Between her baking business and the book store, Allie is a super busy woman. Now add detective to the list. When her beloved mentor is found dead Allie and her best friend Tegan try to find out who killed Tegan's aunt. Allie pesters suspects and the police detective alike, looking for clues. I'm afraid she has a little bit too much imagination and enthusiasm. She is not making points with the handsome detective!

I sat down eager to read Murder on the Page by Daryl Wood Gerber which is the debut of A Literary Dining Mysteries. There are a number of characters introduced in the beginning and it took me a while to keep them all straight. Allie Catt is a talented chef and avid reader. The mystery was interesting, but Allie needs to work on her sleuthing techniques (it is her first murder). There were plenty of clues to help readers solve the crime. We get a play-by-play of Allie’s daily activities, how she made each dish, and what each person wore (down to their boots). These details felt like filler since they did not contribute to the story (you may find yourself envying a pair of boots). The food descriptions will have your mouth watering. Pride and Prejudice fans will enjoy the references to that tale as well as the quotes. The beginnings of a romance between Allie and a certain someone lacked believability. We will have to wait and see what happens in the next A Literary Dining Mystery. Murder on the Page is a curious culinary cozy with busy bookstore, gastronomic triumphs, a dead friend, a rival caterer, a cold detective, curious clues, a revealing will, and a plucky chef.

Meet Allie Catt, yes, her parents named her that, caterer and book lover living in Asheville, NC. Her bestie Tegan works at her aunt’s book shop. When Tegan’s aunt is murdered the duo join forces to find the culprit. Being the first in a series there’s lots of new characters to meet and places to see. I look forward to seeing where this series goes. Definitely a not to miss read.

I love other books by Daryl Wood Gerber so I was excited to try this new first in a series, and I wasn't disappointed.

Allie Catt is a self employed caterer and personal chef in Asheville, North Carolina. She lives with her cat, Darcy. His name comes from Pride and Prejudice, one of her favorite books. Her bestie, Tegan shares her love of books and works at her auntie's bookstore. Their world is upended when her auntie is murdered and Tegan is considered a suspect.

I loved the book and the characters, although it was pretty easy to guess the killer. No matter, it was still a good read.

The recipes at the end are an added bonus!

have enjoyed Daryl Wood Gerber's other series so much, and I couldn't wait to read the first book in her newest Literary Dining Mysteries series . Murder on the Page is the first in what I hope will be a long running series.

In a small town near Asheville, N Carolina, Allie Catt is living her dream of building a catering business in her hometown. Her childhood bestie works with her Aunt at a nearby bookstore---together. they investigate a murder that shocks their small town.

The blending of books, quotes, and yummy food works well with the engaging characters, the quick pace, and the mystery. My first choice turned out to be correct, but I enjoyed the hunt for the culprit all the same. Added to all this is the budding of a possible romantic relationship and several tasty recipes! I am already looking forward to book two.

Thank you to #NetGally, #KensingtonPublishing #KensingtonCozies for sending the advance reader copy for me to read in consideration of review. I recommend this book to others who enjoy a fast-paced mystery, culinary mysteries, or book lover mysteries.

#MurderonthePage #NetGalley #DarylWoodGerber

Asheville caterer Allie Catt throws themed parties based on classic books. When her friend’s aunt is murdered, and her friend is the prime suspect, Allie uses her literary knowledge and detective skills to solve the crime before another “course” of murder is served. This is a clever and well-paced mystery with likable characters and a literary theme.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

MURDER ON THE PAGE is the first book in the Literary Dining Mysteries by Daryl Wood Gerber. As I wrote my review, I couldn’t help but grieve over the destruction wrought on the charming town of Asheville, North Carolina, by Hurricane Helene, the setting for this new series. Ms. Gerber’s strong descriptive voice brings the town and the surrounding area to life—before disaster hit—and gives the reader a glimpse at the appeal of the area while the brave residents of that region rebuild. Focusing on the fictional side as portrayed in the book, I appreciate even more the care the author took to help the reader experience the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of the area. She’s filled the book with delicious food, delightful characters (how can you not love a cat named Darcy?!), books—lots and lots of books—and a puzzling mystery to solve. With the literary theme, I enjoyed the opening Jane Austin quotes at the beginning of each chapter, along with real life mysteries that readers will want to make a note of and check out. The protagonist, Allie Cat, is a caterer and personal chef. Running your own business takes a strong person, and Allie definitely possess strength…which unfortunately sometimes verges on the edge of pushiness. But she gets things done and is there to support her friends in their time of need…like when a beloved aunt is murdered.

After Allie stumbles across the body of her best friend’s aunt in the local bookstore, and when said friend, Tegan is viewed as a suspect, Allie gets to work to prove her innocence. Ms. Gerber’s tightly plotted mystery has clues for the armchair detective to follow, but what I truly adored was Allie’s investigations made use of literary detectives, from the classics to modern day mysteries. (My list of books to read grew reading Murder on the Page!) Despite it being a “locked room” mystery, Allie is tenacious for certain. She refuses to let any setbacks slow her down and uses all her resources, like her potential relationship with the local detective, to find answers.

Thank you Daryl Wood Gerber ( @darylwoodgerber ), Kensington Publishing ( @kensingtonbooks ), and NetGalley ( @netgalley ) for allowing me to read Murder on the Page early (publishes October 22, 2024).

The first in a new series, we meet Allie Catt, caterer, whose client (Marigold) is murdered. With her best friend, Tegan (the clients’s niece), a suspect, Allie investigates to clear her friend.

I loved this book!! It was so charming. I really liked Allie and her spunk. Really all of the supporting characters were great too. I can tell that I’m going to be invested in those close to Allie, especially the relationship between Allie and detective Zach Armstrong.

#MurderonthePage #NetGalley #DarylWoodGerber #KensingtonPublishing

"This delectably intriguing new series debut from one of the queens of cozy mysteries features a caterer who crafts literary-themed dinner parties - and must ensure that a killer gets their just desserts...

It's a truth universally acknowledged that a genuinely top-notch party must be in want of a theme. Allie Catt, caterer and personal chef in the beautiful mountain community of Asheville, North Carolina, has devised a winning formula by using her clients' favorite books as inspiration. Her first themed event is based on Pride and Prejudice (Allie's cat, Darcy, approves), and it's so popular that soon she has grand ideas for future parties based on Rebecca, The Great Gatsby, Babette's Feast and more.

Business is booming, and a rival catering company is fuming. But there's a sting in the tale when the aunt of one of Allie's clients and best friends, Tegan, is murdered. Tegan is the victim's sole heir, and quickly becomes the main suspect. Allie has no doubts about her friend's innocence, but how to prove it?

Once again, her love of literature comes to the rescue, and with some guidance from her favorite fictional detectives, including Hercule Poirot and Sherlock Holmes, Allie sifts through the clues.

With a little luck - and the kind of pluck that would make Elizabeth Bennett proud - she may be able to stop a killer from serving up a second course of murder..."

I am really wondering how you'd stage a Rebecca themed dinner... A glowering housekeeper and showing up in the wrong outfit and crying in another room?

Unfortunately this was a DNF for me around 25%. This did not feel like a first in a series for me. We are rushed into the story and so many things are thrown at us at once, but there isn't really any scene setting or introduction to what's going on. The character furiously rushes all around town in just the first few scenes and so many characters and their relationships are throw at us quickly all at once. There is a murder before we even know the character or how we are supposed to feel. I could not get into this one.

Unfortunately this author is just not for me.

Murder on the Page is the debut of a new series by Daryl Wood Gerber and it is an enjoyable and pleasant cozy mystery. The characters are likable and the suspense is minimal. Allie Catt owns a bakery, Dream Cuisine. Her best friend Tegan works at her Aunt Marigold's bookstore. They are a wonderful duo, both as friends and sleuthing partners. Allie and Detective Zach Armstrong have some chemistry. Aunt Marigold ends up dead holding a copy of Pride and Prejudice and the death is suspicious. The culprit isn't a surprise but there is enough going on I wasn't completely sure. There is a Cast of Characters at the beginning so I expected to be hit with a lot of characters fairly quickly but they are introduced a few at a time as the story unfolds. Allie helps out at the bookstore which adds to the story. Most of the suspects had secrets, were lying or omitted information which kept Allie busy trying to sort through. She has common sense for the most part. It is a fairly relaxing cozy mystery.
#MurderOnThePage #NetGalley #Kensington #DarylWoodGerber

3.5 upped to 4
I'm a fan of this author and I love the Fairy Garden series. I was very happy to be able to read the ARC of this new series and I was expecting a very solid mystery.
I think there's a lot of potential in this series as the setting is lovely and the mystery kept me guessing and it's well plotted.
I wasn't a fan of the MC that I found a bit too harsh and a bit not 26-yrs-old. My impression is the she's taking herself too seriously and some more lightness would surely make her more likable.
I'm curious about the next instalment as I'm sure that I will be more fun.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Allie Catt is a caterer and book lover in Asheville, North Carolina. When long-time friend Marigold is found dead in her beloved bookstore, both Allie & her Marigold's niece Tegan are devastated. Marigold had been clutching a copy of Pride and Prejudice. Is this a clue? When Tegan becomes a prime suspect in Marigold's death, Allie is determined to help her BFF find the real killer. Besdies sleuthing, Allie decides to organize a literary memorial for Marigold with foods & historical dress from the Pride & Prejudice era.

This is a promising start to a new cozy series combining books and food.

Murder on the Page is the first book in Daryl Wood Gerber's new Literary Dining Mystery series. I like the concept of this new series: a bookish caterer planning a literary-themed dinner party.

The book is well-executed. The cover looks great. The sleuth is an interesting character with an exciting profession. She has complex family relationships, a quirky best friend, a potential boyfriend, and a backstory. The mystery is suspenseful, and the culprit is difficult to identify. There are lots of Pride and Prejudice references and a fantastic collection of recipes at the end. The setting in picturesque North Carolina, the cute cat, and the brilliantly named businesses around town make the book feel very cozy.

I really liked Murder on the Page and can't wait to read more in this series.

Thanks to Net Galley and Kensington for the Advanced Reader Copy. All views are my own.

I am extremely familiar with the pace and style of Daryl Wood Gerber's writing, and I was thrilled with this new series. 'Murder on the Page' engaged me from the first moment, particularly with the quotes from Pride and Prejudice. The cast of characters is vast, as is normal with this author, but as the series progresses one happily will become acquainted and comfortable with all of them. The mystery was sharp and had me guessing. There is the promise of romance between Zach and Allie, and complex family relationships that are fun to grow with. I am anxious for the next in the Literary Dining Mystery Series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Maya has returned to Princeton for her college reunion—it’s been a decade since she graduated, and she is looking forward to seeing old faces and reminiscing about her time there. This visit is special because Maya will also be attending the graduation of her little sister, Naomi.
But what should have been a dream weekend becomes Maya’s worst nightmare when she receives the news that Naomi is dead. The police are calling it an accident, but Maya suspects that there is more to the story than they are letting on. As Maya pieces together what happened in the months leading up to her sister’s death, she begins to realize how much Naomi hid from her. Despite Maya’s warnings, Naomi had joined Sterling Club, the most exclusive social club on campus—the same one Maya belonged to. And if she had to guess, Naomi was likely tapped for the secret society within it. The more Maya uncovers, the more terrified she becomes that Naomi’s decision to follow in her footsteps might have been what got her killed. Because Maya’s time at Princeton wasn’t as wonderful as she’d always made it seem.

I was amazed that this was the first adult novel by the author. The depth of her writing and characters was really good as was the description of college life. I kept wondering how the two stories would finally merge as I knew that they would and thought the author handled it very well. I hope she writes more novels. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book. I highly recommend.

I enjoyed this book but found it a bit uneven especially in the beginning. I definitely did not get the killer right. I do wonder how she gets so much baking done by herself, it really doesn’t seem possible. #MurderonthePage #NetGalley

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review "Murder On The Page" an new series debut by Daryl Wood Gerber.
I really, really wanted to like this book. I really did. But I had a real problem with some elements of it. Mainly, the lengthy Dramatis Personae. There were just so many characters - too many to keep track of. As well, the author seemed to want to rush to establish all of the ties between them.
I read a lot of 'cozy' mystery series, and my favourite ones are those where the main characters are introduced, and then more are added as the series progresses. I really don't need to know all of them at once.
At it's heart, this is a good mystery involving a death/murder at a book store run by friends of the main character, who is a caterer, who gets involved in the investigation. But I just found myself drowning in extraneous information.

This is a good start to a new and exciting series. I haven’t read any cozies by Ms. Gerber as of yet, so I am glad this book was penned by such a talented author. I love cozy mysteries, and anything book store and/or library themed, so this was right up my alley. There are several characters within the town of Asheville, North Carolina, so I had to try to keep all the players straight. However, as the first installment it is sometimes necessary to provide the framework and the cast of characters that the readers will become closer to in the subsequent books. That excluded, I enjoyed the pacing, the murder mystery, and the main characters, Allie Catt (yep that is right). Loved it

I'm a huge fan of Daryl Wood Gerber's fairy garden cozy series so I was excited to read “Murder on the Page,” the first book in her literary dining mystery series.

It follows Allie Catt a caterer is the outskirts of Asheville, who has a love of books and her cat Darcy. Allie is preparing for an event at her beloved local bookshop when she discovers the body of its owner. Her best friend Teagen is the niece of the deceased and is set to inherit the shop and much of her extensive wealth and property. This puts her under suspicion from local police and Allie is prepared to use her deductive skills from years of mystery reading to help find the real killer.

A great new modern cozy series that has a touch of romance and some strong female characters. I look forward to the next in the series. I adored the book cover as well.