Best Used Book Stores in Houston, TX

Since I go through about three paperpack books each week, I tend to spend a lot of my time in used book stores. I don't like to shop online because it takes the texture out of shopping for books, so I've found most of the used book stores in Houston, TX. Following are four of my favorites.

Murder by the Book
2432 Bissonet St.
Houston, TX 77005
713-524-8597
www.murderbooks.com

Murder by the Book is one of my absolute favorite used book stores because they specialize in crime and mystery novels, which happen to be my favorite. They are renowned for their excellent selection, superior service and top book signing events. They've hosted guests such as Patricia Cornwell, Michael Connelly and Sue Grafton. They're really convenient if you've been shopping at the Galleria or if you live in midtown, and while they're prices aren't as cheap as some of the other used book stores, they have a great selection. In fact, I believe their last count was more than 25,000 titles.

Half Price Books
1011 Westheimer Rd.
Houston, TX 77006-2724
713-520-1084

This is one of the more famous used book stores, but it also has a great selection. I like to go to Half Price books when I'm just stocking up rather than looking for a specific title. Their shelves are often poorly organized and they tend to categorize titles rather oddly. However, their sales staff is helpful, so don't be shy about asking where to find a particular book. They also have a vast "Clearance" section where most books are between $1 and $2 (even hardcovers -- I once found a Dean Koontz first edition). Just don't sell your used books to them because they offer pennies and you can get more for them elsewhere.

Katy Budget Books
2450 Fry Rd.
Katy, TX 77084
821-578-7770