The Mysterious Bookcase is an independent bookshop at 6 Westbourne Arcade, Poole Road, Westbourne, Bournemouth BH4 9AY. Ally Fir and Matt Rawlings run the shop, which began online in October 2022 before opening its physical store in 2025. The shop’s official opening was on Saturday 11 October 2026, although that date is still in the future relative to the current date of 29 August 2026, so it is best treated as an announced opening date rather than a past event.
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The interior has a clear dark academia and Sherlock Holmes style, with dark green matt paint and sliding ladders along the shelves. It focuses exclusively on fiction, so readers looking for non-fiction will not find a dedicated selection here. The collections cover a wide range of popular genres, including Fantasy, Romantasy, Dark Academia, Mystery and Thriller, Romance, Sports Romance, Science Fiction, and The Booker Dozen. There are also themed lists such as Ally’s Fantasy Picks, TMB Book Club picks, Dragon Era, and the British Book Awards 2026: Science Fiction & Fantasy Book Of The Year selection. Goodreads ratings are used to help verify book information.
The shop is particularly known for its Blind Date With a Book service. You choose a genre and whether you want a pre-loved or new book, then the team selects a surprise title, wraps and decorates it, and sends it with tea, luxury chocolate and a customisable bookmark. Prices start at £9.75, while monthly subscriptions start at £41.25. The shop also sells stationery and gifts, including TMB Cold Cups from £2.50, the TMB 2026 Bookmark (FOILED) for £3, Reading Sprint Trackers for £7.99 and stickers from £1.50. Click and collect is available, and online delivery covers the UK, Canada, USA and Australia/New Zealand; there is no EU shipping listed as of August 2026.
Opening hours are Monday to Saturday, 10:00–17:00, and Sunday, 11:00–15:00. Customer feedback highlights the cosy design, friendly community, book variety and carefully prepared packages, with the business listed at 5/5 from 60 Google reviews. The shop also runs book clubs, signings and other events, so its social channels are the most useful place to check for current dates before travelling. You can contact the team at info@themysteriousbookcase.com or find the shop through its Google Maps listing.
Published Date
29 August 2026
