The Keeper of Curious Books: Cozy Bedtime Stories for Sleep

Join me for a quiet afternoon in the reference corner of the bookshop, where I’ll be dusting shelves, straightening atlases and returning dictionaries and encyclopaedias to their proper places.

There is very little story today. Just settle into the chair beside the shelves and relax to the sounds of turning pages, shifting books, handwritten labels and the soft murmur of the shop around you.

Share your episode requests

Laurie opens an indigo-bound journal and finds herself walking the ancient Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route in Japan, beneath enormous cedar trees just after the rain. Along the way, she pauses for roasted tea at a tiny roadside shelter, follows quiet signs through the forest and reaches a peaceful mountain inn as evening mist settles over the valley.

A gentle journey of wet stone paths, forest chimes, warm tea and rain on the roof.

Share your episode requests

On a warm late-July evening, Laurie keeps the bookshop open a little longer than usual. While tidying the mezzanine, she discovers an old copy of Elizabeth von Arnim’s The Enchanted April on a shelf she’s certain wasn’t there before.

Soon, the fading light of Bloomsbury gives way to a tiny harbour on the Ligurian coast in the 1920s, where fishing boats rock gently against their ropes, restaurants prepare for dinner and the last warmth of the day lingers in the stone.

Join Laurie for a quiet evening by the Mediterranean, with something cold to drink, something sweet from the bakery, and nowhere in particular to be.

Share your episode requests

Rain settles over Bloomsbury, turning the morning dark enough for lamps and candlelight, though the summer air is still far too warm for a fire.

With a steady stream of customers stopping in for coffee, Laurie and Annie spend the morning taking turns behind the counter, sharing cinnamon buns and keeping an eye on three curious books Laurie has chosen for the weather — an old jazz theory book with a habit of playing a tune, an autumn anthology scented faintly with cinnamon and fallen leaves, and an illustrated guide to clouds whose painted skies never seem to stay quite still.

A cosy rainy-day story of coffee, friendship, curious books and a little quiet magic.

Share your episode requests

On what would have been my grandfather’s one hundred and tenth birthday, I discover his favourite novel waiting beside the bookshop fireplace, just as though it had been expecting me.

With a warm cappuccino and an almond croissant, I settle by the window and open its well-loved pages. Before long, I’m aboard the elegant Simplon-Orient-Express, where polished Art Deco carriages, quiet conversation, and the rolling European countryside make for a journey every bit as memorable as the famous mystery itself.

Sometimes the loveliest part of a story is before anyone asks the first question.

Share your episode requests

Step inside a quiet little bookshop tucked away in Bloomsbury, where every week Laurie welcomes you back with a new bedtime story for adults.

In this short trailer, you’ll discover what makes the bookshop so special, how each episode unfolds, and why thousands of listeners are invited to slow down, unwind, and return to the shelves week after week.

Whether you’re looking for a calming bedtime routine, gentle storytelling, or a peaceful place to rest a busy mind, you’re always welcome here.

New bedtime stories every week.

Share your episode requests

Dusk settles over Bloomsbury as Laurie tends the shop's quiet closing rituals—and finds the small things strangers leave behind, gathered in one curious book that seems to be waiting for her.

Share your episode requests

Rain traces the windows as Laurie climbs to the bookshop's hidden mezzanine, mocha in hand, to sort the Mystery shelves—where certain books always seem to find each other again.

Share your episode requests

Close the shop, follow Laurie and Anna through a faded blue book, and lose yourselves in a single golden afternoon in Venice. No quest. Just the quiet pleasure of walking.

Share your episode requests

A summer thunderstorm rolls across Bloomsbury, sending everyone indoors and leaving The Little Bookshop unusually quiet. With the rain showing no sign of stopping, Laurie decides it’s finally time to reorganise the history shelves.

As the afternoon unfolds, only the shop’s familiar faces wander through the door. Cups of tea are poured, old stories are shared, and forgotten treasures emerge from between the pages of well-loved books. Outside, thunder echoes through the streets. Inside, time seems to slow.

Sometimes the most memorable days aren’t the ones when something extraordinary happens. They’re the ones that quietly remind us why we keep coming back.

Share your episode requests