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.

Murder on the Page by Daryl Wood Gerber is the first in a new series featuring Allie Catt, a caterer. Allie lives in Bramblewood in the Blue Ridge Mountains. She had grown up there and returned when she figured out, after a breakup, that there were not always teaching jobs available. Now she was comfortably ensconced in a cottage with a cat, and a shop from which she ran her catering service, called Dream Cuisine. She delivered a variety of pastries and baked goods to various businesses around town and considered her business a success. Her best friend from childhood was Tegan who worked for her aunt in a bookstore. She had trained as a librarian but found her true love was selling books. She had a lovely mother, and a not-so-lovely half-sister, in addition to her aunt. One day her aunt fell in the bookstore and didn’t appreciate the reminder that she was getting too old to climb ladders. The next time she was found on the floor, she was dead. She hadn’t fallen; she’d been murdered. That brought police detective, Zach Armstrong, Allie’s current heart throb, to investigate.

Allis is going to turn out to be a good character. She loves her business and is interested to find that Marigold Markel, Tegan’s aunt had left her 25% of the bookshop in her will. Tegan had half, and her mother retained the 25% she’d had all along. Allie didn’t think the police were moving fast enough and as she was naturally curious, she started asking questions. She shared everything she found with Zach and she wasn’t really endearing herself to him with her efforts. The murderer turned out to be a surprise, and to more than the reader. The mystery was a good one and the characters, outstanding, full of personality and curious quirks. The pacing was good. All in all I think this is going to be a fun new series.

I was invited to read Murder in The Page by Kensington Publishing. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #KensingtonPublishing #DarylWoodGerber #MurderOnThePage

The combination of a bookstore and cooking in one cozy, along with the author's name recognition, is going to attract a lot of readers. For me, it moved a little slowly, and the trouble with a series starter can be that there's so much set up of the characters and setting that it can get a little bogged down. However, there is a lot of potential here and some nice groundwork laid that I'd like to continue with the next book in the series.

Generally, I am a huge fan of all things written by this author. She has several series that I have long enjoyed and look forward to each and every new entry. However, this time, I have to say that it’s a little too busy, there are too many characters to be introduced all at once, and a little more work could’ve gone into developing things before publishing the first in the series.

That said, I will definitely look forward to the second entry, give it a read and hope that things go a little more smoothly for me and that book.

Set in gorgeous Asheville, North Carolina, Allie Cart is a caterer and chef. Her business is setting book themed dinner parties. When someone is murdered, Allie sets out to find the killer before they strike again. A most thrilling start to a new series. Love Darcy the cat. Filled with awesome characters, plot twists and a gripping murder this cozy has it all!Thanks#Netgalley and #Kensington for the eARC in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are mine.

I wasn't too crazy about this book at first since Allie, the main character was just different from most cozy mystery main characters and it took me a while to warm up to her. I did like her wicked sense of humor and how she could cleverly get in the last word with someone. Tegan was an awesome best friend.

While the Pride and Prejudice quotes and storyline were lost on me, I still enjoyed how they kinda incorporated some of the book’s ideas into figuring out the mystery. The ending was really good and I'm looking forward to seeing how Zach and Allie move forward as hopefully more than friends while another awesome partnership starts and takes off.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Kensington Cozies via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

MURDER ON THE PAGE by Daryl Wood Gerber
The First Literary Dining Mystery

Allie Catt runs a small catering business in her hometown of Asheville, North Carolina. A lover of all things literary she's been hired to cater an event for Marigold Markel, owner of Feast for the Eyes bookstore and aunt of her best friend, Tegan. But when everyone arrives for the event they find a lifeless inside. The death is ruled a homicide and Tegan soon becomes a suspect. Despite being on friendly terms with the lead detective, Allie feels she must help solve the murder. While simultaneously planning a Pride and Prejudice themed memorial, Marigold's favorite book, Allie will look for clues to try to find a killer. But will the killer find her first?

Who would want to kill Marigold? It turns out the bookshop owner had more than one secret. There are lots of interesting dynamics between the characters in the first Literary Dining Mystery. Vanna is a character I loved to hate. She's a nasty piece of work who throws her sister under the bus and makes disparaging remarks about Allie's food. Brendan not only makes a great detective, but I love his burgeoning relationship with Allie. The various clues led me down a multitude of paths wondering who the killer was. I also appreciated how Allie kept her wits about her during the climactic scene!

It's no surprise that I love books so I love that a bookstore is at the center of MURDER ON THE PAGE along with nods to all things literary. I particularly enjoyed all of the PRIDE AND PREJUDICE references. Of course, I also love food, so not only do I love the food descriptions, but I love how Allie creates a menu with the Jane Austen theme! There are also recipes at the end of the book to devour.

Comforting food, books, and Jane Austen combine to make a delightful start to a new mystery series in MURDER ON THE PAGE.

This is a great start to this new series. I really liked Allie. She smart and tenacious. Allie is a caterer and an avid reader. When the owner of the bookstore is killed, Allie feels she needs to help find the killer. Allie and Zach are just starting to date. Zach is a detective and when Allie starts helping him solve this mystery, he tries his best to dissuade her. No such luck. It puts a strain on their budding relationship. But Allie won't back down, she is determined to solve this mystery. Can she do it?

Dollycas's Thoughts

Ms. Gerber has set this series in Asheville, North Carolina so before I can even start my review I have to state my heart goes out to the people of Asheville and all the others who have been affected by Hurricanes Helene and the terrible aftermath that his hindered getting these people the aid they desperately need. They have a long road ahead and we need to help in any way we can to bring it back to the town described in this book. 

Asheville caterer and personal chef Allie Catt escapes into books and hosts book clubs giving her a unique idea for the themes of her parties. She gets her inspiration from her clients' favorite books. Pride and Prejudice is the theme for her first event. With a cat named Darcy, you know the book is a fave of Allie's as well as her client, plus she has a ton of ideas for future parties.

Allie's best friend Tegan's Aunt Marigold has hired her to serve a tea at her A Feast for the Eyes bookshop. Marigold is very involved in the community and one of Allie's favorite people but she has been having some spells that worry her family and friends. When Allie arrives at the shop to set up the tea, it is closed with a line of people is waiting to get in. When another employee opens the door, they find Marigold on the floor but this time there is no helping her. Marigold was dead. Tegan appears to be the only heir which puts her at the top of the list of suspects. Allie knows she needs to prove her BFF had no part in her aunt's death. She is going to need a little literary assistance and who better than Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot to help her work through all the clues?

_____

With a new series comes a new cast of characters. I appreciate that the author gives us a list at the beginning of the book. It enabled me to escape into the story easily.

Allie is a great protagonist, thoughtful and tenacious. She had an unusual upbringing and was devastated by a bad breakup. However, that breakup allowed her to follow her dream. Her best friend Tegan works for her aunt at the bookstore and she is in the middle of a breakup herself. She and Allie have no secrets but she refuses to open up about what is going on. We meet a variety of Asheville residents but it was the victim, Marigold who grabbed my heart and held on tight. She was a special lady in so many ways. I had tears in my eyes while reading the last few pages of this story.

Ms. Gerber has written a complex mystery with several suspects. There is friction between Allie and Detective Zach Armstrong as she delves into his case. There was romantic tension there too. Tegan wanted to help investigate but Allie had to reel her in more than once. I enjoyed that Allie didn't give up. I did have an inkling of who the guilty party may be but truthfully I was so caught up in the story and the author's delightful descriptions of all the happenings it really didn't register until the exciting showdown.

Daryl Wood Gerber is an awesome storyteller. Her stories set a speedy pace as she blends the mystery with the character's daily lives. She sets up some fine twists and turns of misdirection to rachet up the suspense. Murder on the Page not only has quotes from Pride and Prejudice to start each chapter but there are several Pride and Prejudice Easter Eggs throughout the story which would make Taylor Swift smile. And yes, it would not be a Daryl Wood Gerber book without recipes so if the food in the book tickles your tastebuds all the details to make your own are at the back of the book.

With Murder on the Page, Ms. Gerber has set the series off to a fantastic start. The engaging characters, a compelling mystery, and a fun theme, set in a vibrant mountain town with a rich history kept me entertained from beginning to end. I loved this story!  For me, this was more than a Perfect Escape, it was a Trip to Paradise. Look for this book on my Best Reads of 2024. I am so excited for this series to continue.