When her best hope of saving her storm-damaged library is found murdered, senior librarian Cleo Watkins hits the road in her bookmobile in search of justice.
Septuagenarian librarian Cleo Watkins won’t be shushed when an upstart young mayor threatens to permanently shelve 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.
However, Cleo soon rolls into trouble. 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. She knows she should when she discovers him bludgeoned and evidence points to her best friend, Mary-Rose Garland.
Sure 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, but a killer is overdue to strike again. With lives and her library on the line, Cleo must shift into high gear to close the book on murder in Better Off Read, the charming Bookmobile series debut by Nora Page.[summary via Amazon]
Better Off Read is the first book in the Bookmobile Mysteries by Nora Page, and for me, it was love at first page!! I was instantly captivated by this unique mystery that sees Septuagenarian librarian, Cleo Watkins, throw herself into solving a murder mystery in her sweet town of Catalpa Springs.
A lot of cozy mystery novels I read feature middle-aged amateur sleuths trying to solve murder mysteries. While I love the middle age sleuths (I'm now almost at that middle age, but I'm not sure I could solve a real life murder), it was great to see an older sleuth and one that isn't retired. No, the retired life isn't for Cleo - instead she's still a librarian - albeit one that is trying to save her library, after it was hit with water damage, and solve a mystery too!!
Cleo has help in the form of a couple of four-legged friends, as well as her grandson, Ollie, and her best friend, Mary-Rose Garland. Together they go on a wild ride together, trying to solve the mystery!
I loved all the interesting people that make up Catalpa Springs, and oh gosh are there some real "characters"! I really liked how close Cleo is with her family, and "just like family" friends. Her grandson, Ollie, lives in the little cottage in her backyard, and they have a very close relationship. I'm really looking forward to reading future novels, to see how these characters develop further.
The mystery itself was interesting and kept me glued right to the end. Add in delightful characters, including Rhett Butler, her gorgeous Persian, and beau Henry's cute pug, Mr Chaucer, and you have a first class mystery that you won't be able to put down.
If you love book-themed cozy mysteries you don't want to miss this series.
I loved all the interesting people that make up Catalpa Springs, and oh gosh are there some real "characters"! I really liked how close Cleo is with her family, and "just like family" friends. Her grandson, Ollie, lives in the little cottage in her backyard, and they have a very close relationship. I'm really looking forward to reading future novels, to see how these characters develop further.
The mystery itself was interesting and kept me glued right to the end. Add in delightful characters, including Rhett Butler, her gorgeous Persian, and beau Henry's cute pug, Mr Chaucer, and you have a first class mystery that you won't be able to put down.
If you love book-themed cozy mysteries you don't want to miss this series.
Love your series. I like when animals are involved.😊
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