It’s a seasonably chilly day, one of the last in the outgoing Year of the Rabbit. I step off the dusty antique-and-curio-shop-lined street that is Hollywood Road and sink into the sofa at an unobtrusive Nordic eatery oozing with warm, rustic charm. Hjem (pronounced ‘yem’ in Norwegian) is a perfect mélange of East-meets-West, a fitting place for my chat with the brains—as well as the muscle and heart—of the delightfully christened gentle books, Hong Kong’s first ever pop-up shop for used English-language books for adults.

I’m unusually early. As I wait for my brew, making a mental note to ask about the genesis of the bookshop’s name, I cast my eyes over the book-filled shelf running along the wall. A rectangular parcel is propped up invitingly, a tag with spidery handwriting hanging from the festive twine holding the sandpaper-coloured wrapping paper together. I later learn that it’s a Mystery Book, the last of its batch. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

• Tags: Hong Kong, Issue 35, Maureen Tai