• Better Off Read

  • A Bookmobile Mystery, Book 1
  • By: Nora Page
  • Narrated by: Ann Richardson
  • Length: 10 hrs and 17 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (29 ratings)

Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.
Better Off Read  By  cover art

Better Off Read

By: Nora Page
Narrated by: Ann Richardson
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $15.56

Buy for $15.56

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

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.

©2018 by Ann Perramond (P)2020 by Blackstone Publishing

What listeners say about Better Off Read

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    19
  • 4 Stars
    6
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    19
  • 4 Stars
    2
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    15
  • 4 Stars
    6
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fun Southern Cozy for Readers and Animal Lovers

At first I wasn't sure I'd take to this one, but the more I listened, the more it grew on me. Its all the things I love . . . southern 💖 . . . full of books 📚 . . . and animal lovers 🐶🐱. I loved the librarian Cleo Watkins right away and her bookmobile, Words on Wheels. The young ambitious mayor of Catalpa Springs was one of the things I could've done without . . . but you've got to have a few bad eggs. And the good folks of the little town are up to the task of overthrowing his goal of making Catalpa Springs the fishing capital of the universe . . . I hope. 😜 There are lots of twists and turns as Cleo, librarian, turned amateur sleuth tries to discover who murdered her library benefactor. A fun listen and an ending well worth the wait. Looking forward to the next in the series.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • IP
  • 05-03-23

I ended up loving the characters and story

The beginning felt a tad slow for me until the story started to develop. I really enjoy the southern characters and voices the narrator created, she did an excellent job!! I enjoyed the long chapters and was hoping the story wouldn't end. Perfect audiobook for your daily commute 😊

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Pretty Good

I wasn't sure about this book at the beginning, but as I continued listening, I found myself enjoying it. The characters are engaging and the plot is interesting. The murderer wasn't easy to guess and overall the story is pretty good. Ann Richardson did a good a narrating this book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful