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The best bookshops in London

Beat a retreat from the digital world at London's best and most beautiful independent bookshops

London is a bookworm’s paradise. Whether you’re after novels, comics, antiquarian tomes, or just somewhere beautiful to curl up with a good book, you’ll find it here in one of the many shops dedicated to the printed word. Hearteningly, the rise of online retailers hasn’t put a dent in the city’s characterful, welcoming book monger scene. Instead, bookshops have upped their game, offering personalised recommendations, readings, bookgroups and cosy cafés where you can enjoy your purchases over a steaming cuppa . Ready to turn over a new leaf? Here’s our guide to the best bookshops in London, whether you’re in central, north, east, south or west London. More of a borrower? Head to these lovely London libraries . 

RECOMMENDED: Literary destinations and activities in London . Also: Our pick of the 100 best children’s books ever .    

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30 brilliant London bookshops

1.  Arthur Probsthain

• Restaurants

This family-run bookshop has been going strong for more than 100 years, stocking titles on Asian and African culture, art, literature, religion, performing arts and theatre.  Once you’ve browsed the titles upstairs, The Tea and Tattle – the downstairs café – is a handy stop for refreshments, whether a pot of leaf tea, cup of Monmouth coffee or the full Afternoon Tea for Two.

2.  Bookmongers

This Brixton institution is everything you could want from a secondhand bookshop. Run by American-born Patrick Kelly, who opened the shop’s doors more than 30 years ago, it’s developed a devoted following. Its stock is inspiring and  well-organised,  if slightly overflowing, and resident cat Popeye adds to the charm.

3.  Books for Cooks

• Contemporary European
• Notting Hill

Books for Cooks runs on a simple but very successful formula. From the small open kitchen, co-owner Eric Treuillé cooks recipes from the cookbooks that are for sale in the shop. There’s no choice – until it comes to pudding, when there’s an array of must-try cakes (lemon victoria sponge, raspberry and pear cake, or chocolate and orange cake, say) – but the standard of cooking is high. So popular is the bargain lunch in the tiny café at the back of this specialist cookbook shop that regulars start lurking from 11.45am to secure a table (no bookings are taken).  

4.  Bookshop on the Heath

• Things to do
• Literary events

Don’t let the violent mint-choc-chip paint throw you off. Bookshop on the Heath is just as functional as it is quirky. Take a quick trip here if you’re looking for more unusual items. It specialises in rare and secondhand books, maps and ephemera. If you’re more into film or enjoy artistic crossover, Bookshop on the Heath also stocks film and TV posters, which are guaranteed to look ace framed in your hallway.

5.  Daunt Books, Marylebone

This may be London’s most beautiful bookshop. Occupying an Edwardian building on Marylebone High Street, it boasts an incredible galleried main room and stained-glass windows that feel like they’re from a lost golden age. All the books are arranged by country – regardless of content – which makes for a fun and unique browsing experience.

6.  Foster Books

Foster Books is a must-visit for any self-respecting bookworm. The tiny h istoric bookshop has been operating for 50 years in the heart of Chiswick, and specialises in hard-to-find, out-of-print, used and rare books. While you can buy from its website, a lot of stock goes uncatalogued on the shelves, so it’s best to pop in and have a browse. 

7.  Foyles, Charing Cross Road

• Charing Cross Road

Foyles’ flagship store is a vast temple to the printed word. Standing proud on Charing Cross Road, it covers a whopping five floors, with a staggering 4 miles’ worth of shelves holding more than 200,000 titles. You can easily lose yourself for a few hours in here. On the top floor there’s a café and exhibition space – look out for some high-profile authors doing readings and talks.

8.  Gay’s the Word

When this haven opened in 1979, gay books could only be found in a handful of radical shops. These days, LGBTQ+ literature has hit the mainstream, but Gay’s the Word is still essential, with a breadth far beyond ‘Call Me by Your Name’. Its rainbow array takes in kids’ stories, graphic novels, poetry, history and more, while it has played host to a who’s who of big names, including Ali Smith and Ocean Vuong.  

9.  Gosh! Comics

If you haven’t read a comic since a childhood brush with the  Beano , wise up at Soho’s Gosh!. Its wow-worthy selection proves that there’s a graphic novel for every possible taste, from manga to funnies to art books to memoirs. Venture downstairs to buy single issues of vintage comics, or browse its excellent collection of prints and posters for colourful art to make your home look more intelligent.

10.  Hatchards

On Piccadilly, in a prestigious spot next to posh grocer’s Fortnum & Mason, is the UK’s oldest bookshop. First opening its doors in 1797, Hatchards covers four floors and is home to 100,000 books. Today it’s owned by Waterstones but it doesn’t feel like a chain store; three royal warrants means a visit here is still a refined experience. For a more modern shopping experience, check out its second store on St Pancras station, which opened in 2014.

11.  Heywood Hill

Heywood Hill is a store fit for the most regal of bookworms. It was awarded a royal warrant in 2011. Based in Mayfair in a beautiful Georgian townhouse, it’s clear that this literary icon is a classy operation. The shop’s exterior is traditional and simple, complete with a blue plaque marking the fact that novelist Nancy Mitford worked here as an assistant during World War II. The books on sale range from brand new to antiquarian, with a great children’s section. 

12.  Housmans

• Caledonian Road

Founded by a gaggle of pacifists in 1945, Housmans  stays true to its radical roots. There are special events like Feminist Book Fortnight, a progressive programme of online talks, and niche book groups that meet here. Plus, there’s a collection of books, periodicals and zines that are ready to educate you on views you won’t find in the mainstream. Make for the basement to score some serious bargains on books on everything from pacifism to psychogeography.

13.  John Sandoe

• King’s Road

Stumbling across this beautiful bookshop in a Chelsea backstreet, you might feel like you’ve entered a Dickens novel. The shop, founded in 1957, occupies three floors of three connecting eighteenth-century shops with gorgeous window boxes outside displaying floral blooms. Inside, rows of books fill every surface with what it calls a ‘bias for the humanities’.

14.  Kirkdale Bookshop

Kirkdale Bookshop has been a Sydenham fixture for 57 years. It doubles as a local cultural hub, with a tiny gallery, regular music events and a bimonthly book group. It encompasses two floors, includes new and secondhand books and also sells gifts and cards.

15.  Libreria

• Spitalfields

There’s a strict no-mobiles policy at this design-led temple to the printed word in: but the lure of the little flashing screen is weak compared to the appeal of its glorious shelves. Books are arranged according to theme, rather than alphabetically, so you can browse by ‘Wanderlust’ or ‘Enchantment for the Disenchanted’. Cosy nooks among the shelves invite you to sit and read for a while.  

16.  Lloyds of Kew

This blooming beautiful bookshop is just around the corner from Kew Gardens, so it’s little surprise that its wares often take their inspiration from horticulture. There’s even a driftwood ‘book tree’ decked with ivy and particularly pretty volumes. Pick up a book that’ll finally tell you how to stop murdering your houseplants, or browse its collection of rare and antiquarian books.

17.  London Review Bookshop

Rub shoulders with London’s literary elite at this chic bookshop, named after the magazine that owns it. It has an enticing collection of all that’s best, newest and most radical in the worlds of fiction and poetry. Meet writers at twice-weekly author talks, listen to bookish in-house podcasts or make for the excellent café, which hosts an ever-changing collection of baroque cakes.

18.  Lutyens & Rubinstein

• Ladbroke Grove

It’s hard to walk past Lutyens & Rubinstein’s  elegant striped awning, and not be intrigued to find out what’s past the smart exterior. Set up by the literary agency of the same name, this beautifully designed bookshop aims to provide an idiosyncratic browsing experience. The stock was assembled after canvassing hundreds of readers, meaning each book has found its way here following a personal recommendation. Alongside fiction, there are also strong poetry and art selections.

19.  New Beacon Books

• Finsbury Park

Recently, a crowdfunder raised more than £80,000 to save this shop. London’s first Black bookshop has played a crucial role in Black literary life since it was founded in 1966. It stocks Caribbean, Black British, African and African-American authors, and it runs its own publishing house to nurture new talent.

20.  Newham Bookshop

Originally founded to provide educational materials as part of Newham Parents’ Centre, this community-focused bookshop has grown into an important neighbourhood resource. The stock is geared to local residents – half of it is dedicated to children and there are strong politics, social science and self-help sections, plus a significant number of bilingual dictionaries reflecting the diversity of the area.

21.  Nomad Books

Bright and airy, with wooden floors and comfy sofas, Nomad is a lively and popular shop and café on Fulham Road. We love the sound of its ‘reading clinics’, in which an advisor will sit down with you, ask you some questions and devise six books for you to receive over the coming year. There’s also a strong children’s section, gifts, stationery and a regular book club.

22.  Owl Bookshop

• Kentish Town

As its playful name suggests, this bookshop on Kentish Town Road does a great line in children’s books. It also hosts a range of kids’ events, from storytime sessions at the weekends to one-offs like a midnight opening for big franchise releases. Unsurprisingly, it’s popular with families. There’s lots for adults, too: it’s strong on classic fiction, food and drink, gardening, and sport and boasts a programme of popular author events. Iconic totes too.

23.  Primrose Hill Books

• Primrose Hill

On what might be the prettiest (and poshest) high street in London, is this small family-run bookshop. Owners Jessica and Marek, who’ve been here for nearly 30 years, sell both new and  secondhand  books (the latter of which are also available through their website). They also host intimate literary events with names like Jeanette Winterson and Martin Amis.

24.  Review Bookshop

Review is the brainchild of Roz Simpson, founder of the Peckham Literary Festival and author Evie Wyld. It’s a tiny shop that’s intelligently curated and famously dog-friendly (its website even has a dog-themed reading list). The events programme is particularly strong and the shop is also the home of the aforementioned Peckham Literary Festival, which takes place each November.

25.  Stanfords

• Covent Garden

So iconic is this travel bookshop it even gets a mention in Arthur Conan Doyle’s ‘Hound of the Baskervilles’. Set up by Edward Stanford in 1853, the Stanfords flagship store was situated in a grand old building on Long Acre. After more than 100 years in its former home, the bookshop relocated to its current site just around the corner at 7 Mercer Walk, where customers can find its same unparalleled selection of travel stock.

There are shelves stacked high with travel writing, guides, maps and gifts and also regular events from the great and good of exploration and travel writing.

26.  Tales On Moon Lane

The windows of this much-loved kids’ bookshop are gorgeous: paper cutouts create scenes that look like they’re from a pop-up book. Step inside and things are lovelier still. There’s an artfully curated selection catering to kids of all ages, plus pocket-money trinkets like crayons or playing cards. And little ones and adults alike can meet their literary heroes at a programme of author and illustrator talks.

27.  The Broadway Bookshop

• London Fields

Broadway Market is a prime spot for browsing and no wander around these parts is complete without popping into this cosy bookshop. It’s larger than it looks from the outside, with steps leading down into a basement filled with new fiction, local history and children’s books. It also holds intimate events here – keep an eye on its Twitter for the latest.

28.  The Notting Hill Bookshop

If the name of this bookshop is giving you flashbacks to a certain Hugh Grant and Julia Robert film, then you’re spot on. This is the space which inspired the setting for the romcom ‘Notting Hill’. However, if you want to visit for more literary purposes, it’s good to know that, as well as an excellent selection of travel books, these days the small independent store also carries a broad range of genres, from YA to True Crime.

29.  Word on the Water

• King’s Cross

Books and water don’t usually mix, but this floating shop is an    exception. An 100-year-old dutch barge in King’s Cross is filled to the gunwales with new and secondhand books, a cosy stove and even an African grey parrot. Go to expand your literary horizons far beyond its narrow space, or for the poetry slams or live music nights that bring well-read crowds to the canalside.

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London Review Bookshop

Review Highlights

“ The Cake Shop was very busy when we visited and it can get a little cramped as the space is smallish but the cakes were delicious. ” in 2 reviews

“ And only the good ones, be they fiction, non-fiction, history, religion, philosophy , literary criticism, classics... ” in 2 reviews

“ The cafe is in a separate room to the bookstore, and serves a variety of fresh teas such as Darjeeling, Assam and Lapsang , as well as Oolong, White and Green teas. ” in 2 reviews

Location & Hours

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14 Bury Place

London WC1A 2JL

United Kingdom

Amenities and More

About the business.

Located in the heart of Bloomsbury, just a Rosetta Stone's throw from the British Museum, the London Review Bookshop has established itself as an essential part of the capital's cultural life. Opened in 2003 by the London Review of Books, it's a place for people who love books to meet, talk, drink excellent tea and coffee, consume delicious cake, and of course, browse. Our selection of more than 20,000 titles ranges from the classics of world literature to the cutting edge of contemporary fiction and poetry, not forgetting a copious display of history, politics, philosophy, cookery, essays and children's books. …

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Overall rating

I am one of the few Yelpers who seems to have come here for the books, not the cakes. In fact, upon entering the shop, I was so immediately attracted to the very many excellent and intriguing books, I missed the cafe entirely. (I have no doubt the cafe is excellent, as the reviews here confirm.) The sales staff was absolutely top-notch, and while the staff person was busy identifying several of the books by John Berger that were available, he and I had a nice conversation about Berger. As it turns out, London Review was involved in the publication of one of Berger's recent books, so of course they had it in stock. A truly superb bookshop, for new books, stocked with a highly discerning eye.

I was browsing this place's Yelp pictures one night and decided pretty quickly that I needed to stop by - which I did the very next afternoon. The entrance to the cafe area is a bit awkward, partially because you need to enter through the bookshop and partially because there's really no waiting area. I literally found myself smack in the middle of the cafe once I passed the doorway. The place is definitely on the small side, and I ended up grabbing a seat at one very large (communal) table. The waiter brought me a glass of water right away, and after browsing the cake display and the tea menu, I decided to go for the pistachio & rose cake, which I paired with the jasmine pearls green tea. The cake arrived first, and I had to try very hard not to eat it before the tea came (I like to wait for everything to arrive before indulging). Fortunately, the tea arrived just a few minutes later on this adorable tea set, which the waiter taught me how to use. On the first bite of the cake, I was immensely satisfied. It wasn't too sweet, and I also appreciated how it was on the denser side but not too moist. However, by the time I was halfway through, the cream/icing on top became a bit too overpowering for me. Don't get me wrong - I still finished the cake no problem, but I would've preferred a larger cake to icing ratio. Now the tea...the tea was REALLY good. The flavor was on the lighter side and not too bitter, which was perfect for me. I thought it paired especially nicely with the cake (it helped mitigate the strength of the icing...a bit like a palate cleanse). The apparatus was another plus since it was pretty fun to use, not to mention incredibly cute. Overall, I enjoyed coming here! I might not get the cake again (especially since it was a bit pricey - 3 pounds for a fairly small slice), but I'll definitely be back for the tea (3.75 pounds, but definitely worth it).

Pistachio & rose cake

Jasmine pearls green tea

Cafes inside book shops aren't any special occurrence. In my hometown there's pretty much a Starbucks in every single one. But this is not your run-of-the-mill average cafe. My boyfriend is an English student so he loves going to all the different book shops around the city. I often accompany him because I enjoy reading as well. For the London Review Bookshop though, I did not come for the books. I came for the cake. And the cake did not disappoint. I was tempted to order some tea as well as their tea list is impressive. The staff were very knowledgeable about recommending me some good choices to go with my cake but I was on a mission. The day I went they were serving a masala chai cake with walnuts. Pretty much my two favourite food items, I was instantly sold. The cake was really crumbly and moist. The buttercream was soft and subtly sweet. Overall, I was very happy I only wished I had ordered two slices instead of one. Actually, I should have just ordered the whole cake take away! After the pleasant experience in the cafe, I browsed the books and found some very interesting titles. I would definitely come back for the books but they will always be second to the cake.

Hving read Andrew M's review, I think that I can see a pattern. I too was lured here on the promise of London's best carrot cake and like him, I was to be disappointed when we arrived as they had run out of said cake. It must be good! My friend Sharon brought me here and she is an avid reader. If you love interesting books, this is a treasure trove with books covering a whole multitude of subjects. The staff are excellent at recommending and finding specific books for you There's a little cafe next door to the bookshop - reading can induce an appetitie, don't you know? We snagged one of the little tables and went for alternatives to the disappointingly absent carrot cake. We chose the intriguing courgette and lemon curd cake as well as the mixed berry cheesecake The courgette and lemon curd cake was great - a subtle hint of courgette so as not to be too vegetabley but lovely and moist with more dominant lemon flavour. The mixed berry cheesecake was nice but more conventional Sharon was intrigued enough to try and recreate the courgette cake at home, always a sign of a good dish. Perhaps one day, Andrew and I may get the chance to try teh famous carrot cake

London Review Bookshop is an independent store, passionate about a good read and a good slice of cake. The bookshop itself holds an eclectic offering, stacked high, and you can help yourself to stair ladders to reach the top shelves. They have an interesting range of off-the-wall titles including good sections on politics, current affairs, travel writing and 'memoirs' as well as a solid classics library. There is a specialist magazine section well stocked with copies of 'Wire', 'Stimulus Respond', the 'Eye' and 'Freize' type reads. To reach the small café you have to pass through the bookshop and it's crowded with literary types (of course) all dissecting their way through the latest read. It has a very knowledgeable 'book-club' kind of atmosphere and the cakes are delicious home made little numbers. They also make artisan sandwiches in focacia bread. Even if you can't get a seat, I'd recommend trying the food to take out. If you can spot the blueberry crumble cake in the window as you pass by, DO NOT miss it! Scrummy!

Located only a stone's throw from the British Museum, in a ferociously academic area of London, The London Review Bookshop is one of London's best stocked, most intellectually rewarding and stimulating bookstores in the capital. As you might expect from a store closely associated with the London Review of Books, many of the publications of this small bookshop are aimed specifically towards students, armchair and real academics. A lot of these books will be hard to find anywhere else so if you're a student struggling to find something for a course then this could be the answer. With excellent sections in literature, philosophy, history and politics, the London Review Bookshop has a distinctly contemporary outlook without foresaking the past. As such you will find very new release publications across all fields as well as more classical pieces. In keeping with the grand tradition of intellectuality, there is also a little cafe located within the shop where one can purchase refreshments at pretty reasonable prices. The staff are wonderful and really know what they are talking about so if you find yourself lost or unable to find something they will do their utmost to help you out. A really first-rate bookstore.

I have been to this bookshop loads of times, and I have to say, well very stocked with book titles I am always looking for, and they always seem to have them. The London Review Bookshop is very unique and it's a very warm and welcoming shop to visit, even if you're just browsing. The London Review Bookshop was featured in the 2004 British thriller film, Enduring Love starring Daniel Craig and Rhys Ifans.

See all photos from Patrick L. for London Review Bookshop

Terrific bookshop - no surprise given its association with LRB. The adjacent cafe is fantastic - had a terrific slice of cake with coffee after browsing. In Bloomsbury next to Russell Square - perfect after visiting the British Museum.

This little bookstore next to the British Museum has a fantastic collection of books, as well as a cafe which is worthy of these five stars. The cafe is in a separate room to the bookstore, and serves a variety of fresh teas such as Darjeeling, Assam and Lapsang, as well as Oolong, White and Green teas. These are accompanied by some wonderful cakes - from I can recommend not one to single out from its comparable peers. They're all yummy in other words. The sandwiches are also pretty good, made with very fresh ingredients and always tasty. The narrow space near the counter is very cosy, and I could easily spend an afternoon surfing the books and reading with a large pot of tea with cake.

I like books. I like tea. I like cake. I like the London Review Bookshop. It really is that simple. I like simple.

3 other reviews that are not currently recommended

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All, Page 47

Our booklists represent our personal selection of books we’re excited about, drawn from every corner of the shop. Not all the titles featured here will be new releases – they’re a reflection of our own tastes and enthusiasms. We hope you share them, and find something of interest.

Signed editions

Caledonian road, andrew o'hagan, £25.00, neel mukherjee, £18.99, the gentleman from peru, andré aciman, £12.99, who you hear it from, simon mcburney, £10.00, marianne brooker, £10.99, bite your friends, fernanda eberstadt, the children's bach, helen garner, £9.99, monkey grip, this house of grief, alba arikha, £14.99, the rising down, alexandra harris, the rebel's clinic, cynthia zarin, £6.99, £15.00, revolutionary acts, jason okundaye, £20.00, grow where they fall, michael donkor, £16.99, pariah genius, iain sinclair, £19.99, alphabetical diaries, sheila heti, no judgement, lauren oyler, the creative act, run and hide, pankaj mishra, age of anger, from the ruins of empire, where we come from, aniefiok ekpoudom, come and get it, rural hours, harriet baker, jay bernard, mary jean chan, will harris, nisha ramayya, £12.00, sinéad gleeson, saraid de silva, the hypocrite, the future of songwriting, kristin hersh, £8.99, the garden against time, olivia laing, listen to the golden boomerang return, our current bestsellers, wrong norma, anne carson, love's work, gillian rose, minor detail, adania shibli, asako yuzuki, who's afraid of gender, judith butler, professional crocodile, giovanna zoboli, the three-body problem, the hundred years' war on palestine, rashid khalidi, £11.99, author of the month: robert walser, robert walser, £25.99, berlin stories, looking at pictures, microscripts, little snow landscape and other stories, a schoolboy's diary, £13.99, fairy tales, jakob von gunten, girlfriends, ghosts, and other stories, walks with walser, carl seelig, clairvoyant of the small, susan bernofsky, think different.

Subscribe to the LRB – perfect for anyone with an interest in history, politics, literature and the arts.

Reviewed in the LRB - Vol. 46 No. 7

Mother tongue, jenni nuttall, from £10.99, mapping the darkness, kenneth miller, the islander, halldór guðmundsson, the price is wrong, brett christophers, £22.00, justin torres, john recommends, rosalind brown, gerald murnane, they went to portugal, rose macaulay, who's hiding, satoru onishi, dreamerika, the barbarians arrive today, c.p. cavafy, meadowlands, louise glück, £9.95, the tomb guardians, paul griffiths, the lost pianos of siberia, sophy roberts, tongues of fire, seán hewitt, later emperors, honey from a weed, patience gray, country music, radical wordsworth, jonathan bate, the caiplie caves, karen solie, if beale street could talk, james baldwin, the enchanted april, elizabeth von arnim, measures of expatriation, anthony (vahni) capildeo, peter mccarey, £16.95, in pursuit of spring, edward thomas, £14.00, new and recommended: biography, a man of two faces, viet thanh nguyen, all the beauty in the world, patrick bringley, i heard her call my name, barbara comyns, avril horner, £30.00, catherine coldstream, black girl from pyongyang, monica macias, the promised party, jennifer clement, leslie jamison, ten bridges i've burnt, brontez purnell, there is no blue, martha baillie, search all titles.

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10 best book stores in London

Our guide to the capital's best literary destinations

Online shopping might have made book-buying easier than ever, but there is nothing like rifling through a bricks-and-mortar store to find new reading material. The combination of the smell of books - whether second-hand or new - the sight of shelves of stories yet to discover, and that calming, serene atmosphere so unique to book stores is difficult to beat.

Here, we round up the best in London:

Persephone Books

Persephone Books aims to uncover the work of under-appreciated 21st century female writers and to republish their books using the store's signature's grey covers. The only criteria is to appeal to those who like their reading material "neither too literary nor too commercial", be it novels, short stories, diaries, memoirs or cookery books. Persephone also runs a monthly book club, where bread and cheese are served.

London Review Bookshop

The London Review Bookshop offers intellectualism without pretension. Opened in 2003 by the London Review of Books , customers are invited to browse its curated selection of 20,000 titles, before sitting down and enjoying a coffee and a sweet treat at the adjoining cafe. It's a place to meet and talk, with over 200 events hosted in-store every year at its mini auditorium.

London Review Bookshop , 14-16 Bury Pl, Holborn, WC1A 2JL

Heywood Hill

Royal warrant holder Heywood Hill was established in 1936 and have been selling a mix of old, new and antiquarian books ever since. The shop itself is housed in a narrow Georgian townhouse where Nancy Mitford once worked in the Forties, and is owned by her nephew Peregrine Cavendish, 12th Duke of Devonshire. If you can't pay this unique historic store a visit, then consider a subscription to its 'Year In Books', where staff personally choose surprise titles based on a 'reading consultation, in which customers name books and authors they love, or genres they can’t stand.

Heywood Hill , 10 Curzon St, Mayfair, W1J 5HH

The Foyles flagship on Charing Cross Road is the biggest book store in the country, housing a range of over 200,000 different titles on four miles (6.5km) of shelves. The company was first founded in 1903 by brothers William and Gilbert Foyle, and is considered one of London's most legendary literary destinations. The four-floor space also offers gifts, stationery, printed music, magazines, as well as a popular cafe and an auditorium.

Foyles , 107 Charing Cross Rd, Soho, WC2H 0DT

Daunt Books

No guide to London's best book shops would be complete without mentioning Daunt Books, a Georgian building with long oak galleries situated in Marylebone High Street. A beautiful stained glass window sits at one end, while the ceiling is punctuated by skylights. This could well be the capital's most beautiful book shop, brimming with atmosphere and history. Its printed canvas bags have become an essential for any literary buff.

Daunt Books Marylebone, 83-84 Marylebone High Street, W1U 4QW

The 200-year-old Hatchards is said to be the Queen's favourite book shop. It's known as London's oldest book store, and currently holds an impressive three royal warrants. Visit Hatchards for a refined, nostalgic experience - first editions and signed copies sit alongside current popular fiction and non-fiction. The carpeted stairs bring customers to five floors of books and well-loved leather sofas positioned on different levels.

Hatchards , 187 Piccadilly, St. James's, W1J 9LE

Bookmongers

When American-born Patrick Kelly set up Bookmongers nearly two decades ago, he may not have realised how much his cosy store would become a Brixton institution. Every inch of space is filled with second-hand books, both fiction and non-fiction, and a sofa sits at the back for customers to kick back on. It may not look chaotic at first glance, but Kelly's shop is incredibly well-organised, offering a true bibliophile haven.

Bookmongers , 439 Coldharbour Lane, Brixton, SW9 8LN

The Second Shelf

Nestled in a quiet courtyard in Soho sits The Second Shelf - a tiny cornucopia of rare books by women about women. These span manuscripts, first editions and uncommon second-hand novels, all chosen by book dealer Allison Devers who has found the perfect marriage of her two passions - literature and feminism. Prices aren't cheap; Devers' goal is to ensure that the work of great female writers is as revered as their male counterparts. Merchandise is also on offer, including Bookwomen tote bags.

The Second Shelf , 14 Smith's Court, Soho, W1D 7DW

Maison Assouline

If you're looking for a calming oasis in the middle of London, Maison Assouline is the perfect place. Visit if you're searching for a luxury coffee table book, rather than fiction to read on the tube - these are beautiful tomes you'll want to show off in your home. The high-ceilinged space is peppered with antique furniture, objet d'arts and scented candles, making for a special atmosphere. Its elegant Swans Bar offers wine, hot drinks and a limited array of small plates.

Maison Assouline, 196A Piccadilly, W1J 9EY, UK

Travis & Emery Music Bookshop

No music fan could fail to be impressed by Travis & Emery, which stocks antiquarian, rare, second-hand and collectible books relating to music. Expect non-fiction, opera programmes, prints and photographs, playbills and libretti. This cosy store was once home to Wolfgang Mozart, who stayed in the building as a child, only amplifying its musical credentials. Situated on Cecil's Court, nicknamed Bookseller's Row, Travis & Emery is flanked by 20 or so second-hand and antiquarian bookshops. A meander down this narrow street is like stepping back in time.

Travis & Emery, 17 Cecil Court, Covent Garden, WC2N 4EZ

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You’ve never thought about food – or London – as these writers have

T he index to London Feeds Itself goes a long way to telling you what the book is about. Around 180 restaurants in the capital , recommendations for which have been woven through the book, are grouped together by borough. Under “Kensington and Chelsea”, there’s just one entry (Panella, a Sicilian street-food restaurant on Golborne Road). Under “Brent”, there are 10. 

Merton, Sutton and Hillingdon, Hounslow, Harrow and Barnet – these are the corners of London that Jonathan Nunn and his contributors want you to visit, rather than the small plates of Soho or the white tablecloths of Mayfair. From the momos (filled dumplings) at a Nepali bakery in Uxbridge to the cholent (beef stew) from a Jewish deli in Golders Green, by the end of London Feeds Itself, I was convinced that the greatest bites to be had in the capital are ones that I – a food columnist, cookbook writer and native Londoner – haven’t yet tried. 

Yet these recommendations are only appendices to each of the 26 essays collated by Nunn, which are the real substance of the book. From housing estates to shopping centres and even communal baths, they delve into communities and architectural spaces where food is at the centre of local life. The 25 contributors here, who range from journalists to café owners, speak to parts of London that are full of life but go largely unnoticed. 

In other words, this book – now in its second, updated edition – isn’t about the London food “scene”; the restaurants mentioned have largely not been reviewed by the mainstream media. Nunn, founder of the popular online food magazine Vittles, has long had a bone to pick with the latter, whose restaurant critics he has deemed elitist and boring. 

His introduction suggests that he still does: “In the months prior to the pandemic, when restaurants temporarily shut, I looked at the last hundred reviews from eight national broadsheets. Sixty-eight per cent were for London restaurants, with 20 per cent of those restaurants in Mayfair and Chelsea and another 20 per cent in Soho and Fitzrovia. That’s 40 per cent of the entire country’s restaurant reviews taken up by a few square miles of the most expensive real estate in central London, controlled by a handful of mega-landlords.” 

In Nunn’s opinion, that area is not, by any stretch of the imagination, where you can find the best food in the capital. It’s a little unfair, I think, to the many chefs in that particular square mileage who have worked hard to earn their Michelin stars. Still, his recommendations have had their desired effect, in that I’m now desperate to visit, for example, Uncle Wrinkle, a Chinese restaurant in New Cross where the salt-and-pepper aubergines apparently have a whiff of Cinnamon Graham. 

London Feeds Itself, Nunn writes, is no mainstream food guide, but “a group effort where London’s story is told by food writers, architecture writers, journalists, activists and even one MP”. The MP in question is, predictably, Jeremy Corbyn, an interview with whom hails him, equally predictably, as “the country’s most famous allotment-user”. Still, if you aren’t inclined to learn what Jeremy does with his comfrey, you can skip to the next essay, a fascinating piece by Ruby Tandoh about the Muslim-owned ice-cream parlours serving those Londoners “for whom the public house is not an option”. If you can get to the end of it without striding out in search of a scoop of something cold and creamy, you have stronger willpower than I do. 

Many of the essays offer snapshots of stories about which I could read entire books. Take Hampstead Garden Suburb, the evolution of which is told through the eyes of Claudia Roden, the veteran cookbook writer and anthropologist, who recalls a butchers called Frohweins where “you could get unborn eggs – tiny baby eggs that were full of a kind of milk. You know, the kind of things that you would get in a shtetl.”

Or take the vanished East London warehouses described by writer and activist Melek Erdal, where “hidden people” in “hidden spaces” worked and ate alongside each other. Kurdish immigrants, including Erdal’s own family, would down tools at lunchtime. “Bundles of clothes would be cleared,” she writes, “and the pattern-cutting counter became a makeshift table. Auntie Ayse from Gaziantep would bring her chicken-and-potato-single-layer borek, ‘kombe’. Ismail brought in olives and special honeycomb that he had smuggled in from his home town, and his wife’s fresh kaymak. Dad would run out to buy fresh bread from the local firin.” Has an office lunch ever sounded further away from a sad, expensive and loveless Pret soup? 

But this isn’t a nostalgia-laden book about a forgotten city. It feels full of life and urgency; it’s concerned with London “as it is now”. If you were to pick up London Feeds Itself in 30 years’ time, it would probably read like a time capsule from the 2020s, and the city would probably look quite different. You would hope, though, that at least some of the restaurants, bakeries and delis that Nunn’s book compels you to hunt down today would still be there, still bringing communities together, still feeding people. 

London Feeds Itself is published by Fitzcarraldo/Open City at £25. To order your copy for £19.99, call 0844 871 1514 or visit Telegraph Books

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Moscow X by David McCloskey – Brush Pass Review

Spybrary's Bruce Dravis slipped us his Brush Pass spy book review of David McCloskey's second novel Moscow X . McCloskey's first spy book Damascus Station was impeccable and delighted spy book enthusiasts around the world. How does David's second novel fare? Listen on. We wil air an interview with author David McCloskey soon but in the meantime do check out his previous appearance on Spybrary, discussing his first spy novel Damascus Station .

Check out Tim Shipman's best spy writers , all 125 of them and ranked!

Do you agree, or disagree with Bruce? Come and let us know your thoughts on the Spybrary fans community.

Moscow X by David McCloskey

‘Breathlessly gripping and truly terrifying’ Simon Sebag Montefiore

The second novel from the author of  Damascus Station  (‘One of the best spy thrillers in years’  The Times )

CIA operatives Sia and Max enter Russia to recruit Vladimir Putin’s moneyman. Sia works for a London firm that conceals the wealth of the super-rich. Max’s family business in Mexico – a CIA front since the 1960s – is a farm that breeds high-end racehorses. They pose as a couple, and their targets are Vadim, Putin’s private banker, and his wife Anna, who is both a banker and an intelligence officer herself…

Praise for  Damascus Station :

‘Simply marvellous storytelling…a stand-out thriller and essential reading for fans of the genre’ –  Financial Times

‘The best spy novel I have ever read’ – General David Petraeus, former director of the CIA

Rave Reader Reviews for  Damascus Station : 

‘ Read this book  … and  order  Moscow X ’

‘An  intense, unforgettable tour de force  that must be read’

‘WOW!  What an  astonishing  read’

‘David McCloskey knows his stuff  … an  impressive page-turner’

‘Genuinely original’

‘Excellent, gritty espionage novel’

‘A  refreshingly credible, engaging and exciting  spy thriller’

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The best Russian mysteries and thrillers

Posted by Mal Warwick | Mysteries & Thrillers , Reading Recommendations | 0

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Okay, it’s not entirely accurate to call the books listed below as “Russian mysteries and thrillers.” If the truth be told, none of them are. They’re mysteries and thrillers written by people who aren’t Russian. But they’re set in Russia, some of them in the present day, others in the past. Or the action takes place mostly or entirely elsewhere but involves Russians engaged in espionage or criminal activities, all of which leads back to Russia. 

Below you’ll find two lists. The first is a short one of the very best Russian mysteries and thrillers I’ve read over the past dozen years. The longer bunch that follows includes the whole lot—more than 40 books all told. Within each list they appear in alphabetical order by the authors’ last names. And, oh, I’ve included only one title from each author in the list at the top. Otherwise, a couple of these authors would dominate the list.

The very best Russian mysteries and thrillers

A Cold Red Sunrise (Porfiry Rostnikov #5)  by Stuart M. Kaminsky—  A historical mystery about a murder above the Arctic Circle

Defectors  by Joseph Kanon— A superb new novel about defectors in Moscow

Red Widow  by Alma Katsu— A poisoned CIA asset, and a hunt for a CIA mole

The Spy Who Came in From the Cold  by John le Carre— Is this the best spy novel ever written?

Red Sparrow (Red Sparrow Trilogy #1)  by Jason Mathews— Authentic espionage tradecraft in this gripping novel by a CIA veteran

Moscow X by David McCloskey— A CIA plot to destabilize the Russian government

The Soul of Viktor Tronko  by David Quammen— Digging down deep to find the mole in the CIA

Three Stations (Arkady Renko #7) by Martin Cruz Smith— A detective inside Russia under Vladimir Putin

The Cold War Swap  by Ross Thomas— Making the Cold War seem like fun

The Mercenary by Paul Vidich— A superb Cold War thriller from Paul Vidich

All the best Russian mysteries and thrillers

The Silent Man (John Wells #3)  by Alex Berenson— An able spy story about terrorism, nuclear weapons, and Russia

The Deceivers (John Wells #12)  by Alex Berenson— Russia takes the next step in the latest John Wells spy novel

Secret Service (Kate Henderson #1)  by Tom Bradby— Is Britain about to elect a Russian spy as its new Prime Minister?

Double Agent (Kate Henderson #2)  by Tom Bradby— Upheaval in MI6—and a prime minister who may be a traitor

Berlin Game (Bernard Samson #1)  by Len Deighton— A classic novel of Cold War espionage reminiscent of John le Carré

Mexico Set (Bernard Samson #2)  by Len Deighton— In Len Deighton’s classic spy series, Bernard Samson goes to Mexico

Lenin’s Roller Coaster (Jack McColl #3)  by David Downing— A novelist revisits the Russian Revolution

Moscow Sting (Anna Resnikov #2)  by Alex Dryden— A former British intelligence officer imagines a female Russian superspy

Stuart M. Kaminsky’s Inspector Rostnikov novels set in the USSR:

• You’ll find the whole series I’ve read to date at Police procedurals spanning modern Russian history .
• Death of a Dissident (Porfiry Rostnikov #1) — A grim murder mystery set in the USSR
• Black Knight in Red Square (Porfiry Rostnikov #2) — The collapse of the USSR is underway in this detective novel
• Red Chameleon (Porfiry Rostnikov #3) — A Russian police procedural set in the Soviet Union
• A Fine Red Rain (Porfiry Rostnikov #4) — In Gorbachev’s Russia, corruption and a serial killer
• A Cold Red Sunrise (Porfiry Rostnikov #5) — A historical mystery about a murder above the Arctic Circle
• The Man Who Walked Like a Bear (Porfiry Rostnikov #6) — An honest detective confronts reality in Soviet Russia
• Rostnikov’s Vacation (Porfiry Rostnikov #7) — A government conspiracy in the tumult of the Gorbachev era
• Death of a Russian Priest (Porfiry Rostnikov #8) — A puzzling Russian murder mystery set in Yeltsin’s time
• Hard Currency (Inspector Porfiry Rostnikov #9) — A Russian detective on a murder case in Castro’s Cuba
• Blood and Rubles (Inspector Porfiry Rostnikov #10 of 16)  by Stuart M. Kaminsky— Crime and corruption in Boris Yeltsin’s Russia

Red London (Red Widow #2)  by Alma Katsu— A joint MI6-CIA operation targets Russian oligarchs in London

John le Carre’s espionage novels:

• The Spy Who Came in From the Cold — Is this the best spy novel ever written?
• A Legacy of Spies — The Cold War reexamined in John le Carré’s terrific new novel
• Single & Single — Money-laundering and the Russian mob

The Salzburg Connection  by Helen MacInnes— Nazis, Communists, and Western spies clash in this classic spy novel

The Red Sparrow Trilogy by Jason Matthews:

• Red Sparrow (Red Sparrow Trilogy #1) — Authentic espionage tradecraft in this gripping novel by a CIA veteran
• Palace of Treason (Red Sparrow Trilogy #2) — Nonstop action in the sequel to the bestseller Red Sparrow
• The Kremlin’s Candidate (Red Sparrow Trilogy #3) — The gripping conclusion to the Red Sparrow Trilogy

The Secrets We Kept  by Lara Prescott— Doctor Zhivago and the women in the CIA typing pool

Breaking Cover (Liz Carlyle #9)  by Stella Rimington— Russian agents under cover in the UK

The Moscow Sleepers (Liz Carlyle #10)  by Stella Rimington— An interesting new twist on Russian sleeper agents

The Captain Alexei Korolev novels by William Ryan, set in Stalin’s Soviet Union:

• The Holy Thief (Captain Alexei Korolev #1)— A terrific murder mystery set in Stalin’s Soviet Union
• The Darkening Field (Captain Alexei Korolev #2)— A compelling murder mystery set during Stalin’s terror
• The Twelfth Department (Captain Alexei Korolev #3)— An intimate look at Stalin’s terror

The Arkady Renko series by Martin Cruz Smith:

• Wolves Eat Dogs – Arkady Renko #5 — What really happened at Chernobyl
• Three Stations (Arkady Renko #7)— A detective inside Russia under Vladimir Putin
• Tatiana – Arkady Renko #8 — A crusading Russian journalist and the Mafia
• Independence Square (Arkady Renko #10) — Arkady Renko in Ukraine

Our Woman in Moscow  by Beatriz Williams— American defectors in Moscow mirror the Cambridge Five

The Envoy (William Catesby #1)  by Edward Wilson— The CIA, the KGB, British intelligence and the H-bomb

The Whitehall Mandarin (William Catesby #4)  by Edward Wilson— In the early days of the Cold War, nuclear espionage in search of the H-bomb

For related reading

If you’re looking for books about Russia, try this post:  Good books about Vladimir Putin, modern Russia and the Russian oligarchy .

You might also enjoy my posts:

• Top 10 mystery and thriller series
• 20 excellent standalone mysteries and thrillers
• 30 outstanding detective series from around the world
• Top 20 suspenseful detective novels
• Top 10 historical mysteries and thrillers

And you can always find my most popular reviews, and the most recent ones, on the  Home Page .

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