Over the years, I’ve made it a point to visit bookstores while I’m traveling. Not only does it give me the soothing feeling I get when I walk into any bookstore, but it also helps me discover new books that I might otherwise never learn about.

To discover new-to-me books at bookstores in new places, I look for a section in the store dedicated to the store’s location. I also look at the bestseller section to see if I notice books that I don’t recognize from bestseller lists at home. Doing these things has helped me to uncover some gems. For example, at Hodges Figgis in Dublin, I discovered Claire Keegan’s works. At the Borzoi Bookshop in Stow-on-the-Wold in the Cotswolds, I discovered the Agatha Raisin series.

Most of the books I’ve discovered while traveling are set in that same location. This has made reading the books so special, as they transport me back to the place I once was. I can visualize the settings because I was there myself. When I’m missing the Cotswolds (which is always), I know I can pick up an Agatha Raisin novel and feel like I’m back there.

Do you visit bookstores when you travel? If so, what books have you discovered?