Read what they read. Know who they are.

I've wanted to build this for years and never quite knew how. The idea started with Luke Cage on Netflix. Every few scenes there was another book in a character's hands, and by the end of the season I had a reading list I never asked for.

I'm fascinated by the way writers, directors, creators and designers use books to tell us more about the characters we love and the ones we can't stand. A paperback on a nightstand can say more than a page of dialogue, and the show never has to say it out loud.

So I went looking for the place that keeps track of these books. Clothes on screen get tracked down to the stitch. Books get a Reddit thread that dies after nine replies, or one great blog post per show if you're lucky. Nobody was keeping track across every show and film, so I built Shelf Sleuth.

I can't do it alone. I'm looking for book nerds and TV junkies (cinephiles very much included) to send in what they spot on screen and build the best archive of literature on screen anywhere. Every book you add goes up with your name on it. That's what makes you a sleuth.

How it works

Anyone can add a book. Send a still, tell us the show and the episode, and we read the spines, match the edition, and write up what the book tells you about the character. Your handle goes on the entry. If an entry has no still yet, it's because nobody has sent one. Yours could be first.

How we make money

Every buy link goes to Bookshop.org, which shares its sales with independent bookstores. If you buy through us, a small cut comes back to keep the lights on. No Amazon links, ever.