2022war okay - die Protagonistin machte erstaunliche (un)logische Sprünge und das (beworbene) Settingpotential wurde nicht genutzt. Möglicherweise wird die Welt mit den nächsten Büchern ausgebaut, aber ich weiß nicht, ob ich zurückkehre.
October 30, 2022
What a lovely surprise this book was! I read it in one go and thoroughly enjoyed the mysterious goings-on. Loved the characters, especially the cat and the bookshop. A bookshop as a character! What a neat idea. I'm off into the second book of the series!
April 14, 2023
Trick
I liked it, I really did. Interesting beginning, heart thumpingly so! Losing and having to find another job is numbing. But having friends around you that can help is great, until you follow your own wishes. Plus there's a completely mad owner and a cat. Anonymous notes, clean bookshop, more customers and a seemingly magical storeroom, a HUGE storeroom!
Funny thing, for as much tea as they drink no one ever. has to use the loo.
I liked it, I really did. Interesting beginning, heart thumpingly so! Losing and having to find another job is numbing. But having friends around you that can help is great, until you follow your own wishes. Plus there's a completely mad owner and a cat. Anonymous notes, clean bookshop, more customers and a seemingly magical storeroom, a HUGE storeroom!
Funny thing, for as much tea as they drink no one ever. has to use the loo.
August 27, 2025
I left a review under the audio version that includes books 1-3 but since I'm the only reviewer under it I thought I would leave my thoughts here as well.
Well read enchanting story. (I listened to the audio version that included the first 3 books. The narrator is absolutely wonderful with various voices for characters and a delightful accent.)
The stories them selves are well written and a joy to listen to. I read a lot of cozies where a murder is involved. It is so nice to read a true mystery, sans murder. Book one is great intro that slowly brings you into the enchantment of Burn’s Books bookstore and introduces us to the main characters. This is not a wam bam fantasy magical story. I'm calling it a comfort read. Just a sweet story that introduces you to people who become your new friends. Book two reveals more truths of this magical store with hidden a hidden reveal of what walks amongst us; and book three sees a growth in characters. Just a wonderful enjoyable read. I only wish the following books were available on audio. But I will continue to read on. Don't walk into this expecting tons of paranormal and magic or high end literature. It's cozy, comforting, root for the team where the all the feelz you get when you're in a bookstore becomes more real as the store itself becomes character.
Well read enchanting story. (I listened to the audio version that included the first 3 books. The narrator is absolutely wonderful with various voices for characters and a delightful accent.)
The stories them selves are well written and a joy to listen to. I read a lot of cozies where a murder is involved. It is so nice to read a true mystery, sans murder. Book one is great intro that slowly brings you into the enchantment of Burn’s Books bookstore and introduces us to the main characters. This is not a wam bam fantasy magical story. I'm calling it a comfort read. Just a sweet story that introduces you to people who become your new friends. Book two reveals more truths of this magical store with hidden a hidden reveal of what walks amongst us; and book three sees a growth in characters. Just a wonderful enjoyable read. I only wish the following books were available on audio. But I will continue to read on. Don't walk into this expecting tons of paranormal and magic or high end literature. It's cozy, comforting, root for the team where the all the feelz you get when you're in a bookstore becomes more real as the store itself becomes character.
August 4, 2020
Jemma's a business analyst until her job is downsized and she's out of work. As she's trying to figure out what happens next, she ends up in a used bookstore that has seen better days. The owner is not helpful to customers and there's a grumpy cat who threatens to do damage if she tries moving him to get a book. On her way out, she sees a Help Wanted sign and eventually decides she's got nothing to lose. Her ideas on how to improve business don't impress the owner Rafael, the cat Folio, or the bookshop itself. There's no murder, but there is a mystery of threatening letters trying to get Rafael to sell up. It takes place in London, but the neighborhood of Charing Cross is more like a small town where you think you know the neighbors until there's a crime. Finally, the bookstore appears to be telling Jemma where to look for answers based on the boxes of books it gives her to put out on the shelves. All in all, it feels very much like a (possibly paranormal) cozy instead of the urban fantasy you might think of. I can't wait to see how this series develops and who, or what, all the characters turn out to be.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 29, 2021
This is my first experience of reading work by Liz Hedgecock and based on the back of this book I have ended up purchasing all of the other books in this series. This book sees a young lady named Jemma James who finds herself having lost her job at a major company and having lost the great salary that came along with that job she must now look to find her next step in her career. After coming across a bookshop at random and spotting that they are looking for someone to work for them she decides to take up a position within Burns Books working under the owner Raphael but will this be the next step she expected it to be?
This bookshop has much more to it than those bookshops we are used to but will Jemma be able to come through her trial period and make the store flourish or will there be just too much to overcome?
I found this book to be simply delightful and one that drew me in very quickly and I found myself not wanting to put the book down. The way it is written helps to create a true atmosphere to the bookshop and the reader is able to visualise and feel what is going on during the story unfolding. I really do recommend this one as being your first experience of the writing of Liz Hedgecock and I am confident it won't be your last.
This bookshop has much more to it than those bookshops we are used to but will Jemma be able to come through her trial period and make the store flourish or will there be just too much to overcome?
I found this book to be simply delightful and one that drew me in very quickly and I found myself not wanting to put the book down. The way it is written helps to create a true atmosphere to the bookshop and the reader is able to visualise and feel what is going on during the story unfolding. I really do recommend this one as being your first experience of the writing of Liz Hedgecock and I am confident it won't be your last.
November 20, 2022
When Jemma looses her high flying job she finds herself at the mysterious Burns Books, the second worst book shop in London. She is sucked in by the shop and it’s owner, Raphael, and finds herself taking on a job there. She is desperate to make a difference but when anonymous letters start appearing she second guesses if she can really do that. After all, the shop does seem to have a magical mind of its own….
I was after a cosy mystery so when I came across this on Kindle Unlimited I was very intrigued. Anything with a bit of added magic is a bonus! The book is short at around 150 pages which I felt left plot gaps. I found myself wanting answers to the why’s and how’s of the bookshop and I never got those. There are 5 more books in the series so maybe answers will be given in these, I just hoped for at least something in this first one. I loved the character development of Jemma as she found who she was and stood by what she wanted and believed was right. The chapter lengths were super short so it made for a quick and easy read.
Overall, this was a fun, cosy, cute read but I just wish it was longer so I could have at least some answers in this first book. I may pick up later books in the series in the future but they are not at the top of my TBR right now.
I was after a cosy mystery so when I came across this on Kindle Unlimited I was very intrigued. Anything with a bit of added magic is a bonus! The book is short at around 150 pages which I felt left plot gaps. I found myself wanting answers to the why’s and how’s of the bookshop and I never got those. There are 5 more books in the series so maybe answers will be given in these, I just hoped for at least something in this first one. I loved the character development of Jemma as she found who she was and stood by what she wanted and believed was right. The chapter lengths were super short so it made for a quick and easy read.
Overall, this was a fun, cosy, cute read but I just wish it was longer so I could have at least some answers in this first book. I may pick up later books in the series in the future but they are not at the top of my TBR right now.
March 17, 2025
The idea of a magical bookshop caught my attention, and I was expecting a story similar to Amanda Flower's Magical Bookshop series... but that is not what I got.
Right from the start, I didn't like Jemma's so-called best friend and that opinion was confirmed later on in the book. Jemma didn't seem to have many other people she could rely on, and I could almost understand why - too much whining, jumping to conclusions and being wishy-washy about too many things. Her new boss, Raphael, wasn't much better, and I never did understand why he didn't want his bookshop to succeed. I hoped for a bigger part from Folio, the bookshop's cat, but he was more of an annoyance than anything else - and I generally like cat characters in my cozy mysteries :)
There wasn't much of a mystery, and what there was to figure out was pretty obvious, so even that was a disappointment. I did enjoy the exploration scene near the end of the book, but it ended abruptly after that.
This audiobook was bundled in with the next two books in the series, so I'll listen to them eventually and hope that the stories catch my interest better than this one did.
Right from the start, I didn't like Jemma's so-called best friend and that opinion was confirmed later on in the book. Jemma didn't seem to have many other people she could rely on, and I could almost understand why - too much whining, jumping to conclusions and being wishy-washy about too many things. Her new boss, Raphael, wasn't much better, and I never did understand why he didn't want his bookshop to succeed. I hoped for a bigger part from Folio, the bookshop's cat, but he was more of an annoyance than anything else - and I generally like cat characters in my cozy mysteries :)
There wasn't much of a mystery, and what there was to figure out was pretty obvious, so even that was a disappointment. I did enjoy the exploration scene near the end of the book, but it ended abruptly after that.
This audiobook was bundled in with the next two books in the series, so I'll listen to them eventually and hope that the stories catch my interest better than this one did.
June 23, 2025
This was a charming, fun, easy read that you can lose yourself in for a few hours (depending on how quick you read). It's the start of a series which I'll definitely continue, especially as it's light-hearted and will be something of a palette cleanser between the more intense books i plan on tackling during the summer. I simply adored the fact this was set in London, which isn't that far from where I live, and knowing the town so well it was easy to picture where it is set as I've been there many times.
After Jemma James is made redundant from her job in the city, she finds herself working in a shabby but unusual bookshop. The owner Raphael isn't keen on changes being made even if it means more customers and his cat Folio isn't exactly friendly. But Jemma is determined to turn the shop around and implement some new ideas. Of course she will need to overcome her boss, the shop (who has a mind of it's own), one frisky feline and some threatening letters.
I don't want to give too much away as I don't do spoilers hence the short review, but it's very enjoyable read and has a job I'd absolutely die for. Totally recommend 😁
After Jemma James is made redundant from her job in the city, she finds herself working in a shabby but unusual bookshop. The owner Raphael isn't keen on changes being made even if it means more customers and his cat Folio isn't exactly friendly. But Jemma is determined to turn the shop around and implement some new ideas. Of course she will need to overcome her boss, the shop (who has a mind of it's own), one frisky feline and some threatening letters.
I don't want to give too much away as I don't do spoilers hence the short review, but it's very enjoyable read and has a job I'd absolutely die for. Totally recommend 😁
August 6, 2020
This is a delightful short read that introduces recently redundant office worker, Jemma James. While wandering down Charing Cross Road in London, Jemma is drawn to a dim little bookshop, Burns Books. At first frustrated by owner, Raphael Burns, who doesn’t seem interested in selling books, Jemma applies for the assistant opening there. Determined to bring the bookshop into the modern world, she finds out there’s something weird & magical going on at Burn’s Books where the stockroom produces just the right books needed. However, when anonymous letters telling her to get out keep arriving, Jemma doggedly pursues the mystery. Can Jemma solve the mystery and make a satisfying life outside corporate London?
I think this series will be yet another winner for Liz Hedgecock who writes multiple series in the mystery genre. I’ve yet to find a series of hers I haven’t liked.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review
I think this series will be yet another winner for Liz Hedgecock who writes multiple series in the mystery genre. I’ve yet to find a series of hers I haven’t liked.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review
July 29, 2020
A mystery with a twist. I received my ARC and the opening couple of pages caught my emotions straight away. Sadness and anger that Jemma had to leave a job in that way.......... and the first chapter with its descriptions of people and a bookshop just drew me in. This is a different book for me to read. It’s a story of a curious old bookshop and a secret that it holds. Jemma takes a new job in the bookshop and tries to bring it and the owner into the 21st century. Unfortunately someone else has other ideas. Maybe the moral of this story is “Don’t try too hard at something. Take a step back and let things just happen”. So I encourage you get this book, find a comfortable sofa and let yourself be immersed in the story. A great first in series. Really looking forward to the next one.
July 26, 2020
Jemma is a successful londoner...until she is classified as redundant. Jemma is also bright, enthusiastic and proactive. It is not very long before she is again employed...at a hole in the wall bookshop. A bookshop in London, you say? There are so many! But this one is special. It is small, closed on the weekends, and has a cat named Folio. What else? It is also one if the absolute worst in London. This means little to her as she tries to convince the owner to join the most recent century. Soon, mysterious notes start appearing and is just gets better from there.
I love books set in bookshops and this one is wonderful! The references littered through the story alone make it worth reading.
I received a free copy from the author in return for an honest review.
I love books set in bookshops and this one is wonderful! The references littered through the story alone make it worth reading.
I received a free copy from the author in return for an honest review.
August 6, 2020
Idyllic bookshop
by Soots Mum
My dream job! I love books and how cool would it be to work in a bookshop that anticipates what books are needed. I also particularly love mysteries, although this is a mystery of a different sort. (Not going to spoil it) It seems that Raphael, Jemma and Folio were fated to meet and although there are a few hiccups along the way (Books falling off shelves, sun disappearing, dust, cobwebs, tantrums) it just works..
I’m not into magic mysteries and I don’t know that you would call this one, but there is definitely something going on with this shop. I love it and can’t wait for the next book, to see how the characters and the shop develop.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
by Soots Mum
My dream job! I love books and how cool would it be to work in a bookshop that anticipates what books are needed. I also particularly love mysteries, although this is a mystery of a different sort. (Not going to spoil it) It seems that Raphael, Jemma and Folio were fated to meet and although there are a few hiccups along the way (Books falling off shelves, sun disappearing, dust, cobwebs, tantrums) it just works..
I’m not into magic mysteries and I don’t know that you would call this one, but there is definitely something going on with this shop. I love it and can’t wait for the next book, to see how the characters and the shop develop.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 20, 2021
This book is the first in the Magical Bookshop Mystery series - dubbed a "humorous mystery" and set in modern London.
Jemma loses her job and takes a job at Burns Books, the second-worst secondhand bookshop in London. The owner, Raphael, is a bit odd. The cat Folio has it in for Emma and the bookshop seems to have a mind of its own. Gradually Jemma starts to make a difference ... and then the anonymous letters start arriving. Who is behind them, and why?
The threats escalate and the shop becomes more unsettled. Jemma and Raphael join forces to find the culprit. And they also find a few other interesting things too!
This was a little odd but a really good book. Just be patient in the beginning - it's worth it!
Jemma loses her job and takes a job at Burns Books, the second-worst secondhand bookshop in London. The owner, Raphael, is a bit odd. The cat Folio has it in for Emma and the bookshop seems to have a mind of its own. Gradually Jemma starts to make a difference ... and then the anonymous letters start arriving. Who is behind them, and why?
The threats escalate and the shop becomes more unsettled. Jemma and Raphael join forces to find the culprit. And they also find a few other interesting things too!
This was a little odd but a really good book. Just be patient in the beginning - it's worth it!
May 30, 2021
A thoroughly enchanting series about a magical bookshop.
This series is simply wonderful! All four books tell the continuing story of a young woman who starts working in an old bookshop for an eccentric shopowner who doesn't really seem interested in actually selling any books. Gradually, she becomes aware that the owner, the bookshop cat and the bookshop itself are not entirely what they seem and are something quite other. What exactly that is takes a while to discover. I'd be delighted to read any number of these books to find out everything there is to know about this bookshop. So far, there are three more books to enjoy. This is unlike any other bookshop series I've ever read before! You will be surprised!
This series is simply wonderful! All four books tell the continuing story of a young woman who starts working in an old bookshop for an eccentric shopowner who doesn't really seem interested in actually selling any books. Gradually, she becomes aware that the owner, the bookshop cat and the bookshop itself are not entirely what they seem and are something quite other. What exactly that is takes a while to discover. I'd be delighted to read any number of these books to find out everything there is to know about this bookshop. So far, there are three more books to enjoy. This is unlike any other bookshop series I've ever read before! You will be surprised!
February 8, 2022
A charming and cosy read set in the London’s bookshop heart.
Ambitious and driven Jemma has lost her job and ends up, quite unintentionally as an assistant in Rachael’s, ancient and rather odd bookshop. If not exactly a match made in heaven, it’s something she enjoys. Both her fortunes and the fortunes of the shop take a turn for the better and even Foilio, the shop cat, is in a good mood.
With the arrival of a batch of threatening letters, things take a more sinister turn, but Jemma is determined to get to the bottom of it. Getting to the bottom of things turns out to be more literal than she had imagined. You’ll have to read it to find out why. No spoilers here.
If you want an easy, comfortable read, you’re in the right bookshop.
Ambitious and driven Jemma has lost her job and ends up, quite unintentionally as an assistant in Rachael’s, ancient and rather odd bookshop. If not exactly a match made in heaven, it’s something she enjoys. Both her fortunes and the fortunes of the shop take a turn for the better and even Foilio, the shop cat, is in a good mood.
With the arrival of a batch of threatening letters, things take a more sinister turn, but Jemma is determined to get to the bottom of it. Getting to the bottom of things turns out to be more literal than she had imagined. You’ll have to read it to find out why. No spoilers here.
If you want an easy, comfortable read, you’re in the right bookshop.
September 7, 2025
Another Great Book by Liz Hedgecock..
Every trick in the book- when Jemma James takes a job at Burns Books the second worst secondhand bookshop in London , She finds her ambition to turn it around thwarted at every step . Raphael , the owner , is more interested in his newspaper than sales. Folio the bookshop cat has it in for Jemma , and the shop itself appears to have a mind of its own. Or is it more than that ?
Gradually Jemma starts to make a difference … and then the anonymous letters start arriving , Who is behind them, and Why ?
As the threats escalate , and the shop becomes increasingly turbulent , Jemma and Raphael must work together to find the culprit .And what else will Jemma find in her investigations ?
Every trick in the book- when Jemma James takes a job at Burns Books the second worst secondhand bookshop in London , She finds her ambition to turn it around thwarted at every step . Raphael , the owner , is more interested in his newspaper than sales. Folio the bookshop cat has it in for Jemma , and the shop itself appears to have a mind of its own. Or is it more than that ?
Gradually Jemma starts to make a difference … and then the anonymous letters start arriving , Who is behind them, and Why ?
As the threats escalate , and the shop becomes increasingly turbulent , Jemma and Raphael must work together to find the culprit .And what else will Jemma find in her investigations ?
August 1, 2020
I loved this book! I loved the neglected looking bookstore with the disorganized boxes of stock that always seemed to be just what would sell! I loved Raphael, who seems to be ageless and quite an enigma. I loved Jemma, earnest, honest, and creative. I couldn't stop reading until the last word! So many surprises, twists, and unexpected results. The style of writing was ingenious and unlike most mystical books one finds to read. I can hardly wait for another in the series! The book and author are like a breath of fresh air in our murky circumstances! A total break from real life. If only I could go there in person!!
August 2, 2020
This light and good humoured story happens mostly in a bookshop that has seen better days. The main characters Jemma and Rapahel develop an unforseen friendship for the love of books and the bookshop. Jemma also discovers that her best friend is not a so friendly at all and that in that in Burn Books is better if you do not try to understand everything that happens !
Wendy Meadows uses her words so well that you almost feel you are in the bookshop and see the characters doing their things. It´s a great book to forget how the world has turned out with the pandemic.
I downloaded a free copy of this book at Booksprout and this is my honest review.
Wendy Meadows uses her words so well that you almost feel you are in the bookshop and see the characters doing their things. It´s a great book to forget how the world has turned out with the pandemic.
I downloaded a free copy of this book at Booksprout and this is my honest review.
August 4, 2020
When Jemma loses her job, she applies for a job at Burns Books, where she feels she can make a difference and have a change of pace in her life. The owner, Raphael, who has a vengeful cat, seems unconcerned about running the bookshop, or even making a profit. Strange things begin to happen: mysterious stock boxes, an upset ecosystem, and disturbing anonymous letters. She will have to use all her wits to discover what’s really going on. I loved the quirky characters and the almost sentient bookshop, and will be reading more of this series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 13, 2023
Jemma looses her high powered job just as she thinks she is about to be promoted. Deflated by this turn of events she takes a job in a second hand bookshop. It seems like a normal bookshop at first but as the story unfolds strange things happen.
The story is populated by interesting and mostly likeable characters. The exceptions are some of the drivers of the story line.
I would recommend reading this if you want to follow a story that includes magic and strange friendships. I liked it and continued with each of the books in the series and liked them all.
I've been fairly vague about the story so as to encourage you to find out for yourself.
The story is populated by interesting and mostly likeable characters. The exceptions are some of the drivers of the story line.
I would recommend reading this if you want to follow a story that includes magic and strange friendships. I liked it and continued with each of the books in the series and liked them all.
I've been fairly vague about the story so as to encourage you to find out for yourself.
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