The Bookshop Below

By Georgia Summers

Book Overview

Below the streets of London, a secret network of magical bookshops has existed for millennia. But they're slowly disappearing, and no one knows why. Only one dishonored bookseller can uncover the truth and rewrite her story--in this spellbinding standalone fantasy novel from the author of The City of Stardust.

If you want a story that will change your life, Chiron's bookshop is where you go. For those lucky enough to grace its doors, it's a glimpse into a world of powerful bargains and deadly ink magic.

For Cassandra Fairfax, it's a reminder of everything she lost, when Chiron kicked her out and all but shuttered the shop. Since then, she's used her skills in less ethical ways, trading stolen books and magical readings to wealthy playboys and unscrupulous collectors.

Then Chiron dies under mysterious circumstances. And if Cassandra knows anything, it's this: the bookshop must always have an owner.

But she's not the only one interested. There's Lowell Sharpe, a dark-eyed, regrettably handsome bookseller she can't seem to stop bumping into; rival owners who threaten Cassandra from the shadows; and, of course, Chiron's murderer, who is still on the loose.

As Cassandra tries to uncover the secrets her mentor left behind, a sinister force threatens to unravel the world of the magical bookshops entirely...

★ "Georgia Summers's magical bookshop is my new favorite place. The Bookshop Below is a delicious read, I loved every second of it." --Laini Taylor, New York Times bestselling author

★ "Steeped in bookish magic and infused with the comfort and terror of a favorite tragic fairytale, The Bookshop Below is darkly whimsical and utterly heart-wrenching." --Tori Bovalino, author of My Throat is An Open Grave

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0316561835
• ISBN13: 9780316561839
• Release Date: November 2025
• Publisher: Redhook
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.4" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

Magic books and bookshops!

I read and really enjoyed City of Stardust and so was really excited for this new book to come out about the magic of special bookshops with books that can change your life, history, and come to life via a Reader. Books are magical, even the ones that don't come from those bookshops and I loved how this story went! Cassandra Fairfax is wonderfully imperfect, has made mistakes including being a thief of those magic books but I love how she steps up to protect the bookshop that Chiron left for her after his murder. And boy are there dangers, from secret societies looking to keep all the magic, even at the cost of the bookshops and the river that runs below the special ones, to really awful people (looking at you Roth) who don't mind destroying the world as long as he has everything. As a foil though, there are wonderful people, like Byron, and Lowell, who will protect the books and shops as long as they can. There are mysteries, sacrifices, slow love bloomings, friendship that lasts, and bookshops that are quite temperamental (including rainstorms in the shop!) but still wonderful. I would love to be able to visit one of them (though not during this time of upheaval) and maybe catch a glimpse of a certain special cat. I had tons of fun reading this and I am very glad I got the chance to do so. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance and I can't wait to see what comes next after this great story of magical books, bookshops, rivers, and Lady Fate who comes to bring balance to it all (with a little bit of help from Cassandra).