From the Booking Desk:
Robin Agnew hardly needs an introduction. She will be familiar to most in the crime fiction community because she and her husband owned Aunt Agatha’s mystery bookstore in Ann Arbor. Like BOLO Books, the bookstore was awarded the MWA Raven Award; in their case it was in 2014. Sadly, I never made it to the store before it closed, but I am so happy that I have been able to connect with Robin since. Readers can find Robin’s book reviews on the store website and they are well worth seeking out. A group of us had a lovely chat over drinks after the Agatha Awards Banquet at the most recent Malice Domestic – which happens to be when I invited Robin to be a profile subject here for the Composite Sketch series. Thankfully she said yes! Today you can read her wonderful answers to our weekly questions.
Name: Robin Agnew
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
This person from my personal life is such an inspiration:
My husband, Jamie Agnew. We ran our bookstore together for 26 years, splitting duties, but he did the lion’s share of the day to day dealing with customers. Retail can be brutal and he emerged from our journey with his spirit intact. He’s a great used book guy, and is happily putting the remains of our collection on ABE books these days.
One of the people I admire most in the crime fiction community is:
William Kent Krueger. We were lucky enough to meet him when Iron Lake came out and he is such a loyal person, he continued returning to our little store with every book, only missing one because of a blizzard. He’s generous as a person and a wonderful writer. For his first signing I think we drew about 3 people (making the loyalty element even more incredible), and with his most recent event, our closing celebration, we had over 100 people. Plus his wife is delightful too!
STALKER ALERT! If this fictional character were real, they would likely need to get a restraining order against me:
Hmm. I’d have to say Ngaio Marsh’s Roderick Alleyn – what a dish!
People are always surprised that I am a fan of this individual (singer, actor, or artist):
Michelle Kwan. I’m a giant figure skating nerd and she is the all time best.
My personal catch phrase is (or should be):
Keep it organized!
Keep it organized? I’m out.
I would have loved your store, but being in California, it was a little far of a commute.
I finally got to meet Robin at Malice this year when she moderated the panel I was on. She’s amazing.
I can attest, having been in the store, that it is a missed fixture of Ann Arbor, but I’m excited to see the new things Robin and Jamie are having an opportunity to do. (agree .. Kwan was pure grace).
For the past several years we have relied on Robin and Jaimie to obtain mysteries for us. The authors new to us which they have introduced to us have been a great pleasure. If we were missing a book from a favored author, they have tracked it down for us. Any visit to Ann Arbor included a stop at Aunt Agatha’s.
We are so happy Aunt Agatha’s continues online. It will remain our go to store for mysteries.
The best bookstore ever. Miss it.
Robin, I miss you. I miss Jamie. I miss your store. Thanks for everything you did for me and the writing and reading community.