Mostly Books

Sarah Dennis has owned Mostly Books on Abingdon's Stert Street since 2017, when she bought the shop from its previous owners with what she called a long ambition to run her own bookshop. The stock leans towards contemporary fiction, children's books and mysteries, hand-picked by staff rather than chosen by algorithm. A same-day delivery service, run by volunteer cyclists, carries orders to customers' doors within five miles of the shop. Regular fixtures include book clubs, a young readers' ambassador scheme that gives local teenagers a say in what the shop stocks, and a recurring event series bringing authors in to talk about new titles. A subscription service called the Cosy Club sends chosen paperbacks to members' homes each month. The shop's Blind Date With A Book scheme wraps mystery titles in plain paper for readers willing to take a chance.