Welcome to The Haunted Bookshop, Iowa City's oldest used book store. Established in 1978, the store moved in January 2009 to its current location in Northside Iowa City.

We carry over 40,000 titles in more than 80 different sections ranging from Iowa interest to poetry, children's books to sociology, travelogues to history and more. We provide a variety of other services as well, including book searches, gift recommendation, space for book groups and community organisations to meet, collection valuation, writing consultation, packing and shipping, sewing advice, tea if the kettle's on, Latin translation....

We also enjoy the company of many neighbours, friends and fellow readers. If you are a Facebook user, meet the regulars by visiting our fan page, Ghosts of the Haunted Bookshop (also a great spot to share pictures of the cats, set up chess games, Scrabble, or book group meetings, and more).

Nialle Sylvan has owned the Haunted Bookshop since 9 September 2004.

After working in a bookshop during college, Nialle tried another profession, then was advised by a total stranger in Paris who had nearly killed her with a bag of tenpenny nails that she ought to find a nice bookstore of her own and settle down, so she did.

Several of the other rumours are also true.

Luke Allen is a student at Iowa City high school. He worked at the Northside Book Market starting at age 12 from 2004 to 2008 and at the Haunted Bookshop starting in 2009. Contrary to popular belief, he was not named after the biblical figure, but in fact after Luke Skywalker, prompting many an original thinker to proclaim themself his father.

Anna Hurley is an undergrad at the University of Iowa. She is currently attempting to study Religion and Anthropology while indulging in her love for science fiction. She began to volunteer at the Haunted in fall 2008 because of her love for books and cosy shops. She found herself quickly attached to life at the shop, and began to work there several times a week during the spring of 2009.

Ali Geraets is a graduate of the University of Iowa, holding a BA in religious studies. She was named for a character from a thoroughly 80s movie, but prefers to revel in her childhood love of boxing for the source of her name. Ali can be found behind the counter at the bookshop most days during the week, cleaning books, cracking jokes and unleashing useless trivia upon the unsuspecting masses.

Jon Chown is the world's greatest literary genius. In his short twenty-six years, he has held jobs as a boxer, fighter pilot, cage fighter, dancer and snake trainer. He is widely reputed to have been turned down as an astronaut, because engineers could not design a capsule to contain his irrepressible charm. His family was discovered in an Egyptian tomb in the 1860s, and since then, they have spent their time becoming assimilated into the modern world, teaching in universities and breeding rancors on the family farm. His life expectancy is measured in ice ages. Yeah, that's the ticket.

Nierme is a shorthaired tabby/peach calico mix who joined us in July 2006. She is remarkably intelligent and loves music for solo piano, particularly Satie and Schubert.

Nothing pleases her better than being scratched around the ears and admired. (We would ask that you respect her desire not to be picked up.) Her birthday is observed on each anniversary of 7 November 2004.

Logan picked us out at the animal shelter in January 2007. He's quite the cuddler if you can catch him when he is sleepy, but like most kittens, he currently prefers to gallop from one toy to the next. Acceptable toys include crumpled paper, toy mice, and yarn; feel free to join in his play!

Logan's favourite place to be rubbed is under his chin. He, like Nierme, would rather that you did not touch his belly.

Logan was born on 3 October 2006.