The book had me at a cat named Rhett Butler! Cleo Watkins is a senior librarian who drives a bookmobile and solves crimes with the help her partner, Rhett Butler who is adorable. When an antique book fair turns deadly, it's up to Cleo to find the real murderer before her life or those he loves changes forever!

I love senior sleuths and Cleo is one of the best I've "met". Smart, kind, involved in the community and a devoted friend, Cleo has her hands full solving this mystery. So many things I liked about this book -the mystery and small town setting, well written supporting characters, her relationship with her "gentleman friend" Henry, nosy neighbors, a young female police officer who is smarter than the grumpy chief, the bookmobile and of course, Rhett Butler and Henry's lovable canine Mr. Chaucy.

Cleo continually surprised me! It's a fun series that I'll definitely follow. Got to see what's going on with Cleo and Henry!

I received an ARC from NetGalley for a fair and honest review of this book,

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books, for providing me a free digital advance copy of "Read or Alive" in exchange for feedback.

"Read or Alive" had all of what I'm looking for in a cozy mystery - an engaging puzzle, likeable characters, a satisfying conclusion, and a cat.

Cleo Watkins is a librarian who manages the bookmobile, but she has taken the day off to go to an antiquarian book festival, to meet her friends (and her dreamy boyfriend) and browse among the beautiful old books. Disaster strikes almost immediately - first, as it becomes clear that a pair of extremely shady book dealers have scammed Cleo's cousin Dot out of a number of treasured books, including her autographed first edition of "Gone with the Wind," and then as (perhaps inevitably, considering that this is a mystery novel) murder strikes the book festival. Now, Cleo has to investigate - to solve the crime, clear the good name of her dear, dear boyfriend, and, if at all possible, recover Dot's stolen books.

This is book three of a series, and I haven't read the first two, but Nora Page does an excellent job of making sure I knew what I needed to know to enjoy it, and I never felt like I had missed something by jumping into the middle of the series. I liked the major characters, especially the lead, and because I was recently talking to an older friend who was complaining that it's almost impossibly difficult to find books with main characters over the age about seventy, I noticed and appreciated that Cleo is in her seventies.

I look to a cozy mystery for coziness, and I laughed at myself because I actually got pretty tense at the scenes involving the shady book dealers and their shady, shady offenses against books. When it became clear that Kitty was actually CUTTING OUT PAGES from the stolen books, I felt some feelings. Murder is fine, but it turns out that my personal psychology draws a hard line at book mutilation. Which will probably tell you something about me.

I'd definitely read another book in this series the next time I'm looking for a cozy, and might even go back and try the beginning of the series.

Librarian Cleo Watkins and her best friend, Mary Rose Garland are beyond excited to attend the Georgia Antiquarian Book Society Fair and pour over all the rare books, old books, manuscripts, photographs, etc., featured at the different booths. Henry Lafayette, Cleo’s significant other, will have a booth for his shop, the Gilded Page. When the fair opens, it quickly becomes evident to Cleo there are dealers selling goods they didn’t come by legally. Accusations fly, and someone turns up dead.

Book three in the Bookmobile Mystery series is an entertaining novel. I always enjoy re-visiting Catalpa Springs, Georgia and the affable cast of characters who feel like old friends. Cleo’s cat, Rhett Butler, and Henry’s old pug, Mr. Chaucer are sweet 4-legged companions for both their owners and are usually by their sides as they sleuth.

The mystery is a good one, and I didn’t realize who the culprit was until the author revealed how she had cleverly disguised them. I wish the Bookmobile had been featured more in this story, as it had in previous books. Cookie recipe included that sounds delish!

I honestly reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books. Thank you.

Unfortunately, I was not able to make it past chapter two in this book. I've enjoyed her others, so am really not sure why. I will try again later and update my review if I am able to finish it.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the arc! This is one of my favorite cozy mystery series and this third entry is the best one yet. I kept thinking I had it all figured out and then realized I didn’t! If you like cozy mysteries featuring librarians, cute pets and strong storytelling add this to your list!

A good cozy mystery. This one really had me guessing till the unexpected end. Couple that with
wonderful characters and that made this a very enjoyable read

A cute and cozy mystery. Cleo and her fellow book lovers are being scammed out of their rare finds and some are being murdered or set up as the guilty party. The author had me questioning who the guilty party was until the very end.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc.

Cleo Watkins is a librarian who happens to drive a bookmobile. While she is a senior citizen she still has a lot of life and spunk in her.

As she and her friend visit a book show she meets a less than honest book seller who ends up dead behind a local book restorer's shop. Henry owns the shop and it is hammer that was the murder weapon.

This is a fun cozy mystery and I enjoyed it very much.

Read or Alive is an entertaining cozy mystery. Quick easy read. My thanks to the publisher for my advance ebook. This is my unbiased review.

I read a lot of cozy mysteries, and I recognize they are supposed to be light, silly, quick reading. However, every once in awhile, one comes along that is SO silly that I can’t even tolerate the stupidity. This is one of them. I found the characters insipid and irritating, and the plot ridiculous. Not a fan...

Read or Alive by Nora Page was another engaging mystery in the Bookmobile Mystery series.

Ms. Page's descriptive writing has allowed the characters, Cleo, Dot, MaryRose, Henry to come to life within these books. It's refreshing to have characters that are mature and contribute so much to their communities. Cleo's sleuthing is realistic because she basically just puts the word out to her library patrons and they bring the clues to her. Catalpa Springs seems to be a charming small town that also has it's usual drawbacks, nosy neighbors and a grapevine that works faster than the internet. Although the pace of the story seemed to slow down in the middle, it was a well written mystery with plenty of twists to keep me guessing until the reveal.

I love me a cozy mystery! Nora Paige always gotta the spot with her clever, relaxing, perfectly fun stories. Love reading her books and feeling like I've been transported somewhere relaxing, but with a good clean mystery to solve.

Although I enjoyed the first in the series this one bored me. Went on and on with nothing much happening. It seemed disjointed in the characters’ reactions and relationships this time
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for allowing me this arc

Former librarian Cleo Watkins, 76, runs the mobile library service in Catalpa Springs.
As a total book-lover, Cleo is thrilled when the Antiquarian Book Society Fair come to her small town.
But then her friend Henry is accused of the murder of an unscrupulous book dealer who has deceived vulnerable book owners to steal their rare first editions and other valuable books.
The book world has never been so dangerous!

The 3rd Person Point of View did not work for me in this book - there were too few alternative voices.
Although the characters were engaging, the tone of this murder mystery was rather humourless, so 3 stars for Read or Alive.

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!

I really like this series! The characters are well developed and likable. I wish Cleo didn't get as involved with the police side, because it makes it unbelievable, but it is still fun to read. I look forward to the next book in this series!

I really enjoyed this book. The characters are delightful and I enjoyed the setting. The mystery is fun and makes for the perfect afternoon of reading.

This book is third in the bookmobile series and is every bit as delightful as the first two. I love the Cleo and her fiends and the town they all live in. It's a light cozy and not overly complicated but makes for a fun quick read when you need some distraction from the days events. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

"Hold tight to your wallet, Cleo Jane."
Mary-Rose, Cleo's best friend reminds her on their way to a book fair.
Cleo Watkins is a librarian who has a Bookmobile- words on wheels. Her young protege', Leanna is working the library.
The Georgia Aniquarian Book Society Fair is a one-week extravaganza of rare books at Catalpa Springs Railway Depot.
It's also the place of murder and suspense for the little town.
"How could I ever get my heart broken among books and booklovers?"
You will not regret picking up this wonderful book! Page Turner until the very end.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for this eARC

Such a cute fun series, centered around the bookmobile. The author truly brings these characters to life and keeps it interesting with the mysteries.