Where to Start Reading the Bibliomysteries
Because every story in the Bibliomysteries collection is a standalone tale written by a different author, you can start reading anywhere you like. The stories are not connected by a continuous plot or recurring characters. Instead, they are bound together by a single, delightful theme: books, libraries, bookstores, or the dark obsessions of bibliophiles.
If you are looking for standout entry points, we highly recommend starting with these acclaimed favorites:
- The Caxton Private Lending Library & Book Depository by John Connolly: A masterpiece that won the Edgar Award for Best Short Story in 2014. It follows a man who discovers a library where literary characters come to life after their creators die.
- The Book Case by Nelson DeMille: A sharp, witty tale featuring his famous detective John Corey, who investigates the murder of a bookstore owner.
- Pronghorns of the Third Reich by C.J. Box: A gripping story involving a valuable, rare book dispute and historical retribution.
- Mystery, Inc. by Joyce Carol Oates: A chilling look into the mind of an ambitious bookstore buyer with a sinister motive.
- The Book of Virtue by Ken Bruen: A dark, noir-tinged story about a leather-bound book inherited from a despised father that spirals a man's life into chaos.
Publication Order vs. Chronological Order
In our listings, you will find two primary ways to track the series:
The Publication Order
This lists the stories in the order they were commissioned and released by The Mysterious Bookshop, beginning with early standouts in 2012 (like Ken Bruen's The Book of Virtue) and running through to 2022's releases (like Peter Swanson's The Honeymoon Trap). Reading in publication order is the most common approach if you want to experience the series as it evolved year by year.
The Chronological Order
Since these stories do not follow a unified narrative timeline, the "chronological order" is an alternative curation rather than a strict sequence of events. For example, Anne Perry's The Scroll (published in 2014) is placed second in the chronological order, while Nelson DeMille's The Book Case (published in 2012) is placed later. You do not need to follow this order to understand the plots, but it offers a fun way to mix up your reading list.
How to Find and Read the Stories
The Bibliomysteries were originally published in highly collectible formats: signed, limited-edition hardcovers (often restricted to 100 copies), paperbacks, and individual eBooks. Because the original physical printings can be difficult to track down, the easiest way for modern readers to access them is through the compiled anthologies published by Mysterious Press, such as Bibliomysteries: Volume One and Bibliomysteries: Volume Two.