Once Upon A Crime

07/15/2026

🚨 UPDATE: we are full! Please feel free to message me if you would like to join the waitlist!
A new realm has opened... 🐉✨🌙
Calling all dragon riders, shadow daddies, morally gray men, fae princes, magical kingdoms, and readers who accidentally fall in love with fictional characters...
Welcome to Spice & Realms - NC Chapter. 🌶️📚
The amazing (and much talked about) fantasy romance book club Spice & Realms is officially extending from VA to our little shop!
Whether you're here for the world-building, the slow burn, the enemies-to-lovers tension, or... let's be honest... the spice 🌶️👀, you've found your people.
No judgment. Just books, laughter, and collectively pretending we would absolutely survive in a fantasy kingdom.
Who's joining us? ✨🖤
Due to the size of our space, we have 7 available spots, after those fill there will be a waitlist.
🚨🚨PRIVATE MESSAGE ME FOR YOUR SPOT! We will go in order of private messages received! 🚨🚨

07/13/2026

🚨ATTENTION: reading slump survivors!🚨
If your current book isn’t “booking”… don’t panic. We’ve assembled the reading slump rescue team.
🫡📚

07/12/2026

Fresh off the press and ready to ruin your productivity… 🫶📚 In store July 14

07/11/2026

Today we moved some serious dough 🤣🍞 thank you Wildflour Micro-Bakery for providing Market Street with some amazing carbs 🙌
Loaf 🍞 Read 📕 Repeat 🔁

07/10/2026

Turns out our bookstore doubles as an emergency sourdough shelter. 😂🖤🍞
… the farmers market may have been canceled, but the sourdough still deserves a day out. 🍞🫶
So we've got a special guest popping up in front of the bookstore tomorrow, July 11th!
Swing by, grab some amazing fresh sourdough, then come inside and browse a few books while you're here. (Because bread and books are basically soulmates 🖤📚)
Let's show some love to an awesome local small business!

✨ A little change of plans… and maybe an even cozier one. ✨

Tomorrow, Wildflour Microbakery will be set up from 9:00 AM–2:00 PM (or until I sell out!) at 230 E. Market Street in front of Once Upon a Crime Bookstore.

The farmers market was canceled at the last minute, and I want to give a heartfelt thank you to Once Upon a Crime Bookstore for so graciously offering me a spot in front of their shop. Small businesses supporting one another is such a beautiful thing, and I’m incredibly grateful for their kindness. ❤️

If you’ve never visited them before, they’re the perfect place to find your next adventure—whether you’re looking for murder mysteries, dragons, romance, spaceships, or simply a really good story, there’s a book waiting for you.

And honestly… is there anything cozier than a fresh loaf of sourdough, a warm drink, and a good book? 📚🍞

I’ll have fresh, handcrafted sourdough waiting for you, and if last time was any indication, I’d recommend coming early! We sold out at the last market, so if you have your heart set on a particular loaf, don’t wait too long.

I can’t wait to spend a cozy Saturday morning with you all. Come say hello, pick up some fresh bread, and maybe discover your next favorite book while you’re there. 🤍🌿

07/10/2026

🚨 WARNING 🚨
You came in for one book...
Now you're designing a custom keychain, making the cutest beaded pen you've ever seen, debating your bead color palette, and somehow you've been here for an hour.
We'd apologize.....but honestly, we're having too much fun. 🤭🖤✨
Come check out our DIY Bead Bar and make your own:
📚 Keychain ($8)
✨ Pen ($12)
🧶 Crochet Hook ($14)
Because apparently we believe hobbies should come with more hobbies. 😂

07/09/2026

Attention husbands… we’ve got you covered 😎

07/08/2026

Book Besties!! 🖤 our blind dates have been the TOP SELLER every day we have been open! I love that y’all like surprises as much as we do! Speaking of surprises… our new releases snuck in the back door late last night 🫶🤣

07/05/2026

BOOK BESTIES!!! 🖤✨ we’ve got some bad news for your TBR… these newbies will be in stock July 8th!

07/02/2026

Confession time...
Your friendly neighborhood thriller bookstore has a soft spot for fantasy. 🤭✨
I'm so excited to share that we'll soon be carrying a YA fantasy novel by a very talented indie author! Signed copies are on the way and I am definitely not obsessively checking the tracking updates. 👀📦