Once Upon A Crime

Wonderful bookshop. The staff is always helpful and willing to answer all my questions “well it had a blue cover and a murder by windshield fluid in it” type questions which is very much appreciated. Feels happy just to walk into a cozy place like that. 11/10 highly recommended.

Great place for mysteries, crime, and suspense novels. Sections broken down into True Crime, Scottish Authors, Scandinavian Authors and so on. Fun and cozy independent bookstore!

While the outside is an understatement, the inside is a crime fiction lovers paradise. It’s well organized and packed with jewels from both local and far flung authors. I picked up three great new reads, all new authors to me, and all three books also happened to be signed copies. Intelligent staff, as well!

Perfect small bookseller. Mostly new, all murder/mystery. Friendly, knowledgeable, clerk, but not pushy. Highly recommend.

I loved this bookstore so much! I could have spent all day there. Amazing selection of mystery and crime books!

What a great variety of authors! I could spend hours here. Luckily the staff, Jesse, was incredibly helpful with helping me narrow down my selections. I can tell my book collection is going to grow living this close by!

My daughter and I had to visit! What a great bookstore. We picked up several Agatha Christie's and introduced her to And Then There Were None

Amazing bookstore focusing on mysteries - a local store that is known nationwide. Once Upon a Crime has everything (well everything mystery-related) from new releases to collectible first editions to an adorable children’s section!

We have been here a number of times. My daughter, at 10, loved to go there. The people there would help he pick out great books. Most times, they were spot on. Really helped my daughter dive into reading.

Fun little book store. Locally owned for nearly forever. AND they also publish local authors under their own label.

This place is a must for anyone who loved mysteries or would like to give them a try. The staff was welcoming and gave great recommendations.

I absolutely love this store. It's one of the Twin Cities gems. The owners are experts and finding new books that my wife would love. They have yet to miss on a recommendation.
Support your locally owned booksellers. You won't get service like this at a chain or online no matter how smart the algorithms are.

I meant to write this review in 2017, but then I got distracted by life... *long stare into the distance*...ANYWAYS, I'm coming back to this review four years later, because I had such an enjoyable experience here.

I stumbled into Once Upon A Crime with a friend and it ended up being the one year anniversary of new management. We had the warmest of greetings, which included wine and hors d'oeuvres, as well as a tour of the store. Obviously, after such a convivial welcome I had to buy a book.

I believe it was the daughter of the owner who helped me find a book. I gave her some descriptors of genres of books I like, such as "mystery", "LGBTQ+", and "cinematic" and she found the perfect book for me — The Flight of Aquavit, which I basically finished in one sitting on a very long road trip. Being someone that usually gets intimidated by new books, this was a win for me.

I recommend this establishment to anybody who is looking for a pleasant bookstore experience. They are such a wonderful addition to the neighborhood and management are very kind and helpful.

This is one of the last great local book stores around. It takes a lot to survive in the big discount super market of stores these days. The folks that run this store give the best in customer service. 1:1 customer service. Events that introduce you to authors. Recommendations on new authors you might like. They believe in books like those of us who appreciate what books mean to the world. In the age of technology some of the most simple and fundamental pleasures are lost. We are lucky to have these brave souls who remind us how to appreciate these things least they become a lost art.

I've only been here once, but have been wanting to go back ever since. Lovely store and a huge selection of books.

As I have gotten older and try to spend as little time in Uptown as I have to I make time to come here. Amazing customer service. I've had a staff member spend an hour helping me find something based on what I like for a gift certificate. Shop local and be rewarded for your efforts.

This is what an independent bookstore should be - small, cozy, but filled with a crazy good selection of books you won't find elsewhere. Also a great organization scheme that let's you know the order of a book series. A must visit.

Really great mystery book store tucked away in residential neighborhood.

Awesome! From the latest crime fiction to vintage classics, this store has it all. The owner, Jessie, is knowledgeable and helpful. If you like mystery books, this shop is worth a special trip.

Such a fun place! The staff were so kind and the shelves were brimming with delightful titles. My friend and I particularly enjoyed the annex area!