You may not want a reminder of Christmas yet, but this week I am running posts on a few items that would make great presents. Yesterday I featured a wonderful Moomins book which contributes to good causes, and is a perfect stocking filler.
Today we have something very different.
My friend Kate Jackson has a wonderful crime fiction blog over at Cross-Examining Crime, and she asked me to take a look at her latest venture, a Vintage Mystery Book Box Subscription. She offered to send me one of the boxes in return for an honest review – so of course I said yes…
Here I am supposedly recommending a Christmas present, but am actually wondering if I should ask some of my followers to stop reading this post. Because I feel this is a box that should be going to some of my friends – so if you think you might be lucky enough to get this from me for Chrsitmas, then maybe move on for now…
Kate had a brilliant idea, so I’ll let her describe it herself:
I am launching a new venture: Coffee and Crime. Whilst there is nothing wrong with feeding our addiction, sorry, hobby, for vintage mysteries through bookshop and online purchases, there is always something extra special about receiving surprise books in the post.
My new business is a subscription service and you can order it in 1 month, 3 month, 6 month and 12 month packages. Each month customers will receive two mystery vintage mysteries, a sachet of great coffee to indulge in as you read your latest books, some additional mystery/book/reading related goodies and a newsletter highlighting personal favourite reads, news of upcoming releases and even a mystery themed puzzle.
(And Kate has some much better photos in her blogpost - photography is not my strong suit.)
My box when it arrived was, frankly, thrilling. It is beautifully wrapped and presented, and contained lots of bits and pieces – you’d have to have a heart of stone not to be excited about it. There was a crime-related tote bag, coffee, bookmarks postcards, a coaster and a newsletter. And then, wrapped in brown paper and string with labels, there were the books: two vintage crime paperbacks. Both were right up my street, but one of them (complete coincidence, Kate didn’t know this) is by an author I’ve been really hoping to try (Helen Reilly), but hadn’t been able to track down.
So – a perfect present for me, and I think for many people who read this blog, and for some of my friends too.
Congratulations to Kate on her new venture, and very good luck – it’s a great idea, perfectly executed – how could you not be excited to get a parcel like this one through the post?
I’ll let Kate have the last word, with her useful information – remember you can read her blogpost on the boxes here, and then, she says:
To place an order or to find out more information here is the link to my shop on Etsy:
https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/549572580/coffee-and-crime-vintage-mystery-book?ref=shop_home_feat_1
This is an ideal gift (birthday/Christmas etc.) for all mystery lovers, as well as a much deserved and earned treat for yourself. At the moment I am able to ship to the UK and USA, but if you are from another country and would like to place an order send me a message on the Etsy site and I will get back to you.
What a fabulous idea for a gift, Moira! And I like that notion of a subscription service; it can work very well. Terrific pairing, too: coffee and mysteries. I give Kate a lot of credit for coming up with this.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it just! A really great idea, and I know plenty of people who will like this combination...
DeleteThanks for your lovely review Moira. So pleased you enjoyed the box and given you a chance to try Reilly out. Only read one by her but enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteThank you for letting me try it, and good luck with the new venture! Such a great idea...
DeleteI missed Kate's announcement due to being out of action for a few weeks so this review is very timely - the service looks great and i will be signing up if Kate can sort out postage to Australia
ReplyDeleteOh yes - she needs to keep the Australians on board... It does seem like a great box to get through the post, keep us all happy.
DeleteIn re: Helen Reilly -- Open Library has four of her books that can be checked out as ebooks.
ReplyDeletehttps://openlibrary.org/authors/OL2172616A/Helen_Reilly
Oh thanks Shay! I will follow up when I've read this one. (Looking out for mistprints etc.)
DeleteHmm always one party pooper and it's me. I think I'd have to give someone a list of possibles for a book present rather than give someone free reins. Hope it does well for her though.
ReplyDeleteShe could probably live with some guidance actually... I think sometimes it's just lovely to get a complete surprise, and I know plenty of people who would love this - I won't send one to you!
DeleteThis sounds absolutely wonderful. I'll go over and have a look at her site.
ReplyDeleteoh do - it's such a good idea isn't it?
DeleteThis does sound lovely, although for myself I would be concerned to get duplicates of what I have. But she also says she can handle requests. I will have to try one. And I do hope it is a successful enterprise.
ReplyDeleteHi Tracy,
DeleteI'm more than happy for people to send me a message saying which authors they've read a lot of or don't enjoy etc. Or alternatively I can give some author of the names from the stock I have to people and they can tell me whether they are ones they've tried a lot from or not.
There you go! Glad to bring you two together...
DeleteThanks, Kate and Moira. I will gather my thoughts on that and get in touch. I just got a large number of vintage books from a book sale and am not close to having a list of them yet. I don't even have any objection to have multiple editions of one book ... just not the same exact edition. But... I may just try my luck and see what I get.
DeleteAnd Tracy you should tell Kate that you particularly like editions with skulls and skeletons on the cover - she might come across something for you.
Delete