Some may consider us dinosaurs of the digital age, but we still love our bookstores, and we even mourned the loss of the Valley's Borders mega-stores. We especially love our handful of remaining independents, including this venerable (opened in 1989) and inviting little shop that sits one long block from the hustle and bustle of Scottsdale Road near Indian School Road. The name gives a big clue as to this store's leanings — mysteries and crime novels. Also available are anything that owner Barbara Peters and her crack staff like, which can mean travel and food books and good old-fashioned wordsmithing. Every visit to the "Pen" is a wonderful adventure, whether an author, famous or obscure, is doing a reading and signing, or not. Raymond Chandler would love this place.