Hunting in my own backyard: How I spent my Indie Bookstore Day.

Deadtime Stories: True Crime and Other Books in Lansing, Michigan

There are a handful of used bookstores and thrift stores I go to when hunting for books.  Usually, my pick is based on whichever store is closest when I’m out running errands.  I have a list of authors and books in my head to look out for, but the best part of the hunt is not knowing what I will find.  This Indie Bookstore Day I found several cool stores in my own backyard.  

For this Indie Bookstore Day, I planned on going to only one store.  When I looked up the hours of Deadtime Stories: True Crime and Other Books I learned that they were one of seven Lansing bookstores participating in a bookstore crawl for Indie Bookstore Day.  Some of them I never knew existed.  Those that completed the book crawl got a free limited commemorative tote bag.  Unfortunately, I got a late start due to work and decided to not attempt the bookstore crawl.

Deadtime Stories is a small bookstore that started up during the 2020 pandemic. Author and podcaster Jenn Carpenter opened it as a pop-up shop and quickly found success leading to their own store front in the REO Town neighborhood.  Shortly after opening they added The Screamatorium gift shop next door. 

When I arrived at Deadtime Stories I was surprised at how crowded it was. I have been to this store a couple times but I have never seen it this busy.  It’s not a very big store and the checkout line snaked all around the bookshelves and displays.  They deal in mostly horror and true crime books, two genres that have diverse and supportive communities, making this the store to check out for any fans.  I browsed the shelves and found all sorts of eclectic books.  There are books on wiccan spells, tarot card reading, spooky cookbooks, and creepy plants.  They have a bathtub full of books at a discounted price and a designated Stephen King section.  In the true crime section, there was a great selection of books on the Zodiac Killer, Charles Manson, and other infamous serial killers.  I spotted a very nice paperback copy of Erik Larson’s The Devil In the White City, which is a great book about a series of murders that happened during the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893. 

I went over to The Screamatorium gift shop hoping that the crowd would clear up near the books after a bit.  Like most indie bookstores, Deadtime Stories sells more than just books.  The Screamatorium is where they have all sorts of posters, candles, and paraphernalia for those that vibe with the wicked, weird, and paranormal.  Despite having visited Deadtimes Stories in the past I don’t remember going into the gift store.  I was impressed to find a hand-painted poster depicting Chief Brody of Jaws; he was portrayed standing near the Grand River with the Eckert Power Station smokestacks in the background and a grey fin gliding down the river.  At the far back of The Screamatorium is their spider boutique, a new section they added in May of 2024.  A variety of spiders and tarantulas are on display and for sale.  It truly shows how committed they are to the creepy atmosphere. 

I did not find a book to buy but I did purchase some postcards to send to friends.  Afterward I walked around to some other shops in the REO Town district.  Thriftique and Vintage Junkies are neighboring stores selling collectible and unique secondhand items and clothes.  They have limited hours during the week so I was glad for the chance to check them out.  I was still on the hunt for a book but came up empty-handed and decided to drive down the road to another thrift store book section. It seemed my own impromptu bookstore crawl had begun.  There, I found nothing and decided to try one more spot, the basement bookstore at the downtown library.  Again, nothing caught my eye.  While I didn’t find a book this Indie Bookstore Day I did find a few small local businesses to support in the future, that made the day worth it.       

And it’s still easy to support independent bookstores and small presses via the internet.  Deadtime Stories is currently working on selling books through their website but you can find some of their selections through bookshop.com.  True crime fans can listen to all five seasons of Jenn Carpenters podcast Violent Ends.   

And if you’ve read all through your TBR pile I have a few recommendations for you.  The recently published Souvenirs from Mar del Plata by Marina Caamaño, is a great short read published by Trident Press.  There are two American classic reprints with new artwork by Dmitry Samarov; Babbit by Sinclair Lewis from Pictures & Blather, and Moby Dick by Herman Melville from Maudlin House (out May 2025).