Bent Books

Bent Books is everything a second hand bookshop should be. Colourful, cosy and a little bit ramshackle, it's been giving West End locals a stellar selection of new releases, rare finds and everything in between since 1996.

Owners Kat Mulheran and Beau Taylor are exactly the kind of lifelong bibliophiles you'd expect to find behind the counter of a shop like this. Armed with years of bookselling experience (Kat's worked at Bent her whole adult life), the pair took over the business in 2013. They haven't changed much – they love the place just as it is, and so do their customers.

There are enough books here to keep you browsing all day, from fiction, travel, art and spirituality to rare and out-of-print titles. Stock arrives regularly, and newer releases at great prices are always on display out the front.

A good bookshop is defined by its staff, just as much as what lines its shelves. Unlike the second hand bookshop immortalised in a certain TV show, Bent combines a diversity of titles with warm, friendly service – because while we all love the idea of Black Books, most of us would be too afraid to actually shop there.