It's time for another Bookmobile Mystery, with our favourite sleuthing duo, Cleo Watkins and her cat, Rhett Butler!!

Cleo and her friends are looking forward to the annual fair, sponsored by the Georgia Antiquarian Book Society. Like any bibliomaniac, Cleo can't wait to snag some deals and some new books. However things go awry when her cousin, Dot, is conned out her first edition of Gone with the Wind, by the slippery Hunter Fox. Cleo is determined to help her cousin get her book back. However, there is a twist in the plans when Hunter Fox turns up dead and the Chief of Police seems determined to peg the crime on Dot!

I really enjoyed the first Bookmobile, Better Off Read. Cleo brings a different flair to the world of "book-themed" cozy mysteries. She's older, but still determined to create new adventures, and she's someone that a lot of readers can relate to. For her human side-kicks, she has Henry (her "boyfriend") Ollie (her grandson), cousin Dot and friend Mary-Anne. Together they encourage each other to get involved in the sleuthing and it is a blast a minute!

Nora Page delivers a first class mystery, involving the world of book collecting. It involves the seedier side of book collecting, with Hunter Fox trying to swindle old ladies out of their beloved book treasures. I really enjoyed watching to mystery wind around on itself, as I tried to solve the mystery alongside Cleo and her friends.

Whether you're a seasoned reader of the Bookmobile mysteries, or new to the series, I highly encourage you to pick up Read or Alive. You'll be charmed by an enticing mystery and the residents of Catalpa Springs, and be wanting to come back for more!

Another nice cozy mystery! It's time for the Georgia Antiquarian Book Society Fair and Cleo has to solve another murder. Is Dot guilty?
Thank you Netgalley for this interesting story!

Cute cozy. Anyone who loves library or book centered cozies will love this. Can't wait to read the next one!

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with an ARC of Read or Alive. I was delighted to be reunited with beloved characters Cleo and Henry. They make a cute couple, and they complement each other. During the entire book, I felt sorry for Dot, she did not deserve what happened to her. The description of location and surroundings is wonderful, I can picture everything as I read. The mystery around Hunter Fox's death kept me reading, along with Cleo's contagious love for books. Nora Page is a talented writer, her characters and story lines are a delight.

Bibliomania, forged books, swindles, thefts, blackmail and murder are featured in the 3rd “Bookmobile Mystery” entry. So nice to see a 70 something librarian who is feisty, clever, energetic and smart. Good supporting characters, including a charming pug and spirited kitty. Recipes included.
Thanks to #ReadorAlive and #NetGalley for advanced digital copy.

What a delightful cozy mystery! What's not to love? Sassy senior citizen Cleo drives the local bookmobile and solves local murders. This one features the death of a visiting book con man and circumstantial evidence either implications her cousin Dot or her boyfriend Henry.

The murderer was NOT predictable as it is in many cozy mysteries and I delighted in my surprise. I will definitely read more by this author and in this series.

Absolutely love this series! Cleo Watkins is #goals for a librarian...well, minus the penchant for finding murder victims! Please keep them coming!

I'm really enjoying the Bookmobile Mysteries, and this was a good addition to the series. I loved being back with Cleo and her friends again. In this one, rare books go missing, and a man is murdered. It is up to Cleo to solve the case before the police arrest her gentleman friend, Henry.

As with the previous two books, I liked the characters, and found the storyline fun and entertaining. This was a quick and easy to read cozy mystery.

This was a great cozy mystery that had me guessing all the way through the story. Great clues, diabolical characters and a quaint Southern setting made the reading fun. The main character, Cleo, is intelligent, mannered, and full of heart. When her beau and her cousin are both accused of murder, she takes the case and finds the truth. I also love that she drives a bookmobile. I can't wait until the next installment. I received an advanced reader's copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Read or Alive by Nora Page is about librarian Cleo Watkins and her loved ones . The Georgia Antiquarian Book Society has come to Catalpa Sprints in honor of her friend, Henry. When someone is murdered over a rare book, Cleo’s cousin, Dot, as well as her friend, Henry, become suspects. Cleo has to help solve the mystery to protect her friends and family. This was a good mystery and is the 3rd in the Bookmobile Mystery Series. There were many suspects trying to scout out or steal first editions of books. Good thing Cleo was there to correct the Chief of Police. Thank you to Net Galley for an advanced readers copy for review.

I enjoyed this book more than Read on Arrival (#2 in the series). Perhaps it's because I know all the characters better having met them before.

Cleo, the librarian, once again is drawn into a murder. This time the main suspects are her cousin Dot and her gentleman friend Henry. The Georgia Antiquarian Book Society Fair is taking place in the town of Catalpa Springs and Henry is the host.

Books bring out both the best and worst in people. When an unscrupulous bookseller is murdered, there are plenty of people to suspect. Unfortunately, the Chief of Police is totally enamored with one of them and believes that she can do no wrong. The fact that he sees Cleo as an amateur and doesn't want her mixed up in his investigations is no help at all. The evidence points to Henry. How can Cleo prove his innocence?

Tension between lovers, missing witnesses, crabby neighbors, persistent buyers. This book has them all. And the end.... well, I shouldn't reveal anything.

What I love most about these books is that there is almost no violence other than the initial murder. There is nothing graphic. When the climax comes, it's not with the protagonist being held at gunpoint while she tries to figure a way out of her situation. Cleo is wise and does not take foolish chances. She knows what she is trying to find and works at it. She solves the mystery (with a little help from others) without endangering everyone around her. She is the perfect sleuth!

Hoping there will be a #4 soon to follow!

Although a bookmobile themed cozy is not a unique premise, the whodunit was well written and kept me guessing.
I just don’t find the characters appealing.

I've been re-reading the Donna Andrews series with the main character Meg Langslow. Looking for something similar I checked out Novelist and they recommended this series. When I saw this book was available to review, I jumped at the chance to review it. Sadly, it wasn't what I expected. The second in the series, Cleo Watkins is a 70 something librarian wheeling about town in her bookmobile. Her cousin is scammed out of some rare books and then the scammer ends up dead. Cleo has to find out who killed him before her cousin ends up in jail.
I read for characters, I want to like them I want them to be snarky and sarcastic or at least somewhat humorous. Since I'm getting older and discovered that older main characters appeal to me more. These characters did not appeal to me. I didn't find them likable, I didn't find the book quirky or humorous. It was well written, it had an okay mystery, but it didn't appeal to me. #netgalley #readoralive

Description
Wrongful accusations have librarian Cleo Watkins and her loved ones booked for trouble.

It's springtime and septuagenarian librarian Cleo Watkins is celebrating new blooms and old books. To her delight, the Georgia Antiquarian Book Society has brought its annual fair to Catalpa Springs in honor of Cleo's gentleman friend, respected antiquarian bookseller and restorer, Henry Lafayette. However, trouble rolls in with the fair when a flirtatious book scout makes the rounds, charming locals out of prized books.

Among the conned is Cleo's cousin, Dot, who handed over a signed, first edition of Gone With the Wind. With no proof the scout took the valuable book, Dot is at a loss. And when the deceitful man is found murdered the very next morning, Dot becomes a prime suspect. To Cleo's dismay, so is Henry. The scene of the crime is behind Henry's shop and his bookbinding tool is the murder weapon. As evidence stacks up against Henry, the police aren't alone in questioning his innocence. Even friends and family ask Cleo how well she truly knows her gentleman friend.

Although books are at the heart of the crimes, Cleo feels dizzyingly out of her depths. Someone is setting up the people she holds dearest. With the authorities on the wrong trail, Cleo has no choice but to catalog the evidence herself. Along with her trusty bookmobile cat Rhett Butler, it will be up to Cleo to book the real killer for good.

My Review
Book 3 of the Bookmobile Mystery Series - Read or Alive is a great cozy mystery I am sure you will love as much as I did.

The novel starts off with librarian Cleo attending the local event at the Catalpa Springs Railway Depot. Cleo was as giddy as she could be since her only real weakness was her love of books.

Trouble soon ensues when the so-called Scout swindles many out of their prized possessions and then ends up dead.

Before any more of her friends become implicated Cleo jumps at the chance to figure out who really killed Hunter before it's too late.

The characters are well-defined and enjoyable - especially Cleo! Easy - fun read. Highly recommend.

Bookmobile Mystery #3

Two wrongful accusations have librarian Cleo Watkins and her loved ones booked for trouble.

It's always a fun time going to Catalpa Springs, Georgia, to visit librarian Cleo Watkins and her friends. And they are all here and quivering with excitement to be at the Georgia Antiquarian Book Society Event. Cleo's beau Henry will be there with a booth. Henry is a bookseller and restorer and is very well respected in his field. 


Everyone is looking forward to seeing old books, manuscripts and hoping to find a treasure or two.

Unfortunately not all book people are in love with books, but money. And there are some unscrupulous dealers at this event that catch Cleo's eye right away! Is the bookplate in a dealer's trash one from a book her cousin Dot owns? A first edition Gone With The Wind?

Someone in town is scamming people out of their priceless treasures. Also, unfortunately, the book scout who she has accused is found dead behind Henry's shop with death by bookbinding hammer!

Who in the world is setting up her friends? It's obvious to Cleo that the police are headed in the wrong direction so she has no choice but to check out the evidence and find a killer. And as usual her cat, Rhett Butler, will be assisting!

Being a Georgia girl with my own first copy of GWTW, this book was so much fun. The characters are clever and funny and most are way over 50, which makes it all the more fun!!  Who doesn't love bookmobiles and cozy mysteries? 

Well Done!

NetGalley/ May 12th, 2020 by Crooked Lane Books

This was a fun and engaging cozy mystery. It's a well crafted mystery and I had no clue until the end who dunnit. Cannot wait to read more from Nora Page.
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Bookmobile Mystery # 3. Cleo Watkins is a librarian in Catalpa Springs Georgia and she is excited that the Georgia Antiquarian Book Society has brought its annual fair to town. As she and her friend Mary Rose go to fair to see Henry and his booth along with all the other book sellers. There appears to be some unscrupulous folks about and it appears that Cleo’s cousin Dot along with others have been conned out of their prized possessions among which is Dot’s signed first edition of Gone with the Wind. Dot has no proof that that flirtatious book scout is the one that took it, however when he ends up dead behind Henry’s shop it looks like Cleo needs to get into action to protect her beau and cousin before the fair and the seller’s leave town. This is a good solid cozy and the story keeps you engaged. I like that the characters are older as that is different than many of the books on the market. Nice for a change. This is a good series and look forward to the next.

This was a fun and engaging cosy mystery. It's a well crafted mystery and I had no clue who the culprit was until the end due to some red herrings. I also really liked the bookmobile and several of the characters.

With the encouragement of Henry Lafayette, the Georgia Antiquarian Book Society has brought its annual fair to Catalpa Springs. In Read or Alive by Nora Page, bookmobile librarian Cleo Watkins is thrilled for Henry, her gentleman friend. She loves books as much as he does.

Unfortunately, not all Society members have the best interest of books at heart. Two such character are the vivacious, flirty Marilyn Monroe lookalike Kitty Peavy and handsome, suave Hunter Fox. Both are less than scrupulous when it comes to purchasing books. Then one of them is murdered.

A delighful, charming series

First book of this series I've read and was pleasantly surprised by Cleo and her love of books and friends. Cleo is a fun senior with a heart that feels deeply and a mind sharp as a tack. Loved the added recipe for cookies that are an integral part of story