The Bookshop of Yesterdays

In her heartfelt debut, Meyerson brings readers on a scavenger hunt full of literary clues and family secrets. Miranda Brooks feels her life is finally coming together—she adores teaching middle school history in Philadelphia and has decided to settle there, taking the big step of moving in with her boyfriend, a fellow teacher. But Miranda’s cozy life is thrown into tumult when she receives a mysterious package after the sudden death of her estranged uncle Billy, who she hasn’t spoken to since a falling-out between him and her mother years before. Once a huge part of her life, Billy used to invite Miranda to his Los Angeles bookshop, Prospero Books, where they would read and solve riddles he thought up. But, on Miranda’s 12th birthday, her mother and Billy had a mysterious fight, and Miranda hasn’t heard from him since. After his death, Miranda travels to L.A., where she learns that Billy has left her Prospero Books—along with a literary clue to one final adventure he wanted to share with her. She works with the devoted staff to revive the old store, all the while following Billy’s clues, which lead her to hidden family secrets. Filled with quotes from and allusions to The Tempest, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and Jane Eyre, Meyerson’s evocative novel is a fun homage to book lovers and the eclectic spirit of L.A. (June) This review has been corrected; a previous version referenced The Wizard of Oz and stated that Miranda worked in a high school.