Allie Catt, a caterer and personal chef in Asheville, North Carolina, has found success by organizing themed parties inspired by her clients' favorite books. Her first event, based on *Pride and Prejudice*, is such a hit that she plans more literary-themed gatherings, including ones based on *Rebecca*, *The Great Gatsby*, and *Babette’s Feast*. With her cat Darcy's approval, Allie’s business thrives as she combines her love for food and literature into unforgettable events.

Story was fun and very well written. Loved the characters.

I was excited about the premise of this book, but the writing style and heavy handed character descriptions at the beginning caused me to DNF at 10%.

The evocatively named Allie Catt is used to rising above her circumstances. Whether it's her indifferent parents’ absurd choice of name for their only child or the heartbreaking end of her engagement, Allie has grown to be the kind of twenty-something woman who learns from adversity and shapes herself into someone stronger, wiser and, most importantly, kinder. Her love of books helps, of course, as does her vocation of feeding people as a caterer and personal chef. In fact, she’s very excited for her next gig catering a mid-morning tea for her hometown of Bramblewood, North Carolina’s Feast For The Eyes bookstore.

But not even she knows how to deal when she arrives at the bookstore early on the morning of the event to find an anxious crowd outside… and a dead bookstore owner behind the counter. Kindly Marigold Markel was practically family to Allie, in part due to the fact that Allie is best friends with Marigold’s niece Tegan. At first glance, Marigold’s death looks like an accident. Allie has her suspicions, however, even before it’s confirmed that Marigold was deliberately poisoned.

When Tegan is subsequently accused of Marigold’s murder, Allie knows that there’s no way she can stay out of things, even if her interference might cost her her burgeoning relationship with Bramblewood Police Detective Zach Armstrong. Zach wants her to leave the detecting to the professionals, but Allie has no interest in letting Tegan take the fall for Marigold’s murder. So what if Tegan stands to gain the most from Marigold’s death, or that she definitely had the means to commit the heinous deed?

As Allie seeks to clear her best friend’s name, her investigations will lead her into the crosshairs of the real killer. Will Allie be able to escape unscathed, or will Zach’s greatest fears be realized?

Lightly-themed around Jane Austen’s Pride And Prejudice, this culinary cozy series debut perfectly hearkens to the romance and manners of its inspiration even as it presents a very modern murder mystery. Murder On The Page isn’t my favorite of Daryl Wood Gerber’s works – that distinction is still held by the charming books of her A Fairy Garden mystery series – but it’s sure to please cozy fans, bibliophiles and, perhaps most importantly of all, readers who love delicious recipes with their mystery novels.

Thirteen of these recipes were included, all for dishes described in the text. As I’ve never really gone wrong with a recipe from this author, I didn’t have to think very hard before deciding to try out the first one listed, as I was definitely in the mood for home-baked cookies:

QUOTE
Chocolate Butterscotch Cookies
(Yield: 20-24)

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 ½ cups packed brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 ¼ cup flour
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butterscotch morsels
1 cup chocolate morsels
Sea salt, if desired

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a stand mixer, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until blended, 2-3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla extract and mix well.

In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture.

Stir in the butterscotch morsels and chocolate morsels. If you feel the mixture is dry (it might be), you may add 2 tablespoons water.

If you want large cookies, drop large spoonfuls (about 2 tablespoons each) on the prepared baking sheets, 6 to a sheet. These do spread. If you want smaller cookies, drop small spoonfuls (about 1 tablespoon each) on the baking sheets, 12 to a sheet. If desired, sprinkle with sea salt.

Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes, until lightly brown. Remove from oven and let stand on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack.
END QUOTE

These are some of the most delicious cookies I’ve ever tasted! In addition to their wonderful flavor – aided slightly by my skimping just a wee bit on both kinds of sugar – they have a perfect tooth when fresh and warm. I love that Ms Gerber’s idea of a normal-sized cookie is the same as mine, and actually made exactly 24 from this recipe. I did bake them for a little longer than 12 minutes, but kept a weather eye on each tray so that I could pull them out exactly when they reached that perfect shade of tan, about 15 minutes for my sometimes temperamental oven.

Next week, we head to the Midwest to bake up another treat while investigating the death of a domestic diva. Do join me!

Allie Catt is a caterer in Asheville, North Carolina, a feisty and quirky woman with a strong community of friends and fellow business owners. This book is a traditional cozy mystery with plenty of books, costumes, food, and pets to keep readers entertained.

The story is enjoyable, but the plot is less important than the emotional connections. It's a story about families, chosen as well as biological, and community. I look forward to reading more in the series.

The first in a new series that is centered around Allie Catt, a caterer and book lover! When her friend's aunt, who also owned the bookstore Allie loved, dies mysteriously, she finds herself compelled to investigate.

I thought this was a really good debut! I loved all the nods to various cozy series throughout the book. One description I read said it was a mix of cozy fans' loves - baking & books - and they were not wrong! I love the setting (small town outside Asheville, NC), although I am curious to see in future books if the recent hurricane will be addressed. There was a lot of Pride & Prejudice in this book, so I am curious to see if it will shift to other books or if that will be a consistent theme throughout. Overall, a really good debut for a new series and I look forward to reading the next in Allie's series!

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Murder on the Page is the first installment of the Literary Dining Mystery series, which introduces Allie Cat, a successful caterer and booklover in the Asheville, NC area. When the local bookshop owner and aunt of Allie's best friend is discovered murdered, Allie finds herself at the heart of the investigation, especially when Tegan is announced as the prime suspect. Unfortunately for Allie, her investigative ways may put a stop to any romance that she was hoping for with the town's police detective. With friendship, romance, and books at stake, Allie will stop at nothing to help solve this murder.

Murder on the Page is a cute, book-themed cozy mystery with lots of great baked goods! Since this is the first book in the series, there is a lot of introductions to the characters and their relationships, as well as the town and the local businesses. I do always love getting to know a new setting and cast of characters right along with the main character. The overall mystery was a bit uninteresting and the killer was pretty predictable. Murder on the Page is a typical first book in a cozy series. I will be reading book two with hopes of more character development and an exciting mystery.

This is a great cozy, and a wonderful start to a new series for Gerber. I enjoyed reading the Fairy Garden mysteries, so I was really looking forward to this, and I was not disappointed. I loved all of the characters, and book references, recipes in the back are always a bonus! I'll definitely be reading the next in the series.

MURDER ON THE PAGE by Daryl Wood Gerber is a cute cozy from an Agatha Award-winning author. Gerber introduces a whole set of new characters who live in North Carolina, including a caterer named Allie Cat who owns a feline called Darcy. Her best friend, Tegan, runs a bookstore with her aunt, Marigold Markel, and it is that elderly lady who is found dead clutching a copy of Pride and Prejudice. At first, Tegan is a prime suspect, and Allie sets out to investigate in the hopes of clearing her friend. That sets up some tension with local investigator, Zach Armstrong, cooling off the attraction between him and Allie. Yes, a cozy mystery with cooking, a cat, and romance ... what's not to like? Well, the story pace seems slow, Allie is not the most likeable (or realistic) character, and there is a huge emphasis on Jane Austin's book. Instead, I kept thinking fondly of the Goldy Schulz tales from Diane Mott Davidson (start with Catering to Nobody). 3.5 stars for Gerber’s latest

Literary Inspirations…
The start of a new series, part of the Literary Dining series of mysteries, and introducing personal chef and caterer Allie Catt. Located in a mountainous area of North Colorado, Allie uses her client’s favourite literary fare as inspiration for their foodie fare. Just as business is booming, murder rears its ugly head and the prime murder suspect is Allies good friend. It’s not long before Allie looks to her own favourite literary detectives for inspiration in solving a crime. A fun and frothy start to a new series with an eclectic cast of characters, a pacy narrative and an ideal backdrop.

This is a very promising series debut in the Literary Dining series. I love a good bookstore mystery.

Allie, the sleuth, is a caterer with a bookish bent in this mystery set in Asheville, NC. The surrounding cast is outstanding, including Zach, the investigating detective, Tegan, Allie's best friend, and others.

Pride and Prejudice figures prominently.

I hope there are many, many more books to come in this series. Highly recommended cozy!!

Murder on the Page is book #1 in the A Literary Dining Mystery series by Daryl Wood Gerber.

This is a great start to a new series. Allie Catt is a caterer and personal chef in Asheville, North Carolina. Her best friend’s aunt is murdered and she is the main suspect. Allie knows her friend is innocent and relies on fictional detectives to help guide her. I enjoy reading books set in a location I know so that was an added bonus with this book. The characters are likable and the mystery had me hooked from the beginning. I look forward to the next book in this series.

Thank you to the author, Kensington Publishing, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

This is first in a new series by Daryl Wood Gerber who I greatly enjoy. I was instantly inclined to like this amateur sleuth since her name is Allie Catt and she’s a baker and lover of books. This mystery was close to home for Allie which helped get me engaged into the story. There was a bit of a romantic storyline that felt a little clunky, but I think that will smooth out in future books. I did get to who the bad guy was, but it took a little bit. Allie’s dear friend Marigold and owner of the local bookshop dies with some suspicious circumstances Allie is determined to figure out who the killer is and despite what her friend (or more?) the detective thinks she knows it was not her best friend Teagan. But like most amateur sleuths her question asking does not go unnoticed and will she find the killer before they find her? Overall I gave this one 4.5 stars rounded up for the great potential for a new series in this one.

3.5 stars
I feel a bit undecided about this mystery. It is a first in series, so the author has to introduce all the characters and build the setting/world. This can create a bit of a problem as the reader might feel overwhelmed by details and number of people to keep track of. In this case, I feel like the book description “blurb” was not completely delivered in the book. The original planned book club didn’t occur because the murder happened. So the “blurb” event was actually a memorial that doesn’t take place until the very end.
Allie Catt, the main character, was a bit abrasive in the way she investigated. Allie and Tegan together created some possibly dangerous situations. It felt foolhardy.
I liked the setting and the bookshop. I liked the way the book ended with more to the story than just solving the murder.
I like Daryl Wood Gerber’s other cozy mystery series and wanted to like this one as much. I would give the next book a try, but I didn’t initially connect with Allie as much as I hoped.
If you like bookstores, baking, cats and feisty characters, give Murder on the Page a try.
Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Cozies for the opportunity to read this book.

'Murder on the Page' reminds me of the Hannah Swensen mysteries. It has a likable female lead, family drama, hints of romance, numerous baked goods, and a quirky pet cat. If you enjoy reading small-town, amateur detective mysteries, then I recommend this book to you!

Special thanks to the Publisher, Kensington Publishing, and Net Galley for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

First entry in Literary Dining mystery series is a huge success! I was impressed the many ways the author weaved elements from Pride and Prejudice into the plot. Solid characters and storyline. Many recipes complete the book. My one suggestion is to do a better job tying the book title to the book plot. A food reference would have been nice. Thanks to #NetGalley and #MurderOnThePage for advanced digital copy.

This book is another great example why Daryl Wood Gerber is an auto buy for me. I loved this story and can't wait for another one.

This is a charming debut for beloved cozy author Daryle Wood Gerber. Thank you to the author, Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity for review. My review opinion is my own. The author is one of my top three favorite cozy authors having entertained readers for over a decade with her series. I highly recommend all her series, The Fairy Garden Series, The Cookbook Nook series and her new Aroma Wellness Series will debut in 2025. Each series is a delight to readers. The author also writes thrillers and romance/

In this series we meet chef Allie Catt who lives in a lovely small mountain community of Asheville
North Carolina. The setting is perfectly atmospheric for the reader with small town charm. Allie caters events with a book theme to match each customer's favorite books . Her current catered event is based on Pride and Prejudice. She even named her cat Darcy and enjoys putting this unique event together. She has competition in another catering company who makes it known they are resentful of Allie. When a murder occurs one of her best friends is suspect number one and Allie is determined to investigate to save her friend. Allie has soon found red herrings abound in this complex case and suspects that may put her in danger before she can save her friend.

I enjoyed the referances to Agatha Christie characters by the protagnist. Sherlock Holmes is featured as a favorite of Allie. The writing is very well crafted to keep the reader turning pages. I enjoyed this first in series and look forward to the next release.

First in a new series.
Allie, a personal chef and caterer, has been hired by Marigold Markel, owner of the bookshop Feast for the Eyes to
cater a morning tea. When she arrives at the store with the food, Marigold is discovered on the floor with blood
pooled beneath her head. Allie's best friend and Marigold's niece Tegan is a suspect in her death. Eager to prove
her friend's innocence, Allie investigates the people in Marigold's life to uncover her murderer.
Engaging characters kept ne turning the pages Looking forward to the next book.
#MurderonthePage #Kensington #NetGalley

A new series by this author and it is starting out with a bang! Allie Catt is a caterer. Tegan Potts is her best friend. Together they attempt to find out who committed the murder in the bookstore. There are lots of possibilities, and much to the chagrin of Zach Armstrong, investigating dectective, they continue to seek clues even though he has made it very clear they need to stop. After a security alarm is set off at her business Allie finds herself in the same room with the murderer and his gun and is being told she will be killed. A character in the story unexpectedly comes to the rescue. This was a fun read and I think anyone who likes cozy mysteries will enjoy it. I’m already looking forward to the next book in the series. I received an arc of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

I have always enjoyed Daryl wood Gerber books. This one didn't disappoint. I hope there is more books in the series. Yes I would recommend it. There's a murder mystery to solve by Allie. Good recipes included.