My Dear Fellow Mysterians,
I want to thank you all for sending your positive energy out into the universe, those vibes to inspire a new bookseller to step forward, someone destined to continue Booked's legacy - because, it worked! Way to go, guys!
Booked's inventory has just been bought by Joanne Berg, lately a Vice Provost at UW Madison. You will find her funny, wise, and charming; I can't imagine anyone to whom I would rather pass the torch.
Booked for Murder will close on Wednesday, May 15. Joanne's new shop - Mystery to Me - will open on June 15, at 1863 Monroe Street. I know you'll show her all the support you always showered on me and that I can count on you to do your very best for our town's newest bookseller.
God bless independent bookstores, God bless all of you, and please know that I will miss you more than I can say.
Sara
Now, here's a message from Madison's fledgling mystery maven:
In the grand spirit of "pay-it-forward," thank you Sara for passing your dream of owning a bookstore on to me.
"It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting."
Dear mystery lovers and fans of Booked for Murder,
Just when you think you have life all figured out a door opens and a dream is made possible. That's what happened to me when I heard Sara was selling Booked for Murder. Ever since my older sister Marlene brought home a trunk load of books that a "guy at work gave her," I wanted to own a bookstore. I loved those books and begged my mother to buy a bookshelf so that I could shelve and alphabetize them by author (I think I might have been around 12 years old).
There's plenty of time for us to share stories about our past so I won't go into details about me. The great news is that there's going to be a new bookstore in town. I have leased space at 1863 Monroe Street (directly across the street from Trader Joe's) where I will open Mystery to Me on June 15. Sara and I are finalizing details for her current inventory (and her bookshelves!) to move to the new space. She's been a great teller of tales about the store, about books you love to read and about her love of independent bookstores. I have greatly appreciated her openness and her kindness.
I will do my best to bring all of what you love about Booked for Murder to Mystery to Me. A few things folks have been curious about:
- There are three parking spaces behind the store (more if you decide to double park each other!)
- I love to read mysteries. I'm currently reading the new Jacqueline Winspear.
- I have a wide range of tastes including the Rhys Bowen Molly Murphy books, Susan Wittig Albert, Laurie King, Charles Todd, Jo Nesbo, Paulo Coelho, Donna Tartt, Sarah Waters, Michael Gruber, Dan Brown, Daniel Hecht, Elizabeth Peters, James Patterson, Deborah Crombie, all sorts of stuff with international and historic intrigue - and the list goes on (sorry, list isn't sorted in any particular fashion...).
- It's a mystery to me what we're all going to do about ebooks so I'd like to have some conversations about that at the new store.
- I have every intention of making this a destination bookstore for your favorite authors - and even some you haven't heard about yet.
- I love to discover new authors, don't you?
- We'll have a social media presence on Facebook and Twitter (and whatever else comes along) - if AARP can do it, so can we!
- There are many people in Madison who love to write. I'd like to explore what Mystery to Me can do for aspiring authors
I'll be working diligently to offer an inventory that exceeds your expectations. I need to hear from you early and often! I'm currently working feverishly to get a new inventory software installed, build a new website and prepare the new store for you. My feverish pace could do with a word or two from Booked for Murder customers.
Please email with me your ideas, expectations, questions and concerns. I'll do my best to get back to you with reflections on what may now seem like... mysteries to me.
Follow me on Twitter: @mysterytomeT
