A York bookshop owner says she’s ‘honoured’ to be a finalist for a top award.
Criminally Good Books on Colliergate is a North England finalist for The British Book Awards 2026 Independent Bookshop of the Year.
It is one of four shops in North Yorkshire to be nominated.
The other three are:
- Kemps General Store & Bookshop in Malton
- The Little Ripon Bookshop in Ripon
- Imagined Things Bookshop in Harrogate.
The Independent Bookshop of the Year Award celebrates stores that are at the centre of local communities, bringing passion and knowledge to the shop floor.
Criminally Good Books was opened in York in March 2024 by Isla Coole. As its name suggests, it specialises in all things crime – crime fiction, true crime, police procedurals, cosy thrillers, psychological thrillers and more.
Isla told YorkMix: “We are absolutely delighted to make it through as a finalist for the Independent Bookshop of the Year at the British Book Awards.
“We have some amazing independent bookshops locally and we are honoured to have been selected by the judges.
“It’s a testament to our staff and their recommendations to customers and of how enthusiastic our customers have been in having a specialist crime and mystery bookshop.”
Tom Tivnan, The Bookseller deputy editor, said: “The most gratifying thing about the 2026 Independent Bookshop of the Year is not just the record number of submissions, but the Grade-A quality of each and every one of them.
“We all know the current travails of the High Street in general, but indies across the UK and Ireland are meeting the difficulties with grit, innovation and community spirit.”
The regional and country winners of the Independent Bookshop of the Year Award will be announced on Tuesday 10 March, whilst the overall winner will be revealed during The British Book Awards ceremony at Grosvenor House London on Monday 11 May.
The overall winner also receives a cheque for £5,000 from the sponsor, book wholesaler Gardners.
