is a Japanese light novel series written by En Mikami and illustrated by Hagu Koshijima. It began publication by ASCII Media Works' Media Works Bunko imprint in March 2011; twelve volumes have been released. The novel has been adapted into three manga series, a television drama, and a live-action film. An anime television series adaptation produced by CloverWorks is set to premiere in April 2027.
Plot The shy and introverted Shioriko Shinokawa has a passion for books and for solving mysteries. A young man named Daisuke Gōra, who grew up without reading books due to a "phobia", brings the complete (and autographed) works of Natsume Sōseki, a writer of the Meiji era. They try to solve the mysteries they find inside the books.
Characters
The owner of Biblia Antiquarian Bookshop. She is extremely shy, but a true bookworm with exceptional knowledge of antique books. She has a quick mind and excellent deductive reasoning skills.
A young man who, due to a certain incident, has developed a condition that prevents him from reading books. His tall, sturdy build and intimidating appearance often lead to misunderstandings, but he dislikes conflict. He harbors a kind of longing for books.
A tall high school girl with striking short hair. She has a tomboyish way of speaking.
A regular man at Biblia Antiquarian Bookstore. A book reseller who mainly deals in out-of-print paperbacks. He has a somewhat suspicious appearance, but his eye for books is genuine.
He is a reseller that primarily uses online auctions as its sales channel. He mainly deals in out-of-print CDs and games.
Shioriko's younger sister. In contrast to her sister, she is a bright, sociable, and honest high school girl who cannot keep secrets. She is good at cooking and is adept at all household chores.
Media Light novel Written by En Mikami and illustrated by Hagu Koshijima, the light novel began publication by ASCII Media Works under their Media Works Bunko imprint on March 25, 2011. As of April 2026, twelve volumes have been released.
Manga A manga adaptation, illustrated by Nakano, began serialization in Kadokawa Shoten's magazine Altima Ace on February 18, 2012. In October 2012, Altima Ace ceased publication; the manga was transferred to Monthly Asuka. The series finished serialization on July 24, 2014, with its individual chapters being collected into six volumes.
A second manga adaptation, illustrated by Ryō Kōda, was serialized in Kodansha's Good! Afternoon magazine from July 6, 2012 to September 6, 2013. Its individual chapters were collected into three volumes.
A third manga adaptation, illustrated by Haruki Niwa, was serialized on Kadokawa Shoten's Young Ace Up website on February 23, 2024. As of November 2025, its individual chapters have been collected into three volumes.
Television drama
A television drama adaptation aired on Fuji TV from January 14 to March 25, 2013. It starred Ayame Goriki and Akira. Crunchyroll released the series outside of Japan.
Live-action film A live-action film adaptation was announced in February 2017. It was directed by Yukiko Mishima and starred Haru Kuroki and Shūhei Nomura. It was released by Kadokawa and 20th Century Fox on November 1, 2018.
Anime An anime film adaptation was also originally announced alongside the live-action film in February 2017, but was never released following the announcement. An anime television series adaptation was announced in April 2026. It will be produced by CloverWorks and directed by Mamoru Kanbe, with Ayato Kurata as assistant director, Toshiyo Ona in series composition, Jun Nakai handling character designs and chief animation direction, and Takahiro Obata composing the music. The series is set to premiere in April 2027.
Reception The novel was nominated for Mystery Writers of Japan Award in the Novel category in 2012 and 2014. In 2012, it was nominated for the Japan Booksellers' Award.
The novel was the first work published under Media Works Bunko to sell one million copies. As of February 2017, the light novels had 6.4 million copies in print. As of June 2020, it had sold seven million copies. As of April 2026, the series had sold 8.5 million copies.
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