Nora PageRezensionen

3.5 stars (rating shown may vary depending on review site). This was on the library sale shelf and the books + cat + dog on the cover caught my interest. (I also thought I'd read another book in this series.) I did not realize this was book 1 in the series until I came on to review sites.

The future of the library is endangered (boo!). The library building suffered damage and is closed until repairs can be performed; however, the mayor is claiming there are no funds for the library! In the meantime, librarian Cleo is using the bus-turned-bookmobile to keep the library going.

When one of the library's staunchest patrons dies under suspicious circumstances, Cleo and her friends seek to discover the truth.

I did not suspect who the perpetrator was prior to the reveal, but that's my norm so your experience may vary.½

When used book dealers gather in Catulpa Springs, books begin missing from private collections and from the bookmobile. Henry, Cleo's friend and the town's used bookdealer, becomes the chief's top suspect although Cleo knows he is innocent and enlists Gabby to help. This one had a little too much occultic content with the fake fortune teller for my taste. I also grew tired of the story which seemed to stretch out longer than necessary.½

70-something librarian Cleo Watkins is celebrating 50 years of librarianship. The library's renovations near completion in this installment, but the bookmobile continues to provide books to patrons. However, everything is threatened when Belle moves back to the area and begins her own "bookmobile" that contains almost no books. Belle charms people, including the library board president, and tries to get them to adapt new ways. Cleo and her assistant know Belle does not like books. Then a real estate agent with the library's oldest overdue book dies via a means that shows the perpetrator's familiarity with the victim. General and specific threats in the form of paper coffins begin appearing around town. Suspects abound. Cleo can't resist a little sleuthing on the side, and she feeds her info to her neighbor, Officer "Gabby." This one went on a little too long for me. It seemed to bog down in multiple places. The plot is not very believable. I do like some of the characters, particularly the up-and-coming librarian who works for Cleo and Officer Gabby, and I'll probably continue to occasionally throw one of these in my reading, but I won't rush to read the rest of the series.

I loved the bookmobile, and that Cleo was older and spunky and fighting for her library. The small town setting was drawn nicely and many of the characters were enjoyable. There were a LOT of characters introduced in this book, however, and and at times I confused them. The story was good, with a twist or two I didn't see coming.

However, the start was slow, and it took me until I was a good third of the way through before I really got drawn into the story. In theory, I should have loved Cleo but I felt like I still didn't really know as much about her as I would have liked to, and hopefully this will be sorted as the series continues (and I hope it does). I love the idea of her character, so I hope to see her developed a little more fully in the next story.

Some of the characters in the book - the mayor and sheriff, in particular - who I assume will be recurring thorns in Cleo's side, felt cartoonish. The rest of the characters were interesting and I look forward to learning more about them as the series continues. She had some fun twists with several of the characters that I was not expecting!

I look forward to learning more about Cleo and hopefully seeing the library in repair in author Page's next novel.

Many thanks to Goodreads for providing a copy of the book. All opinions are my own.

3 notes & 4 highlights (Some visible)

I was so excited to view that there is a new mystery series that would involve a bookmobile. I love "A Bookmobile Cat Mystery Series" by Laurie Cass and I'm so delighted to confirm there's a new treat to enjoy as created by Nora Page. I have many fond memories of climbing aboard the local bookmobile that visited my neighborhood when I was a child. As we were a one-car family at the time it was especially magical to have one of the bookmobile stops be only a few steps from home.

Catalpa Springs is located in South Georgia and septuagenarian librarian Cleo Watkins is a hoot! Cleo is a ball of energy and there's always a whirlwind of activity around her regardless of her location. Cleo is delightfully accompanied by her cat Rhett Butler who has quite a personality too. Rhett's favorite lounging locations are either draped over Cleo's shoulders, nuzzling her ear and purring to express his feelings or lounging on the hood of the bookmobile at each scheduled stop or while Cleo is doing a special delivery.

I also love two of the characters joining Cleo as the new trio sleuthing team when there's a murder to solve in their small town. Leanna is one of the young library workers that is saving up money from part-time jobs to pursue her dream of becoming a librarian too. There's also Henry Lafayette, owner of The Gilded Page Antiquarian and Rare Bookshop. I have to say I absolutely adore his posted store hours as follows: "Monday through Friday—when open. Weekends and holidays, nights, special occasions, and inclement weather—at whim." It's almost as though Henry had been preparing for the needed flexibility of being Cleo's sidekick for investigations all along. As I was reading I thought to myself, "Henry, dear man, you've got style!"

I don't recall another series about libraries where there is a young person highlighted with a dream of becoming a librarian. The usual characters whether primary or secondary to the storyline are established librarians. The friendship between Cleo, Henry, and Leanna not only offers a multi-generational interest to the series but highlights the mentoring of an established librarian passing on the love of her profession.

I can only hope that I've in some small way helped to encourage new readers to enjoy this series! Book One is the opening treasure of the series and I'm so happy to be along for the ride!

Cleo is excited to be attending a book fair of antique and collectible books. But all is not well. Her cousin Dot is swindled out of some highly prized books, her gentleman friend gets arrested on suspicion of murder, and Cleo’s bookmobile is broken into and a valuable book is stolen. It’s a lot for Cleo to take in, but she is determined to set things right. She may be considered to be elderly by some, but don’t let that fool you. She has all the skills and mental acuity needed to track down and trap a killer. It’s a delightful cozy and well written with engaging characters. How nice to see someone of “a certain age” who still can hold her own, and then some!

Read on Arrival is the second book in the new Bookmobile Mystery cozy series. 75-year old Cleo Watkins has been a librarian in Catalpa Springs, GA for decades. Her nemesis, Dixie Huddleston, checked out a book from the library 40 years earlier....and has refused to bring it back. At times she has offered to return it...but it has always been a trick. After decades of ridiculous behavior on Dixie's part, Cleo has had enough. She wishes Dixie would just go away. When the tiresome woman is found murdered, Cleo is shocked. She really did want the library's copy of Luck and Lore: Good Luck, Death Lore and Deadly Omens of the Deep South to be returned....but not over Dixie's dead body.

This is the first book I've read in this series. And, I really wanted to enjoy it as I love another popular cozy series with a bookmobile background theme.....but, I really had problems getting into this story. I didn't really connect with the characters or plot. The first few chapters involve a lot of squabbling between characters. I just found that hard to slog through. And the premise of a library allowing a patron to have an overdue book for 40 years.....that just doesn't happen. Long, long ago Dixie Huddleston would have paid the cost for replacing that book. Libraries are funded with public money and run by a board that reports to a city commisison or other government group. If someone checks out a book and refuses to return it....any library would either get the replacement price of that book or the physical book back...not allow their librarian to play a silly game of cat and mouse for four decades. Libraries have book replacement fees put into collections, added onto property taxes or other forced collection avenues....they even press theft charges if a patron absolutely refuses to return or pay for a book. Stealing library books can be a big deal. I found the plot premise of Dixie Huddleston getting by with stealing a book for decades silly. It kept me from losing myself in the story. A 40 year fight over a $10 book.... nah.

The rest of the plot was ok. The mystery moved at a nice pace. And the characters were ok. Cleo is an interesting character. After several decades as the head librarian, she is determined to protect the library and its patrons. But this series doesn't seem to be for me....not every story is for every reader. This one just doesn't seem to be my cup of tea. Middle of the road rating from me, as the writing style is pretty good and the setting/background is interesting and different. I just didn't enjoy this one. Other cozy enthusiasts might really love it. I hope so!! I'm passing on the rest of this series....moving on.

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

This Bookmobile Series, of which this is the third book, is rapidly becoming one of my favorite cozy series of all. Each book is better and better.

The reason? This series has an outstanding cast of secondary characters, among the best in any cozy series anywhere. The senior librarian/bookmobile driver leads the cast of characters, but her gentleman friend who owns the antiquarian bookstore, the librarian's relatives, her annoying neighbor, and the next-door neighbor/deputy all combine to make this a delightful series.

In this third installment, the nasty goings-on revolve around the antiquarian book fair in their small Georgia town.

Absolutely loved this one and would highly recommend it to those who love cozies!!

(I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via Net Galley, in exchange for a fair and honest review.)½

"Read or Alive" presents a cozy mystery that is ideal for book lovers! Cleo Watkins runs the local bookmobile and maintains a lively lifestyle as an active senior citizen. This novel takes place at the Georgia Antiquarian Book Society Fair. Cleo and her friends uncover "book butchery" activity, in which people are scammed out of their valuable books, which are then taken apart and sold as separate pages and sections. However, proving the scheme exists is harder than they might think.

Readers who are book-lovers will find this book totally entrancing and can surely identify with the thoughts of those who share the obsession with books! I really liked the idea that Cleo is a sassy and likeable, intelligent senior citizen. Add to the plot and characters some adorable animals, and you have the makings of a fun and cozy mystery novel.

I received this book from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

When a murder takes place "The Georgia Antiquarian Book Society Fair," local Librarian and Amateur slueth Cleo Watkins is on the case...again! Catalpa Springs, which was declared "Safest Little Town in the South," is plagued with a murder of an out of town book scout, Hunter Fox; Cleo is out to find a killer before it's too late. With the fair only in town for a limited time and her "gentleman friend" Henry Lafayette, the host and main suspect, Cleo will need all help she can get with her family, friends, both two-legged and four-legged, as well as the "Words on Wheels" bookmobile.

seniors, amateur-sleuth, small-town, friendship, law-enforcement, pets*****

The good, the sleazy, and the devious. The Book mobile librarian is also the town's best sleuth, but she amasses her clues and info from everyone, including her neighbor who is local law enforcement and much more astute than the chief. There's an antiquarian book show in town, and the smarmy sleaze winds up murdered. Lots of suspects including a real prize of a manipulative older blonde. Good sleuthing with plenty of twists and red herrings. I loved it!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

Read on Arrival is the second novel in A Bookmobile Mystery series. While it can be read alone, I believe it is best to indulge in Better Off Read first. Read on Arrival is nicely written with steady pacing and unique characters. Cleo Watkins is 75 ¾ and has no intention of retiring from her position as head librarian at Catalpa Springs Library. She has discovered she enjoys tootling about the countryside in her bookmobile-Words on Wheels. Cleo has Leanna, her assistant, to keep an eye on things at the library for her. There are a variety of quirky characters in the story ranging from Cleo’s gentleman friend, Henry to Deputy Gabby Honeywell to Rhett, the bookmobile’s Persian cat mascot. Catalpa Springs is a typical small Southern town where gossip spreads faster than maple syrup on a hot stack of pancakes and there are some unusual residents like Dixie. Humor is rampant throughout the story. It reminded me of the slapstick comedy reminiscent of I Love Lucy and The Three Stooges. There is plenty of activity in Read on Arrival with Dixie’s murder, death threats on coffin shapes items, Cleo investigating, and Belle trying to ruin the library. I did have to remind myself that this was a work of fiction (reality cannot be applied). Someone cannot get away with keeping a book checked out for 40 years today (twenty years ago, but not now). The situation with Belle is also unrealistic. Libraries do wish to attract readers, but they will not toss out their books to accomplish it (or rip off the covers because the colors do not match their color scheme). The mystery was straightforward, and I easily identified the killer (it was a piece of cake). There are pointed clues and a limited number of suspects. My favorite phrase from Read on Arrival is “don’t wake the slumbering human bed” from Rhett, the cat. Read on Arrival is a lighthearted, humorous cozy mystery with killer bees, death threats, a delinquent book, mimes, two dead bodies, a sleuthing librarian, an “innobrarian”, and a mascot named Rhett.

I really enjoyed this second book in the Bookmobile mystery series, featuring Cleo Watkins, a 70-something librarian and driver of the bookmobile, Words on Wheels. Cleo had been working to have a 40-year overdue library book returned and also dealing with the inane ideas proposed by a kooky library consultant, backed by the library board, who wants to get rid of the books and make the library modern.

Oh yes, Cleo also deals with a murder, in a cozy, genteel Southern way.

While I've read the first in the series, readers could start the series with this book.

I love the supporting cast of characters, especially Cleo's best friend, her "gentleman friend" who runs the antiquarian bookstore in town, and her neighbor, a young police deputy. This is a terrific, dynamic, fun-filled cozy peopled with a quirky cast of characters.

Note, however, that with all the talk of pies and pancakes, you might find yourself craving those as you read this book.

Highly recommended!! I'm eager to read the next installments in this series.

(I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via Net Galley, in exchange for a fair and honest review).

Librarian Cleo Watkins won’t be quietened when the new, young mayor threatens to permanently close down her tiny town’s storm-damaged library. She takes to her bookmobile, Words on Wheels, to collect allies and rally library support throughout Catalpa Springs, Georgia. She won’t allow her advanced age to stop her or murder.

A major benefactor known for his eccentric DIY projects requests all available books on getting away with murder. He’s no Georgia peach, and Cleo wonders if she should worry about his plans. But too late she discovers him bludgeoned, and evidence points to her best friend, Mary-Rose Garland.

Certain of Mary-Rose’s innocence, Cleo applies her librarian’s sleuthing skills to the case, assisted by friends, family, and the dapper antiquarian bookseller everyone keeps calling her boyfriend. Evidence stacks up. With lives and her library on the line, Cleo must shift into high gear to close the book on murder.
--

Series: A Bookmobile Mystery
Author: Nora Page
Genre: Cozy Mystery/Career
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books

Publishing Date: May 8, 2018

Better Off Read, is a series debut by Nora Page. This book is filled with colorful characters, easy to dislike victims. The small town of Catalpa Springs is a wonderful look into small-town life. Mixed with the murder of a very unpopular man, this book has all the makings of a great new series that readers will love.

Cleo isn’t your average main character or the average librarian. Her age gives her insights into everyday life and how to handle rash decisions by young social climbers who don’t know that libraries are for more than just reading books. Cleo is smart, talented and funny. She worries about her town and its residents to the point of sleeplessness. She is determined and stubborn with just enough gumption to keep hope alive.

Cleo is passionate about the library and is almost at a loss on what to do when a bad storm destroys parts of the building and closes the doors until repairs can be made. Unfortunately, the new mayor thinks the library is a waste of money, and the budget should go towards his ideas to bring in tourists to the small community.

Other characters are just as appealing as Cleo and enhance the story. Mary Rose is stubborn, at times downright rude and seems to forget her age when tromping through the thick brush or making plans to get even with an old adversary.

This story is easy to read and flows nicely from one chapter to another. The evidence falls into place but never gives away the guilty party until the very end. Overall Better Off Read and the future series is highly recommended to anyone who enjoys main characters who have experience and knowledge on their side.

Southern, cozy-mystery, amateur-sleuth, women-sleuths, seniors, librarian

If you like Southern cozies with seniors, a librarian, a cat, and a diabolical murder you will do the happy dance over this one! I almost gave up early over all the squabbling that comprised the backstory at the beginning, but that would have been a *criminal* mistake. All that mess really was essential to a very interesting and twisty tale full of red herrings and characters who truly are. The publisher's blurb is pretty good and there is no need for spoilers. Just don't let the very beginning cloud your judgment as there are real clues hidden there!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

Cleo Watkins is a septuagenarian librarian that is hoping to save her storm-damaged library, but all hopes are lost when the primary beneficiary is found murdered. Unfortunately, Cleo’s best friend Mary-Rose and her grandson Ollie become the prime suspects.

Cleo takes to the road in her repurposed school bus turned bookmobile and is on a mission to stop the young mayor from permanently closing her beloved library and solve the murder.

The cast of characters in this book are delightful; 70 something Cleo is all heart, her best friend Mary-Rose is full of spunk, close friend Henry is a complete gentleman, and Rhett Butler (the cat) is full of cat mischief.

This was a fun cozy mystery to read and I do hope the author makes a series out of it.

Better Off Read by Nora Page
Book #1: Bookmobile Mystery Series
Source: Netgalley
My Rating: 3/5 stars

**MINI-REVIEW**

The Bottom Line: In truth, I switched this review from full-blown to mini when I realized, not much of this book stayed with me. I still have an overall positive feeling about the book, but I didn’t retain a great deal of details, and that’s not ever a good sign. I liked Cleo well enough, but I liked her cat better; if the cat were the focus of the book, that would be awesome, and the star rating would be higher. I liked the plot, but it didn’t bowl me over. I liked the secondary characters, but no one really stood out. You see where I’m going with this? I generally liked everything about this book, but not enough to get super-excited and shout it out to the world. If I happen across the next book in the series, I’ll add it to the old TBR list, but I’m not going to go looking for the second book, and if I find it, it won’t be going to the top of the TBR list.

Septuagenarian librarian Cleo Watkins isn’t one to let anything slide, so the new mayor’s decision to invest in a fishing pier instead of funding repairs for the storm-damaged library doesn’t sit well with her. Gathering up her ginger Persian, Rhett Butler, she hits the roads of Catalpa Springs, Georgia, in the Words on Wheels bookmobile.

If Cleo can’t find the funds for repairing the library, the converted yellow school bus will be the only means of getting books into the hands of the library’s many patrons. The crotchety town eccentric is her best hope for funding, but when she stops the bookmobile to deliver the strange books he’s reserved, she discovers his body. Soon thereafter, her best friend becomes the prime suspect in the murder and Cleo sets out to discover the truth.

Can she solve the murder mystery and save her friend? And can she find a way to keep the mayor from closing the library in favor of a fishing pier?

The first book in the Bookmobile Mystery series offers readers a charming town filled with interesting characters; it’s just quirky enough, has loveable furry sidekicks, and a lively plot to keep things moving right along.

There’s a Hummingbird cake recipe included [definitely a southern touch] that hits just the right note, tying in with the story and giving readers a treat.

Recommended.

Better Off Read by Nora Page is the first tale in A Bookmobile Mystery series. Cleo Watkins is the head librarian of the Catalpa Springs Public Library in Catalpa Springs, Georgia. Unfortunately, a storm recently downed a beautiful old tree right onto the library. Mayor Jeb Day does not wish to use city funds to revive the library (they have insurance). Instead, he wishes to make Catalpa Springs a fishing destination with a world class fishing pier and have a floating casino on Tallgrass River. Cleo still wants to get books out to public and starts taking out Words on Wheels, the bookmobile, out every day. Cleo has to stop by Krandall House with books ordered by the eccentric Buford Krandall who is in a feud with neighbor, Mary-Rose Garland. Cleo discovers the front door open, the library in a disarray and Buford dead. The evidence quickly mounts against Mary-Rose. Cleo knows her friend did not harm Buford and sets out to prove it with the help of her friends.

Better Off Read is a humorous cozy with a fast pace. Cleo Watkins is seventy-five and determined to save her library. The mayor is determined Cleo will retire and repurpose the library. Cleo is a smart, spunky strong-minded woman who leads a busy life and has a lead foot when driving (I am amazed she has not had her license revoked). I appreciate her passion for books and helping others find the right books for them to read. There is a cast of quirky characters to accompany Cleo in Better Off Read. There is Ollie, her grandson who does not know what he wants to do with his life. Leanna who works part-time at the library (before the storm) and is going to college to get her degree in library science. Henry Lafayette who is smitten with Cleo and has a pub named Mr. Chaucer. Bitsy Givens is president of the Ladies League, married to the local bank president and puts up with her demanding mother-in-law. Let us not forget Rhett Butler, the library cat who accompanies Cleo on her rounds in Words on Wheels. While there are some interesting characters, I felt the author introduced too many of them. They just kept coming and it is difficult to keep them all straight. I wish the author had limited the number and focused on developing them (they seemed superficial). Catalpa Springs is a small Southern town in Georgia near the Florida border. There is Southern hospitality, plenty of food and gossip flows freely and quickly. There seemed to be one zany antic after another throughout Better Off Read (I just wanted them to stop). There is an amazing amount of dialogue in the story. The mystery had some good components, but it gets lost. I believe when the solution to the murder is revealed, some readers will be scratching their heads. The book has a satisfying ending that wraps up all the storylines. I felt that there was too much going on (I could not begin to describe it all). Better Off Read had a great premise, but the final product was dissatisfying. My rating for Better Off Read is 3 out of 5 stars.

Better Off Dead is the first book in A Bookmobile Mystery series.

From reading the synopsis of this book I was looking forward to reading about 75-year-old Cleo Watkins, her bookmobile, and her attempt to save the Catalpa Springs library that was damaged in a storm.

But I found that I was repeatedly putting the book down. Although the characters were interesting, I just couldn’t get into the story.

I might try the next book in the series.

A library with a 75-year-old librarian who still drives a bookmobile (and speeds while doing so)? The set-up for Nora Page's new series features that implausible scenario. The mayor of Catulpa Springs, Georgia,somewhere just north of the Florida state line, wants to do away with its tree-damaged library, its bookmobile, and its librarian. An antiquarian book collector and library friend's death turns suspicion to the man's neighbor. Cleo doesn't believe it and sets out to investigate. Not even Rhett Butler the cat could redeem this book. Far too many characters appear too quickly without sufficient development to sort in the reader's mind. A low-level officer related to one of the characters seems to be the main police officer investigating rather than police detectives or the man referred to throughout the book as "Chief." The conversation-intensive narrative likely appeals to a younger audience while the septuagenarian librarian tries to draw older readers. Unfortunately as someone who recently dealt with aging parents, I question how a town could afford insurance to allow an elderly woman known to speed to drive a bookmobile. While the story does improve as the book goes on, it fails to redeem itself and leaves the reader dissatisfied. I received an advance review copy from the publisher through NetGalley with the expectation of an honest review.½

I like mysteries with cats, libraries and senior sleuth so this one was hypothetically a match made in heaven. I really enjoyed it: it was fun to read, with a really interesting plot.
I liked the humour, the funny cast of characters and the plot contains no hole and it kept me guessing till the end.
A very good start for a new series, I look forward to reading the next instalment.
Strongly recommended.
Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley