LOVERS of a good mystery will be making a beeline for the Ribble Valley as Clitheroe is now home to one of only two specialised crime bookshops in the UK.

Number 10 on Castlegate has been opened by self-confessed crime fiction buff Zoe Channing.

“It’s something I’d been thinking about for some time,” said Zoe, who has 30 years' experience working in arts development with local authorities and institutions around the North West.

“Clitheroe is an ideal location for a small independent bookshop,” she said. “We have only been open a couple of weeks and the reaction has been brilliant. I have even had other traders popping in to say how nice it is to have a bookshop back in the town.”

Number 10 - in the shadow of the castle - will specialise in contemporary and classic crime fiction, murder mysteries and thrillers.

“It’s something I am so passionate about,” said Zoe, who lives in Weir. “It means that I can talk to customers and help them with their choices.

“One thing I will be doing is putting together suggested reading lists for people and recommending different authors for them to try.”

The notion of a bookshop devoted to crime may seem like something of a risk, but Zoe is very confident about Number 10’s longevity.

“Around 80 per cent of books sold last year were crime fiction,” she said. “I think we all love a good mystery don’t we?

“The good crime authors are very good at characterisation and stimulating a reader’s imagination.”

Zoe is a real of Scandi noir fan and is also looking at introducing a new wave of European crime writers to readers. She is also planning to arrange author events ranging from book signings to talks.

“Although we are primarily stocking crime fiction we can actually source any books for customers too,” she said. “We just want to establish Number 10 in Clitheroe and become part of the town.”