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Bookmobile Mystery #2
Read on Arrival
Death, deadly omens, and a decades-overdue book put senior librarian Cleo Watkins on a collision course with a killer in the second Bookmobile mystery.Septuagenarian librarian Cleo Watkins believes in gracious manners, sweet tea, and justice—library justice. For over forty years, Cleo has tried every trick in the book to get delinquent patron Dixie Huddleston to return the most overdue volume in Catalpa Springs, Georgia. When Dixie says she’ll finally relinquish the book, Cleo is shocked. She’s even more startled by the superstitious Dixie says she’s seen the she’s about to die and is setting her affairs in order.Cleo dismisses Dixie’s ominous omens...until she and her gentleman friend, Henry Lafayette, arrive at Dixie’s home to find her dead. Cleo suspects murder. The police agree but promptly list Cleo among the likely culprits. To clear her good name and deliver justice, Cleo uses her librarian skills to investigate, with Henry and her trusty bookmobile cat, Rhett Butler, at her side.However, the killer has opened a new chapter of terror. Death threats appear around town, and residents start seeing bad luck everywhere, including in Cleo and her beloved bookmobile Words on Wheels. With her bookmobile and legacy on the line, Cleo accelerates her sleuthing. Suspects and clues stack up, but so does the danger. Another death is coming due, and Cleo fears the killer may be about to turn the final page on someone she loves most.
329 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 7, 2019
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446 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews
January 1, 2019
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 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.**
April 1, 2019
READ ON ARRIVAL by Nora Page is the second book in Ms. Page’s Bookmobile Mystery series, and my first read in the series. The mystery stands alone and it is not necessary for you to read the first book to catch up with the secondary relationships between characters. If you are planning to read the series, you might prefer to begin with the first book as there are some relationships that appear to be growing as the series continues.
In this mystery, Cleo Watkins, the 70 something head librarian and driver of the bookmobile, is confronted with a library board member who has met and become smitten with a woman who drives a “souped up” bookmobile. The catch? No books. She considers herself an innovator and the board member is 100% behind hiring her as a consultant to bring their library into the new millennium. The problem for Cleo? That means getting rid of all the books since they are dirty and old, painting everything with almost neon vibrant colors, and sponsoring things like bubble blowing and pony rides. Pretty much everything Cleo, who has been nurturing a young woman to become her successor, believes will irreparably affect the library.
In the midst of all this, Cleo’s classmate and former nemesis is murdered in her home. The killer locked her in her pantry with an open honeycomb and a swarm of bees. She was deathly allergic to bee stings and the killer had also swapped the medicine in her epi-pen for saline, so it was ineffective.
Some people think Cleo must be the killer, and she feels compelled to solve the murder with the help of her neighbor who is a sheriff's deputy along with her “gentleman friend”who has recently added a little spice to her life. Both the deputy and the gentleman friend are carry-over characters from the first novel, along with Cleo’s library protege. Ms. Page does a good job of fleshing out their relationships with Cleo so that the reader can understand their relationship with Cleo without having read the book.
While much of the book borders on almost slapstick humor, the mystery itself is solid. When the killer is revealed the reader can look back and see where there were some clues and some red herrings. The question is whether or not the reader likes a heavy handed dose of humor and characters whose behavior is almost caricature like in parts. The book comes across more as humor with a strong mystery element rather than a mystery with a large dose of humor. While this book is not the style I prefer to read, I believe there are some who will enjoy it and my rating reflects that belief.
Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with an advance digital read copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. The opinions stated here are completely my own.
May 1, 2019
Cleo is a 75-year-old devoted librarian. One of the library patrons, Dixie, has been delinquent on returning a book for over forty years, and it really irks Cleo. When Dixie agrees to finally return the book, it shocks Cleo. It shocks Cleo even more when she shows up to Dixie's to get the book, and instead finds Dixie dead. The feud between Cleo and Dixie is well known, so Cleo jumps to the top of the suspect list. Cleo uses her sleuthing skills to investigate. As threats appear around town, it seems the killer is targeting everyone... including Cleo and her bookmobile.
The second book in the Bookmobile Mystery series by Nora Page. I have read the first book in the series, Better Off Read, and recommend reading them in order. The mystery is a standalone for this book, but, as is often found in a series, the relationships between characters grow with each book.
A fun cozy mystery with quirky characters and a charming Southern setting.
I received a free eARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The second book in the Bookmobile Mystery series by Nora Page. I have read the first book in the series, Better Off Read, and recommend reading them in order. The mystery is a standalone for this book, but, as is often found in a series, the relationships between characters grow with each book.
A fun cozy mystery with quirky characters and a charming Southern setting.
I received a free eARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 20, 2019
In this action packed southern cozy mystery, head librarian Cleo Watkins encounters competition for her Bookmobile when Belle Beauchamp shows up in a loud and flashy converted Airstream and seems gung ho to take over the whole library. Horror of horrors—if Belle has her way, the library will be bookless! Soon after, a local realtor’s luck runs out along with her Epi-pen’s effectiveness and the death scene is suspicious, to say the least. Cleo’s inquiring mind wants to know why this woman was set up to die.
Author Nora Page has written a clever plot with unexpected twists and a plethora of likely suspects for readers to mull over. A deranged killer is messing with the townspeople’s minds and has them imagining gloom and doom in everything they encounter! I won’t give away the specifics, but I thought the way the threats were left was original and fit right in this mystery. It’s both humorous and a shame to see how the perpetrator manipulates their minds. I had two characters in my mind as the possible killer and one guess was correct. Cleo’s group of close friends and allies are one of the most appealing things about this series. Following the library’s grand re-opening is fun, too! I enjoy practical and gutsy protagonist, Cleo, and her handsome Persian, Rhett Butler. An added bonus to the story’s end is a delicious pie recipe featured in the novel.
I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Crooked Lane. Thank you.
Author Nora Page has written a clever plot with unexpected twists and a plethora of likely suspects for readers to mull over. A deranged killer is messing with the townspeople’s minds and has them imagining gloom and doom in everything they encounter! I won’t give away the specifics, but I thought the way the threats were left was original and fit right in this mystery. It’s both humorous and a shame to see how the perpetrator manipulates their minds. I had two characters in my mind as the possible killer and one guess was correct. Cleo’s group of close friends and allies are one of the most appealing things about this series. Following the library’s grand re-opening is fun, too! I enjoy practical and gutsy protagonist, Cleo, and her handsome Persian, Rhett Butler. An added bonus to the story’s end is a delicious pie recipe featured in the novel.
I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Crooked Lane. Thank you.
May 10, 2019
My first book by thus author, though second in the series. I loved the quirky characters in this story, it made me smile oft times. The ongoing feud between the 75 year old main character and and her frenemy Dixie over the return of a book 40 years overdue was cleverly written. Till she went to her place to get the book back finally and found her dead. Cleo then started her investigation...
The plot of the book though bordering on ridiculous was still fun to read. The story moved well, it was still a slow read. Some of the humor was a bit silly to me in parts. Overall a good read.
May 12, 2019
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.
March 11, 2019
Read on Arrival by Nora Page is the second book in the Bookmobile Mystery series and an intriguing addition that kept me turning the pages.
Cleo's beloved library is almost ready to be re-opened in Catalpa Springs. Cleo and Leann are both devastated when a new "innobrarian" is hired by the library board president to update the image of the library. Belle Beauchamp, the "innobrarian" hasn't a clue about libraries and what patrons want and need. Then a top realtor in this small town is murdered and Cleo is at the top of the suspect list - again. A tightly woven plot that is swiftly paced with twists and turns and plenty of suspects kept me intrigued until the dramatic reveal. I really enjoy Cleo with her southern manners, her sharp mind and determination for justice.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.
Cleo's beloved library is almost ready to be re-opened in Catalpa Springs. Cleo and Leann are both devastated when a new "innobrarian" is hired by the library board president to update the image of the library. Belle Beauchamp, the "innobrarian" hasn't a clue about libraries and what patrons want and need. Then a top realtor in this small town is murdered and Cleo is at the top of the suspect list - again. A tightly woven plot that is swiftly paced with twists and turns and plenty of suspects kept me intrigued until the dramatic reveal. I really enjoy Cleo with her southern manners, her sharp mind and determination for justice.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.
May 14, 2019
Cleo has run the library for years and is after a book a lady checked out 40 years ago. Dixie says she will return the book because she has seen the signs that she is going to die and wants to return the book. Cleo doesn’t believe it until Dixie is found dead at home. There is also a woman who wants to take over the library and the bookmobile but she wants to use bright colors, a theater and get rid of books. Cleo has her work cut out for her to try and save the library.
July 11, 2019
I received this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I liked this cozy mystery set in Georgia. The MC is the local librarian, Cleo, and near the beginning of the story there is a murder. Cleo sets out to try and help find who the murderer is. I guessed who it was right before Cleo did, so that's always fun for me to outwit the amateur sleuth. A fun read for a cozy mystery.
April 24, 2019
Cleo Watkins is the head librarian of the Catalpa Springs library, which has been undergoing extensive renovations. Cleo has been driving a Bookmobile across the area to serve the patrons and has been enjoying interacting with people in town as well as those in more rural areas. As part of the story, there has been a "cat and mouse" game for over forty years over an overdue library book which Dixie has failed to return after numerous promises to do so. When Dixie calls Cleo to finally promise that she will do so the following morning, she finds Dixie deceased in a swarm of bees. Cleo believes this is no accident and begins her own investigation as to who would want the seventy-something year old realtor dead.
The author also creates the intentionally annoying character of Belle Beauchamps who drives a gaudy "competing" bookmobile vehicle, though it is more of an entertainment vehicle with as few books as possible. But when Belle gains the favor of a wealthy male board member and is able to get her claws into the main library with visions of the library that don't include many books, Cleo and her co-workers fear what is next.
Overall, it was a satisfactory read. It started off slow for me but the pace improved. Libraries, bookmobiles and a cat named Rhett Butler sounded very interesting. I liked that the main characters had more life experience than many other cozy mysteries; I could identify with them better. While the murder plot had interesting plot twists, I still had trouble believing that Cleo and others kept focusing on a forty year old overdue library book for so much of the story.
Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an advance digital copy of this book. My review is voluntary.
The author also creates the intentionally annoying character of Belle Beauchamps who drives a gaudy "competing" bookmobile vehicle, though it is more of an entertainment vehicle with as few books as possible. But when Belle gains the favor of a wealthy male board member and is able to get her claws into the main library with visions of the library that don't include many books, Cleo and her co-workers fear what is next.
Overall, it was a satisfactory read. It started off slow for me but the pace improved. Libraries, bookmobiles and a cat named Rhett Butler sounded very interesting. I liked that the main characters had more life experience than many other cozy mysteries; I could identify with them better. While the murder plot had interesting plot twists, I still had trouble believing that Cleo and others kept focusing on a forty year old overdue library book for so much of the story.
Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an advance digital copy of this book. My review is voluntary.
June 27, 2019
3.5 stars
November 5, 2022
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.
PS - I probably should have rated this 2.5 stars, but I couldn't quite bring myself to do that.
PS - I probably should have rated this 2.5 stars, but I couldn't quite bring myself to do that.
February 4, 2019
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book!
Ah, I do love a cozy with cats and books. Bookmobiles in particular fascinate me; they're not something really done much in Australia, or else they aren't really advertised much. I think they make for a great prop in mystery novels, as a way to get around and have the victims/murderers come straight to you. Cleo does a brilliant job of investigating the murder, and I honestly wasn't sure whodunnit right until the reveal. I thought I had some things figured out, but turns out I didn't. I do like a surprise!
This is book two in the series, and hopefully more to come. If you like your cozy mystery with books, cats and an older but still feisty librarian, then check this series out! Four stars.
Ah, I do love a cozy with cats and books. Bookmobiles in particular fascinate me; they're not something really done much in Australia, or else they aren't really advertised much. I think they make for a great prop in mystery novels, as a way to get around and have the victims/murderers come straight to you. Cleo does a brilliant job of investigating the murder, and I honestly wasn't sure whodunnit right until the reveal. I thought I had some things figured out, but turns out I didn't. I do like a surprise!
This is book two in the series, and hopefully more to come. If you like your cozy mystery with books, cats and an older but still feisty librarian, then check this series out! Four stars.
April 21, 2019
Librarian Cleo Watkins finds herself dealing with the murder of the local library’s most infamous patrons and an attempt to modernize the library to the point of eliminating ALL books.
Read on Arrival is the second Bookmobile mystery and is not quite as promising as the first, Better Off Read. While the murder mystery is well plotted and executed, the sub-plot involving the “Innobrarian” (combination of innovator mixed with librarian) is over-the-top. Perhaps meant to be amusing, Belle Beauchamp and her shenanigans only manage to disrupt Cleo’s sleuthing agenda and prove distracting, if not somewhat irritating, at least to this reader.
Read on Arrival is the second Bookmobile mystery and is not quite as promising as the first, Better Off Read. While the murder mystery is well plotted and executed, the sub-plot involving the “Innobrarian” (combination of innovator mixed with librarian) is over-the-top. Perhaps meant to be amusing, Belle Beauchamp and her shenanigans only manage to disrupt Cleo’s sleuthing agenda and prove distracting, if not somewhat irritating, at least to this reader.
May 28, 2019
I just loved this book! Cleo and Henry have got to be the most adorable couple, and Cleo is the most loyal and brave friend that anyone could want. The library's grand opening was coming soon when the library board president brought in a lady named Belle with crazy and outrageous ideas--like that books were clutter (this woman really bugged me, I was hoping she'd be offed or the perp lol). I'd say the author did her job well, because I could not stand Belle and her Airstream flashing-lights bookless-mobile. When the town diva and the patron with the longest overdue book was found dead in her home by Cleo and Henry, Cleo was one of the suspects. She did manage to get to the bottom of everything and restore her good name. I guessed the killer because of cleverly-placed clues by the author, but it was a lot of fun to see Cleo track the perp down. I have to hand it to Cleo, because she doesn't do anything alone, and she's very good about alerting the local deputy, who happens to be her neighbor, Gabby. I can't wait for the next book!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.
April 19, 2019
Read on Arrival by Nora Page is the 2nd book in the Bookmobile Mystery, and my first book by this author. I really enjoyed this book, and plan on going back and read the 1st book, Better Off Read. Cleo Watkins is a head librarian in Catalpa Springs, Georgia, and she is in her 70's. For the last 40 years Cleo has been trying to get an overdue book from Dixie Huddleston, when she is murdered, Cleo is determined to find the truth. I found this book to be a quick read, with well developed story line and characters. I recommend this book to all cozy book lovers.
I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Crooked Land Books. Thank you.
I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Crooked Land Books. Thank you.
March 9, 2024
Dollycas's Thoughts
Following storm damage the Catalpa Springs library has been closed for repairs and renovations and now is preparing for its grand re-opening. Head Librarian Cleo Watkins would love for a book checked out over 40 years ago to finally be returned. Dixie Huddleston has had the book in her possession all these years and has played several tricks on Cleo over the years but never returns the book. This time Dixie has vowed to return the book. She tells Cleo she has seen the signs and that her death is imminent and she wants all her affairs to be in order.
Cleo doesn't take Dixie's words seriously but then when Cleo and Henry Lafayette, her gentlemen friend, arrive at Dixie's home, they find her dead body. She was clearly murdered but adding Cleo to the list of suspects is just plain nuts and she intends to prove it by catching the killer. It isn't going to be easy especially when the killer is terrorizing the good people of Catalpa Springs in the form of death threats delivered in an eerie way. They also vandalize Cleo's bookmobile, Words on Wheels.
With the library set to reopen soon Cleo has to deal with the killer but she also has to deal with a new employee being forced on her. Can she catch a killer and save her beloved library or will she be checked out permanently?
_____
Librarian Cleo Watkins stole my heart just a few pages into Better Off Read, the first book in this series. She is a strong, savvy, smart septuagenarian who loves her library and her books and everything they have to offer. When the library was damaged in the storm she loaded up the library's old bookmobile and she and her Persian cat Rhett Butler traveled near and far to be sure everyone who wanted to read got their books. Cleo has been grooming her assistant Leanna to take her place when and if she decides to retire. They have a great plan until Mercer Whitty, president of the library board springs Belle Beauchamp on them. Belle wants to modernize the library in a way that would break every bibliophile's heart. I love Cleo's dedication to the library and Leanna is walking right in her footsteps. They have to deal with all the quirky residents of Catalpa Springs. Ms. Page has created a diverse cast of people for readers to love and a few we can dislike. She has surrounded Cleo with a group of likable friends. As I had hoped, the core characters had more depth in this installment leaving room for continued growth.
I really enjoyed the murder mystery twisted up with what was happening at the library. Both held my interest. When Dixie's best friend asks Cleo to look into her death, Cleo can't say no. I had a good time following along with Cleo as clues were revealed and as she followed where they led usually with Henry by her side. Henry had an interesting little adventure of his own too. What I really liked was that Cleo's neighbor and her favorite deputy Gabby Honeywell listened to what Cleo had to say and used what Cleo found and suggested to move the investigation forward. She also looked out for Cleo at all times. The killer was my top suspect and I was pleased with the reveal and takedown.
I loved the small town setting of Catalpa Springs. It is a close-knit town full of southern charm. There are events held through the school and library for all ages.
Cleo reminds me of a few librarians that I grew up with and I admire her for how she handled everything thrown at her in this story.
Read Upon Arrival is a clever addition to this series. I was delighted to get to know Cleo and her friends better. This was a fun read and I am looking forward to reading the final book in the series, Read or Alive soon.
Following storm damage the Catalpa Springs library has been closed for repairs and renovations and now is preparing for its grand re-opening. Head Librarian Cleo Watkins would love for a book checked out over 40 years ago to finally be returned. Dixie Huddleston has had the book in her possession all these years and has played several tricks on Cleo over the years but never returns the book. This time Dixie has vowed to return the book. She tells Cleo she has seen the signs and that her death is imminent and she wants all her affairs to be in order.
Cleo doesn't take Dixie's words seriously but then when Cleo and Henry Lafayette, her gentlemen friend, arrive at Dixie's home, they find her dead body. She was clearly murdered but adding Cleo to the list of suspects is just plain nuts and she intends to prove it by catching the killer. It isn't going to be easy especially when the killer is terrorizing the good people of Catalpa Springs in the form of death threats delivered in an eerie way. They also vandalize Cleo's bookmobile, Words on Wheels.
With the library set to reopen soon Cleo has to deal with the killer but she also has to deal with a new employee being forced on her. Can she catch a killer and save her beloved library or will she be checked out permanently?
_____
Librarian Cleo Watkins stole my heart just a few pages into Better Off Read, the first book in this series. She is a strong, savvy, smart septuagenarian who loves her library and her books and everything they have to offer. When the library was damaged in the storm she loaded up the library's old bookmobile and she and her Persian cat Rhett Butler traveled near and far to be sure everyone who wanted to read got their books. Cleo has been grooming her assistant Leanna to take her place when and if she decides to retire. They have a great plan until Mercer Whitty, president of the library board springs Belle Beauchamp on them. Belle wants to modernize the library in a way that would break every bibliophile's heart. I love Cleo's dedication to the library and Leanna is walking right in her footsteps. They have to deal with all the quirky residents of Catalpa Springs. Ms. Page has created a diverse cast of people for readers to love and a few we can dislike. She has surrounded Cleo with a group of likable friends. As I had hoped, the core characters had more depth in this installment leaving room for continued growth.
I really enjoyed the murder mystery twisted up with what was happening at the library. Both held my interest. When Dixie's best friend asks Cleo to look into her death, Cleo can't say no. I had a good time following along with Cleo as clues were revealed and as she followed where they led usually with Henry by her side. Henry had an interesting little adventure of his own too. What I really liked was that Cleo's neighbor and her favorite deputy Gabby Honeywell listened to what Cleo had to say and used what Cleo found and suggested to move the investigation forward. She also looked out for Cleo at all times. The killer was my top suspect and I was pleased with the reveal and takedown.
I loved the small town setting of Catalpa Springs. It is a close-knit town full of southern charm. There are events held through the school and library for all ages.
Cleo reminds me of a few librarians that I grew up with and I admire her for how she handled everything thrown at her in this story.
Read Upon Arrival is a clever addition to this series. I was delighted to get to know Cleo and her friends better. This was a fun read and I am looking forward to reading the final book in the series, Read or Alive soon.
April 3, 2019
I am glad I took a chance on this book. I could not get into the first book in the series but this was really good.
The characters were enjoyable and the whodunit was rock solid.
I highly recommend this book.
I look forward to reading the next in the series.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.
The characters were enjoyable and the whodunit was rock solid.
I highly recommend this book.
I look forward to reading the next in the series.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.
Read
April 3, 20255.4.2019
DNF
Did not enjoy, did not finish. Meh.
DNF
Did not enjoy, did not finish. Meh.
May 1, 2019
I was getting stress reading this book. The character of Belle was driving me bonkers. That is great character building right there, folks. The more Belle tried to take over all Cleo had built, the more I wanted to reach through the pages and ring her skinny neck. I wasn’t sure how you could be “for” the library but get rid of the very essence of what it was.
The main thrust of the story seemed to want to be Dixie and the 40-year overdue book. But I felt like what ended up being the main story was Belle and how she was gathering all the allies to make the library into a clown show.
When Belle was found hovering over the body of a dead board member, I was screaming, yes, yes!! I knew it was too good to be true but I wanted it to be true. The plot really takes you on a literal ride and I felt like the ending was truly surprising. I did not see that coming.
This is an easy and fast read. If you love cozy mysteries, definitely check this one out.
I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.
The main thrust of the story seemed to want to be Dixie and the 40-year overdue book. But I felt like what ended up being the main story was Belle and how she was gathering all the allies to make the library into a clown show.
When Belle was found hovering over the body of a dead board member, I was screaming, yes, yes!! I knew it was too good to be true but I wanted it to be true. The plot really takes you on a literal ride and I felt like the ending was truly surprising. I did not see that coming.
This is an easy and fast read. If you love cozy mysteries, definitely check this one out.
I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.
July 19, 2019
You cannot read this series and NOT fall in love with the septuagenarian, Cleo. She is a real hoot. I want to visit Catalpa Springs, GA and take a ride on the infamous bookmobile. I know I will be guaranteed to have a rollicking good time.
The Bookmobile Mystery series is a refreshing series as we see the world through a mature amateur sleuth. I have a tendency to stick with sleuth's who are are in their 40's or younger. I cannot wait to read more in this series. It is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. How can you can wrong: books, pancakes, and murder?
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
The Bookmobile Mystery series is a refreshing series as we see the world through a mature amateur sleuth. I have a tendency to stick with sleuth's who are are in their 40's or younger. I cannot wait to read more in this series. It is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. How can you can wrong: books, pancakes, and murder?
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
February 16, 2019
Read on Arrival is the second book in Nora Page’s Bookmobile Mystery series. I had trouble getting into the story and connecting with the characters, but after a slow start, the story moves along at a steady pace with well-developed characters that are somewhat quirky. There are lots of twists and turns, red herrings, and no shortage of suspects. The reveal came as a surprise.
Cleo Jane Watkins is a seventy-five-year-old librarian who drives a school bus that’s been converted into a bookmobile named Words on Wheels. Cleo is appalled when a shiny Airstream pulled by a bright red truck purporting to be a bookmobile from Claymore, Georgia, a nearby town, shows up in Catalpa Springs. It’s decked out with loud music, a cotton candy machine, buckets of suds with giant bubble wands, and even a miniature pony named Lilliput, but no books and Mercer Whitty, president of the Catalpa Springs Library Board, is infatuated with Belle Beauchamp, the driver and innovator, and wants to hire her to revamp Cleo’s beloved library. Forty-five plus years ago, Dixie Huddleston checked out a library book entitled “Luck and Lore: Good luck, death lore, and deadly omens of the Deep South” which she’s never returned. Cleo wants the book returned so she can clear her records, but even though Dixie sometimes said she would return it, she was really only teasing and taunting Cleo. Dixie declares she wants to make amends to the long list of people she’s wronged and since the book’s luck is gone and signs are pointing to an unlucky ending to her life, she’s finally ready to return the book. When Cleo and Henry Lafayette, her friend and fellow book lover, arrive at Dixie’s home at the prearranged time, they find a fire in the kitchen and a swarm of bees and Dixie lifeless on the floor. The cause of death was an allergic reaction to bee stings, and even though she used her EpiPen, it had been tampered with and ineffective. Chief Silas Culpepper views Cleo as a suspect, but Gabby Honeywell, Cleo’s favorite deputy as well as her favorite neighbor, knows that’s not possible. Since Cleo’s had some success sleuthing in the past, Dixie’s best friend, Pat Holmes, asks her to find out who killed her friend.
I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.
Cleo Jane Watkins is a seventy-five-year-old librarian who drives a school bus that’s been converted into a bookmobile named Words on Wheels. Cleo is appalled when a shiny Airstream pulled by a bright red truck purporting to be a bookmobile from Claymore, Georgia, a nearby town, shows up in Catalpa Springs. It’s decked out with loud music, a cotton candy machine, buckets of suds with giant bubble wands, and even a miniature pony named Lilliput, but no books and Mercer Whitty, president of the Catalpa Springs Library Board, is infatuated with Belle Beauchamp, the driver and innovator, and wants to hire her to revamp Cleo’s beloved library. Forty-five plus years ago, Dixie Huddleston checked out a library book entitled “Luck and Lore: Good luck, death lore, and deadly omens of the Deep South” which she’s never returned. Cleo wants the book returned so she can clear her records, but even though Dixie sometimes said she would return it, she was really only teasing and taunting Cleo. Dixie declares she wants to make amends to the long list of people she’s wronged and since the book’s luck is gone and signs are pointing to an unlucky ending to her life, she’s finally ready to return the book. When Cleo and Henry Lafayette, her friend and fellow book lover, arrive at Dixie’s home at the prearranged time, they find a fire in the kitchen and a swarm of bees and Dixie lifeless on the floor. The cause of death was an allergic reaction to bee stings, and even though she used her EpiPen, it had been tampered with and ineffective. Chief Silas Culpepper views Cleo as a suspect, but Gabby Honeywell, Cleo’s favorite deputy as well as her favorite neighbor, knows that’s not possible. Since Cleo’s had some success sleuthing in the past, Dixie’s best friend, Pat Holmes, asks her to find out who killed her friend.
I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.
May 13, 2023
Cute detective story. A librarian is the main character. What's not to like?
July 11, 2019
Features , Cleo Watkins 70-year-old amateur sleuth/librarian and her cool Bookmobile. A quick, fun read with lots of engaging characters in a small town Southern setting. Cute dog. Cute cat.
May 12, 2019
“Read on Arrival” by Nora Page is the second book in the ‘Bookmobile Mystery’ series and it was an excellent read. The first one in the series was ‘Better Off Read’, although I have yet to read it. I don’t think this hindered my enjoyment of this one in any way.
What highly entertaining mix of mystery and mayhem! This was a wonderful cozy mystery which was both lovely and enjoyable. It made perfect reading for me between other more intense novels. It was funny and quirky with a fantastic plot. The characters were very well drawn by Nora Page and I especially liked the protagonist, Cleo. She made a perfect amateur sleuth and I liked that she was an older character who showed that she was game for anything.
This book was a great package of fun and excitement and although it was quite long for a cozy, it was a perfect book to enjoy whilst relaxing on the sofa with a large mug of hot chocolate.
I really appreciated the clever writing from Nora Page in this novel which kept me intrigued right to the end. Whilst there was plenty of substance to this mystery and an abundance of red herrings to mislead the reader, there was a high comedic value, too.
With its great story and wonderful characters, I would recommend “Read on Arrival” to all cozy mystery lovers out there who are wanting an easy-to-read weekend read. If you prefer more humour than a mystery to your cozy reading then this would be a good choice.
I will be looking out for the next book in the series.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel, at my own request, from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
What highly entertaining mix of mystery and mayhem! This was a wonderful cozy mystery which was both lovely and enjoyable. It made perfect reading for me between other more intense novels. It was funny and quirky with a fantastic plot. The characters were very well drawn by Nora Page and I especially liked the protagonist, Cleo. She made a perfect amateur sleuth and I liked that she was an older character who showed that she was game for anything.
This book was a great package of fun and excitement and although it was quite long for a cozy, it was a perfect book to enjoy whilst relaxing on the sofa with a large mug of hot chocolate.
I really appreciated the clever writing from Nora Page in this novel which kept me intrigued right to the end. Whilst there was plenty of substance to this mystery and an abundance of red herrings to mislead the reader, there was a high comedic value, too.
With its great story and wonderful characters, I would recommend “Read on Arrival” to all cozy mystery lovers out there who are wanting an easy-to-read weekend read. If you prefer more humour than a mystery to your cozy reading then this would be a good choice.
I will be looking out for the next book in the series.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel, at my own request, from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
July 26, 2021
Read on Arrival by Nora Page is the 2nd in the Bookmobile Mystery series and like the first Cleo is working hard getting her library back in order after the horrible storm that caused so much damage, while still driving the bookmobile around town spreading her love of books.
Cleo has a problem with one of her library regulars, she hasn't returned a book she checked out over 40 years ago and Cleo wants her book back! The overdue fees are up to $800, but Cleo would much rather have the book, but after numerous requests and even an article in the newspaper where Cleo is complaining about the patron and her loan, she still can't get the book back. Then when this patron turns up dead, Cleo begins to lose hope she'll ever see her book again. Putting the issue of the overdue book on the backburner for now Cleo is now wrapped up in trying to figure out who killed this woman.
When the mayor introduces Cleo to the new consultant he hired to guide him on the library design and operations Cleo is fit to be tied. She knows the mayor is smitten and that's the only reason he's promoting this woman's ideas. Now Cleo must deal with this new "employee." All her ideas for the new library and the bookmobile are outrageous and don't even revolve around books, in fact she believes books are clutter and wants to thin out the library's stock. Well this is not going over well with Cleo, she's a librarian who loves her books and her library and will do anything to keep it the way it's always been. It's what the community expects.
Between the murder and the impossible library consultant Cleo will be kept quite busy in this book. She's still got her trusty cat Rhett by her side and her good friend Henry to help. She's a librarian with spunk who'll do what it takes to make sure her town has the best when it comes to books and she's not afraid to do the tough stuff to make sure they get it! I really enjoy this series and the characters are charming. I love an older protagonist that has spunk and does things considered outside the elder box of norms. I sure wouldn't miss my return date with Cleo as my librarian! LOL Happy Reading!
Cleo has a problem with one of her library regulars, she hasn't returned a book she checked out over 40 years ago and Cleo wants her book back! The overdue fees are up to $800, but Cleo would much rather have the book, but after numerous requests and even an article in the newspaper where Cleo is complaining about the patron and her loan, she still can't get the book back. Then when this patron turns up dead, Cleo begins to lose hope she'll ever see her book again. Putting the issue of the overdue book on the backburner for now Cleo is now wrapped up in trying to figure out who killed this woman.
When the mayor introduces Cleo to the new consultant he hired to guide him on the library design and operations Cleo is fit to be tied. She knows the mayor is smitten and that's the only reason he's promoting this woman's ideas. Now Cleo must deal with this new "employee." All her ideas for the new library and the bookmobile are outrageous and don't even revolve around books, in fact she believes books are clutter and wants to thin out the library's stock. Well this is not going over well with Cleo, she's a librarian who loves her books and her library and will do anything to keep it the way it's always been. It's what the community expects.
Between the murder and the impossible library consultant Cleo will be kept quite busy in this book. She's still got her trusty cat Rhett by her side and her good friend Henry to help. She's a librarian with spunk who'll do what it takes to make sure her town has the best when it comes to books and she's not afraid to do the tough stuff to make sure they get it! I really enjoy this series and the characters are charming. I love an older protagonist that has spunk and does things considered outside the elder box of norms. I sure wouldn't miss my return date with Cleo as my librarian! LOL Happy Reading!
September 4, 2019
I loved the plotting and the characters. What I did not find very believable was the librarian, Cleo, obsessing over one specific overdue book. However, that book was integral to the plot, so I can't gripe too much, but I will gripe a little. This of course, was a very small town, and Cleo was well-acquainted with the library patron who had the overdue book. In a large library system, we don't obsess over specific overdue titles; we simply block the patron's account until the item is returned or paid for. We certainly don't nag them, or go to their home to try to retrieve the book. We also purchase new copies of titles that are so long overdue, there is little hope of getting them back. Another scene I found unbelievable is when someone gave Cleo a personal copy of the overdue book title. Instead of being happy to have a copy she could then add to the collection to replace the long overdue copy, she simply said, "It's not the same as having the library copy." PIFFLE!!! and NONSENSE!!! It was a gift horse of which she looked squarely in the mouth. But maybe they do things differently in very small towns. Apart from these very NON-librarian obsessions, Cleo was a delightful character, and the story was a lot of fun.
May 7, 2019
I enjoyed the imaginative and fun sides to this story along with the colorful descriptions. I really enjoyed the police chief who had recently attended a workshop and came back to work using very unique tactics in handling a suspect. The author also did a good job of making the unlikeable characters truly unlikeable. What I had trouble with was the obsession that Cleo Watkins, librarian, had with getting back a library book that had been checked out over 40 years ago. It seems she has obsessed over and been taunted by this one book for decades. Even when she found a dead body that book was on her mind.
This is Bookmobile Mystery #2 but is could also be read as a stand alone. Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for an ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.
This is Bookmobile Mystery #2 but is could also be read as a stand alone. Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for an ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.
June 3, 2019
I really enjoyed the first of this series last fall and I am happy to say this was another fun read! What's not to love about a spunky 75 year old Head Librarian who runs the town's bookmobile and seems to find trouble along her route??? This was a fun mystery that had me guessing and with a good side story of Cleo fighting someone with pure crazy ideas for the library. The town setting is charming and there are plenty of great characters which help make this a super fun series that is on my favorites list for sure!
March 10, 2019
A mystery that has lots of deep furors which twists you any which way it can, that leads to a lotta dead ends, but oh, what a complexity, it captivates your thirst for puzzle solving. This book started off tame enough and wind up being a doozer of a mystery. Although my gut was telling me whodunit, there was just not enough clues, that is just to tell how twisted and demented this killer really was. A well crafted puzzling mystery that intrigues and gripped your interest as you read along.
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