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Sunday: 11 am - 4 pm

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Meets at 9:00 am on the fourth Wednesday of each month. We think talking about books is the best way to start a morning! Find out what the next book is below.

Books are available in print, and when possible as an e-book and a digital audiobook.

We also recommend some of our favorite breakfast options! Grab a tea or coffee with sweet cream from Black Cow Cafe.

Adult Mystery Book Club

Mystery Book Group: Blacktop Wasteland by S. A. Cosby

Start your morning with a lively discussion of Cosby's Blacktop Wasteland

Whether you loved it, hated it, or haven't finished it, we want to see you at our Mystery Book Group at America's Oldest Children's Bookstore!

We will be meeting to discuss the book outside of the shop in the circle in front of Star Cafe. You may still email your thoughts to share with our club if you are unable to attend in-person.

Event date:

Wednesday, June 28, 2023 - 9:00am

Blacktop Wasteland: A Novel (Paperback)

By S. A. Cosby

$16.99

ISBN: 9781250252692

Availability: Recently On Our Shelves

Published: Flatiron Books - June 1st, 2021

Digital audiobook of Blacktop Wasteland is available

Blacktop Wasteland (Kobo eBook)

By S. A. Cosby

$11.99

ISBN: 9781250252678

Availability: Available Now

Published: Flatiron Books - July 13th, 2020

Mystery Book Club Blacktop Wasteland on Wednesday, June 28th at 9 am at Once Upon A Time Bookstore, 2207 Honolulu Ave., Montrose, CA 91020

Mystery Book Group: Under Lock & Skeleton Key by Gigi Pandian

Start your morning with a lively discussion of Pandian's Under Lock and Skeleton Key

Whether you loved it, hated it, or haven't finished it, we want to see you at our Mystery Book Group at America's Oldest Children's Bookstore!

We will be meeting to discuss the book outside of the shop in the circle in front of Star Cafe. You may still email your thoughts to share with our club if you are unable to attend in-person.

Event date:

Wednesday, July 26, 2023 - 9:00am

Under Lock & Skeleton Key: A Secret Staircase Mystery (Secret Staircase Mysteries #1) (Paperback)

By Gigi Pandian

$9.99

ISBN: 9781250805003

Availability: Recently On Our Shelves

Published: Minotaur Books - February 21st, 2023

Digital audiobook of Under Lock and Skeleton Key is available

Under Lock & Skeleton Key (Kobo eBook)

By Gigi Pandian

$9.99

ISBN: 9781250804990

Availability: Available Now

Published: Minotaur Books - March 14th, 2022

Mystery Book Club Under Lock and Skeleton Key on Wednesday, July 26th at 9 am at Once Upon A Time Bookstore, 2207 Honolulu Ave., Montrose, CA 91020

Mystery Book Group: Portrait of a Thief by Grace D. Li

Start your morning with a lively discussion of Li's Portrait of a Thief

Whether you loved it, hated it, or haven't finished it, we want to see you at our Mystery Book Group at America's Oldest Children's Bookstore!

We will be meeting to discuss the book outside of the shop in the circle in front of Star Cafe. You may still email your thoughts to share with our club if you are unable to attend in-person.

Event date:

Wednesday, August 23, 2023 - 9:00am

Portrait of a Thief: A Novel (Paperback)

By Grace D. Li

$18.00

ISBN: 9780593186060

Availability: Recently On Our Shelves

Published: Tiny Reparations Books - April 4th, 2023

Digital audiobook of Portrait of a Thief is available

Portrait of a Thief (Kobo eBook)

By Grace D. Li

$12.99

ISBN: 9780593186077

Availability: Available Now

Published: Tiny Reparations Books - April 4th, 2022

Mystery Book Club Portrait of a Thief on Wednesday, August 23rd at 9 am at Once Upon A Time Bookstore, 2207 Honolulu Ave., Montrose, CA 91020

Mystery Book Group: Counterfeit by Kirstin Chen

Start your morning with a lively discussion of Chen's Counterfeit

Whether you loved it, hated it, or haven't finished it, we want to see you at our Mystery Book Group at America's Oldest Children's Bookstore!

We will be meeting to discuss the book outside of the shop in the circle in front of Star Cafe. You may still email your thoughts to share with our club if you are unable to attend in-person.

Event date:

Wednesday, September 27, 2023 - 9:00am

Counterfeit: A Reese's Book Club Pick (Paperback)

By Kirstin Chen

$18.99

ISBN: 9780063119550

Availability: Coming Soon - Available for Pre-Order Now

Published: William Morrow Paperbacks - June 13th, 2023

Digital audiobook of Counterfeit is available

Counterfeit (Kobo eBook)

By Kirstin Chen

$14.99

ISBN: 9780063119574

Availability: Available Now

Published: William Morrow - June 6th, 2022

Mystery Book Club Counterfeit on Wednesday, September 27th at 9 am at Once Upon A Time Bookstore, 2207 Honolulu Ave., Montrose, CA 91020

Mystery Book Group: A Thousand Steps by T. Jefferson Parker

Start your morning with a lively discussion of Jefferson Parker's A Thousand Steps

Whether you loved it, hated it, or haven't finished it, we want to see you at our Mystery Book Group at America's Oldest Children's Bookstore!

We will be meeting to discuss the book outside of the shop in the circle in front of Star Cafe. You may still email your thoughts to share with our club if you are unable to attend in-person.

Event date:

Wednesday, October 25, 2023 - 9:00am

A Thousand Steps (Paperback)

By T. Jefferson Parker

$18.99

ISBN: 9781250890214

Availability: Recently On Our Shelves

Published: Forge Books - February 14th, 2023

Digital audiobook of A Thousand Steps is available

A Thousand Steps (Kobo eBook)

By T. Jefferson Parker

$14.99

ISBN: 9781250793546

Availability: Available Now

Published: Forge Books - January 10th, 2022

Mystery Book Club A Thousand Steps on Wednesday, October 25th at 9 am at Once Upon A Time Bookstore, 2207 Honolulu Ave., Montrose, CA 91020

Mystery Book Group: The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd

Start your morning with a lively discussion of Shepherd's The Cartographers

Whether you loved it, hated it, or haven't finished it, we want to see you at our Mystery Book Group at America's Oldest Children's Bookstore!

We will be meeting to discuss the book outside of the shop in the circle in front of Star Cafe. You may still email your thoughts to share with our club if you are unable to attend in-person.

Event date:

Wednesday, November 22, 2023 - 9:00am

The Cartographers: A Novel (Paperback)

By Peng Shepherd

$19.99

ISBN: 9780062910707

Availability: Recently On Our Shelves

Published: William Morrow Paperbacks - March 21st, 2023

Digital audiobook of The Cartographers is available

The Cartographers (Kobo eBook)

By Peng Shepherd

$12.99

ISBN: 9780062910721

Availability: Available Now

Published: William Morrow - March 14th, 2022

Mystery Book Club The Cartographers on Wednesday, November 22nd at 9 am at Once Upon A Time Bookstore, 2207 Honolulu Ave., Montrose, CA 91020

Mystery Book Group: Ashes of London by Andrew Taylor

Start your morning with a lively discussion of Taylor's Ashes of London

Whether you loved it, hated it, or haven't finished it, we want to see you at our Mystery Book Group at America's Oldest Children's Bookstore!

We will be meeting to discuss the book outside of the shop in the circle in front of Star Cafe. You may still email your thoughts to share with our club if you are unable to attend in-person.

Event date:

Wednesday, January 24, 2024 - 9:00am

The Ashes of London (Paperback)

By Andrew Taylor

$15.99

ISBN: 9780008282486

Availability: Recently On Our Shelves

Published: HarperCollins - May 1st, 2018

The Ashes of London (James Marwood & Cat Lovett, Book 1) (Kobo eBook)

By Andrew Taylor

$9.99

ISBN: 9780008207762

Availability: Available Now

Published: HarperCollins - March 27th, 2017

Mystery Book Club Ashes of London on Wednesday, January 24th at 9 am at Once Upon A Time Bookstore, 2207 Honolulu Ave., Montrose, CA 91020

Staff Picks

Power Forward (Zayd Saleem, Chasing the Dream #1) (Paperback)

By Hena Khan, Sally Wern Comport (Illustrator)

$6.99

Power Forward is the perfect story for young sports fans about balancing the ideal amount of school and play. I especially enjoyed this book because it featured a young Pakistani boy and his family going about their lives as Americans. Filled with sibling banter, school-work, home-cooked meals, and family-drama, this is a book that I would give to a young reader who wants to see themselves in a story as basketball fan or as a Pakistani-American.

(Early Chapter Book, ages 7+) - Reviewed by Jessica

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Meets at 9:00 am on the fourth Wednesday of each month. We think talking about books is the best way to start a morning! Find out what the next book is below.

Books are available in print, and when possible as an e-book and a digital audiobook.

We also recommend some of our favorite breakfast options! Grab a tea or coffee with sweet cream from Black Cow Cafe.

Adult Mystery Book Club

Start your morning with a lively discussion of Cosby's Blacktop Wasteland

Start your morning with a lively discussion of Pandian's Under Lock and Skeleton Key

Start your morning with a lively discussion of Li's Portrait of a Thief

Start your morning with a lively discussion of Chen's Counterfeit

Start your morning with a lively discussion of Jefferson Parker's A Thousand Steps

Start your morning with a lively discussion of Shepherd's The Cartographers

Start your morning with a lively discussion of Taylor's Ashes of London

Staff Picks