I love some of these characters! They had me giggling at times. Cleo sounds like a librarian that I would love to have in my library. Did y’all have bookmobiles when you were growing up. I did and I loved them! Words on Wheels, what an awesome name for a bookmobile! Sounds like a place I would like to hang out. Do you have a best friend? Are they really a best friend? I would want one like Mary-Rose. I’ll take Gabby for a neighbor too. So much good food in this book and a great story with awesome characters. I hope we meet again. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

This was a fun book. I didnt want to put it down and it kept me guessing. It was a light and quick read. I would recommend it.

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.

Seventy-five year old librarian, Cleo Watkins believes in good manners, respect, and justice. She has been trying to get Dixie Huddleston to return the book she borrowed over forty years ago. When Dixie apprises Cleo that she will return the book, Cleo is skeptical. Dixie has fooled her before. When Dixie states that she has lost all her luck and asks Cleo to meet her, Cleo is hopeful. When Cleo arrives, she finds Dixie’s body riddled with bee stings, dead. Can Cleo find the culprit before she’s the one arrested for murder?
I really liked this novel. It had juicy characters that you couldn’t figure out if they were the murderer or not. It had a plot that was twisty enough that the pages kept turning. I loved the main character and her determination to find the killer and protect her friends. The only drawback with this story was that it was a little drawn out, in my opinion. It slowed the pace of the book. I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily reviewing it.

Actually, READ ON ARRIVAL had me at one word “bookmobile”, and I confess I love a good Cozy Mystery. When you combine that with books on wheels (for I have fond memories of bookmobiles in my rural neighborhood when I was little) then I was hooked on the idea from the moment I saw this one on NetGalley. I have not read the first book in this series, but I will go back to it at some point soon.

I enjoyed myself with READ ON ARRIVAL and didn’t feel that I was missing anything by starting with the second book in the series. Cleo is quite a character and I mean that in a different way than a character in the book. Cleo has been in a battle with Dixie for decades to return an overdue library book, and it seems, finally, that Dixie is giving up the fight when she asks Cleo to come to fetch the blasted book. Unfortunately for Dixie, that book would be the death of her — and Cleo would be blamed. Now Cleo must clear her name, find the true murderer and deal with other annoying people trying to strip her beloved library bare of all books. Now to figure out who really did commit murder.

It might have helped with some relationships to have started at the very first book, but I wasn’t lost as the information I needed as to who was who is provided in narrative or dialogue. I love Cozy Mysteries but I don’t really lose myself in trying to figure out whodunit, I just enjoy the journey to that point. I did enjoy READ ON ARRIVAL, it kept my attention with interesting characters and a plot with some expected and unexpected twists. If you love a good Cozy Mystery then you’ll want to check out this story and this series.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

Librarian Cleo Watkins has her hands full. The president of the Catalpa Springs Library Board, Mercer Whitty, has become enamored with a young lady who has her own version of a bookmobile, one that has very few actual books. Worse yet, Belle Beauchamp wants to put her skills at “innovating” towards the library itself, something that involves removing most of the library’s cherished books. Meanwhile, Dixie Huddleston is promising to return a book she’s kept checked out for over 40 years, claiming the luck of the book has turned on her and she has to make amends before she dies. Someone does want Dixie dead, however, as she’s murdered in her home in a very unusual way and now almost everyone in town is a suspect- including Cleo. Can Cleo help identify the murderer and save her own precious library from “innovation”?

READ ON ARRIVAL is the second book in the <i>Bookmobile Mystery</i> series. I love books, particularly cozy mysteries, featuring librarians and books, but I have to admit I was a little worried that Cleo’s age would make it hard for me to relate to her. Shame on me, as I can’t wait to dive into the first book, BETTER OFF DEAD, as Cleo is a hoot!

The opening pages of READ ON ARRIVAL had me hooked. The descriptions of BOOK IT, the book lacking bookmobile, still have me in stitches! Nora Page’s clever sense of humor infuses the entire book, keeping the mood light despite the horrifying death of Dixie. I don’t want to reveal any spoilers as there are lots of humorous moments but the ones featuring Belle and her plans for the library are just priceless. Cleo’s horror at each and every ridiculous idea is one every book lover will appreciate.

READ ON ARRIVAL is one of the best cozy mysteries I’ve read this year (and I’ve read quite a few already). Spectacular humor, a chilling murder, a plethora of suspects, and a heroine who would give Miss Marple a run for her money all make READ ON ARRIVAL a must read for cozy mystery fans.

*review is in the editing queue at Fresh Fiction*

Read on Arrival by Nora Page is the second installment in the Bookmobile Mystery series. This was the first one I have read but was able to up to date quickly.
Senior librarian, Cleo, is waiting for the reopening of her library, the only thorn in her side is a book that has been over due for 40 years. The book is about luck and a realtor, Dixie, has kept it out saying it is her lucky charm. The luck has worn off since Cleo finds Dixie dead from an allergic reaction. Cleo goes to the top of the list of suspects.
There are plenty of twists and turns that will have you wondering until the end. The characters and setting are enjoyable. You have friendship, loveable pets, and humor. Overall this is an easy to read cozy. I really enjoyed that the majority of the characters are senior citizens.
I was given an ARC by Netgalley for an honest review.

Read on Arrival is the second book in the Bookmobile Mystery cozy series. It works well as a standalone; I did not read the first book and didn’t have any problems following the story.

Overall, the story seems farfetched, but with all the advancements in technology, who knows what the future will bring? I do often wonder what will happen to libraries as the coming years bring even more changes. In this book a female named Belle comes to town with ideas to innovate the local library, get rid of most of the books and turn the library into a fun place to go. The main character, seventy-five-year-old Cleo Watkins, the librarian, opposes dramatic changes to the library and bookmobile she loves. Another part of the plot involves the death of Dixie, a rather mean-spirited woman, who checked out a book 40 years ago; Cleo spent those years trying to get the book back. Dixie spent a good many of those years taunting Cleo with the book. Of course, Cleo is a minor suspect in Dixie’s death and wants to find out what happened.

For the most part, I enjoyed the story, and I really came to like Cleo. At times, it seemed as if the author was really going for a more humorous book than I thought this was; however, I did enjoy the story.

“Read on Arrival” is the 2nd installment in the Bookmobile mystery series by Nora Page.

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 reason: superstitious Dixie says she’s seen the signs: 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.

Protagonist Cleo makes an interesting amateur sleuth, I like when characters are seniors but show that that are still up for anything. This can be read as a stand-alone, I was able to follow along without reading the first book but do recommend reading “Better Off Read”.

Cleo is a small town librarian in Catalpa Springs, I really liked the small town southern setting and would love to have a bookmobile in my neighbourhood. The character development is growing nicely and I love quirky characters. The plot (murder of Dixie) was good but I also liked plots involving the library board and the competition between BOOK IT! and Words on Wheels bookmobiles. All of this kept me entertained and interested in the story, I read in one sitting.

I am looking forward to the 3rd installment in the Bookmobile mystery series

I requested and received an Advanced Readers Copy from Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.

Cleo is back and still trying to save the library and her bookmobile. In the second of the series, the library is about to reopen. There is a competing entertainment Airstream trying to pass itself off as a bookmobile. It is headed by Belle Beauchamp, whom is annoying as all get out. She has designs to redo the library with as few books as possible and worms her way into being supported by a wealthy board member. I could not envision a library without books.

I found the nemesis to be very stress causing and found the book not as enjoyable as the first for that reason.

Good beach read.

Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to obtain an advance copy of this book. Read on Arrival is a nice cozy mystery with a small town librarian as the main character. As a person who values libraries, I was really interested in the setting, including the book mobile. It was nice to see that the story did not only focus on the murder of Dixie, but to see the sub-plots involving the library board and the competition brought on by Belle and her bookless bookmobile. It allowed for character development, especially Cleo, and it kept me interested in reading the book (a likable main character is really important in my humble opinion). Also, I didn't like Belle, Mercer and Jacquelyn, but they served their purpose well as characters we are not supposed to like. The author did a wonderful job at creating characters that we don't want to see succeed in their schemes. Read on Arrival was the perfect book for me for my commute home after work - interesting mystery, good character development, and a relaxing read. I will definitely read more books by Nora Page, I am happy to have discovered a new talented writer.

Catalpa Springs librarian Cleo Watkins has a nemesis: she had tried for 40 years to get Dixie Huddleston to return the most overdue book in the library. When Dixie says she is about to die and is setting her affairs in order and will return the book, Cleo is skeptical. Then Cleo and her friend Henry arrive at Dixie’s home to find her locked in the pantry, dead of multiple bee stings. The police put Cleo among the likely suspects so she has to clear her name. Dixie's estranged daughter Amy-Rea and miming son Jonathan are more likely candidates for killer. Meanwhile, the residents of Catalpa Springs are victimized by death threats and everyone is seeing bad luck everywhere. Cleo's beloved bookmobile Words on Wheels is also under attack by the prankster and by contractor Belle who is hired to "modernize" the library.

Although I enjoyed the first book, I had trouble getting into this story: it took much longer to slog through and read it.

I received an eARC via Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.

While there are a few chuckle-worthy moments and some delectable-sounding culinary offerings, the majority of Read on Arrival, Book 2 of Nora Page’s Bookmobile Mystery series, was a bit of a disappointment. I was hopeful after reading Book 1. I really liked the setting and the premise and the characters. Read on Arrival, however, seems to wander around and never completely delivers on any of those promises. Page tends to get bogged down in details and makes the mystery more complex than necessary, especially for a cozy. Not a bad read, but not a particularly good one either.

An enjoyable read. Loved the style and the characters. The storyline moved along flawlessly and kept me totally involved. If these characters were to appear again for another adventure, I would be along for the ride.

After reading 100 pages. this book was just not for me. I didn't connect with any of the characters and spent more time being annoyed than enjoying what I was reading.
I had been really looking forward to it, but it had to be a Did Not Finish. So very disappointing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Read on Arrival, the second in the Bookmobile mystery series, is a cute, fun read. Cleo makes an interesting sleuth who is still going strong in her seventies.

One of the best parts of the book is that it acts pretty well as a stand alone novel. You don’t have to have read the previous book to enjoy this one. And best of all, Page does not give readers a huge info dump, instead letting the characters and hints, but not the solution of, the previous novel come naturally in her writing.

If you are familiar with cozy mysteries, then this doesn’t offer anything new; however, it is a fun entertaining read with likable characters and crazy situations.

Read on Arrival
(Bookmobile Mystery #2)
by Nora Page

Kindle Edition, 304 pages
Expected publication: May 7th 2019 by Crooked Lane Books




Goodreads synopsis:
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 reason: superstitious Dixie says she’s seen the signs: 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.

***

4 Stars

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.

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, <i>Better Off Read</i> (<a href="https://nightcapbooks.com/book-review-better-off-read-by-nora-page/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">my review here</a>), 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.

Competing bookmobiles? Cleo, our 70something heroine, thought she saved the books for Catalpa Springs when she created the bookmobile and then Belle comes to town = less interested in the books than in herself (let's be honest). Cleo, who has had a long time and somewhat unrealistic sparring match going with Dixie over an unreturned books, finds Dixie dead (stung by bees) and then, in classic cozy style, becomes a suspect. Along with her beau Henry and her loyal cat, she investigates= and while you might guess the culprit early on, there are some twists. As with the first book, this would have benefited from another edit. There are good characters though- it's always nice to see a "mature" woman in a novel. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

I loved the first book in this series and I loved this one.
It's fun to read, entertaining and well written.
I love how the characters are fleshed out, the setting and the humour.
The mystery is good, no plot hole, and it made me guessing till the end.
I look forward to reading the next installment in this series.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine