mystery.

You know what I love? A good mystery book store. You want to know why? I'll tell you.

Last year some time, I was getting a pedicure and leafing through People magazine, I came upon a review for a new mystery described as "Murder She Wrote set in Canada." Holy crap! I said. I have to remember this and buy it for my sister's birthday. My sister is a die-hard MSW aficionado, and even wrote a critical essay on it for her Master's in Non-Fiction Writing. It was both brilliant and hilarious.

Of course, by the end of the pedicure, I had forgotten about it, as I have the attention span of the average two-year-old, and the name of the author, the book and the edition of People were all lost forever.

One day while at Border's, although I knew it was a lost cause, I thought I would ask the salesgirl, "if I asked you to help me find a mystery and the only thing I know about it is that it's like Murder She Wrote set in Canada, would you have the the faintest clue (ha! pun) what I was talking about?"

Her look said it all. It said "no, you f***ing idiot, I wouldn't. How the hell I am supposed to help you with that?"

So, I shot her a look back, the "I said I didn't expect you to have the faintest clue as to what I was talking about. Don't look at me like that."

I gave up on what I thought would be such a sassy gift for my sis. Until the other day. I jetted over to Westwood for Jung's Red Book exhibit at the Hammer (more on that to come), and I happened upon The Mystery Book Store. I remembered my old dilemma, and thought I'd see if they could help me out.

And guess what? As soon as the words were out of my mouth, the kind people there just said, "oh yeah, that's Louise Penny," and instantly produced it on the spot. So I bought it (in hardback) and gave them a little write-up on my blog that maybe seven or eight people read.

That's why I love a good mystery book store.

Er...Maggie, I'll get you something else, too. Something that will actually be a surprise.