Murder by the Millions
Murder by the Millions (A Literary Dining Mystery) by Daryl Wood Gerber
About Murder by the Millions
Murder by the Millions (A Literary Dining Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting - North Carolina
Publisher : Kensington Cozies
Publication date : October 28, 2025
Print length : 320 pages
In a beautiful mountain community near Asheville, North Carolina, caterer and personal chef Allie Catt serves up mouthwatering, literary-themed dinner parties inspired by her clients’ favorite books. Her next event is sure to be a roaring success—if a murderer isn’t a killjoy . . .
If it were true that the best thing a girl can be in this world is a fool, then Allie Catt would be out of luck. Fortunately, Allie’s business is a smashing success. And following her Pride and Prejudice event, grander plans await . . .
Feast for the Eyes bookstore manager and Allie’s best friend, Tegan, is hosting a book club soiree and wants it to be a glittering affair based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s iconic Jazz Age-set novel, The Great Gatsby. Soon, Art Deco table settings and visions of flappers are dancing the Charleston in their heads. Even Tegan’s prickly sister, Vanna, is on board. And surely, Allie’s tuxedo cat, Darcy, thinks it’s the cat’s meow. Amid the planning, charismatic developer Jason Gardner arrives in town to buy some historic buildings on Main Street. He, too, has plans: to create a modern mall. Allie is more than concerned. She even wants to protest. But when Jason invites her to cater a lavish party, she finds him surprisingly likable. Then she’s summoned to his estate for a meeting—and finds him dead.
Once again Allie’s landed in the middle of a crime scene. Worse, one of her earrings is later discovered near the body. And when police learn she was upset about the mall, she’s suspect #1. Allie’s blossoming sleuthing skills once cleared Tegan’s name, but can she save herself—before a killer writes her a not-so-great Gatsbyesque ending . . .
About Daryl Wood Gerber
Daryl Wood Gerber is the Agatha Award-winning, nationally bestselling author of the Literary Dining Mysteries, the Fairy Garden Mysteries, the French Bistro Mysteries, and the Cookbook Nook Mysteries, as well as the Cheese Shop Mysteries written under the name Avery Aames. She also writes standalone suspense novels and the Aspen Adams Novels of Suspense. Prior to her career as a novelist, she was an actress with roles in television shows including "Murder, She Wrote," and she wrote for the popular TV sitcom "Out of this World." Originally from the Bay Area, she now lives in Southern California, where she likes to cook, garden, and spend time with her frisky Goldendoodle named Sparky.
Author Links
WEBSITE: https://darylwoodgerber.com
FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/darylwoodgerber
BOOKBUB: https://bookbub.com/authors/daryl-wood-gerber
YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/woodgerb1
INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/darylwoodgerber
GOODREADS: https://goodreads.com/darylwoodgerber
TIKTOK: www.tiktok.com/@daryl_wood_gerber
AMAZON: https://bit.ly/Daryl_Wood_Gerber_page
NEWSLETTER: https://darylwoodgerber.com/contact-media/
My Thoughts
Murder by the Millions by Daryl Wood Gerber has Allie Catt and Allie’s best friend and partner in the bookstore, Tegan, planning a Great Gatsby themed party. Unfortunately, a murdered real estate developer put a crimp in their plans especially when the evidence points to Allie as the killer. I have read every book that Daryl Wood Gerber has written, and I always look forward to her new releases. I like the author’s friendly writing style which makes her stories easy to read. There is a quote from The Great Gatsby before each chapter, and I liked seeing similarities to the story. Allie is a likeable character as is Tegan and Chloe, their bookstore clerk. We get to learn what goes into planning a themed party. I loved the descriptions of the clothes that Lillian, a local boutique owner, obtained for the guests to wear to the party (there are some beautiful gowns). Allie researched the foods that were popular in the 1920s and she talks about the delectable treats she is going to whip up for the guests (recipes for some of the items at the end of the book).
The
whodunit has Allie at the top of the suspect list. Allie with help from her “Clue Crew” set out
to identify the real killer. There are a
handful of suspects, pointed clues, some twists and turns, and a red herring or
two. There is a good reveal that nicely
wraps up the whodunit. I love solving mysteries (keeps the brain sharp). I identified who I thought was the guilty
party early in the story, and I could not wait for the reveal to see if I was
right (my mother says that I have read too many mysteries). I enjoyed my visit to Bramblewood, and I was
sorry when it came to an end. Murder by the Millions is a delectable cozy with party planning, a dead developer, flapper
fashions, curious clues, tasty tidbits, a maddening detective, and a book bash.
Murder by the Millions comes out October 28 and can be ordered from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Bookshop.org, Kobo, and Mysterious Galaxy. The first book in A Literary Dining Mysteries is Murder on the Page. Daryl Wood Gerber has A Jingle of Justice, A Fairy Garden Mystery Novella, coming out December 1 (you can read it for free if you are a member of Kindle Unlimited). Murder in a Lavender Daze will be out on April 28, 2026 and it is the second book in An Aroma Wellness Mysteries. If you follow Daryl Wood Gerber on Amazon, they will send you an email when she has a new book release.
Are you ready for the giveaway? The prize is your choice (pick one) between book one (Murder on the Page) or two (Murder by the Millions) of A Literary Dining Mysteries plus a tote bag of swag. You can enter using the form below or click here. Good Luck! Thank you for dropping by today. I will return on Wednesday, October 22 with Snowbound Threat by Lisa Phillips, Mary Alford, and Jessica Ashley. I am off to work in my garden and visit with the ducks. My yard and carport have become the ducks hangout. At dusk, they waddle off to snooze by the lake (it is so cute to see them waddling off single file). I hope that you have a swell day! Take care and Happy Reading!
The
Avid Reader
Tour Participants
October 21 - Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW
October 21 - The Avid Reader – REVIEW
October 21 - Hall Ways Blog – REVIEW
October 21 - Jody's Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT
October 21 - Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT
October 22 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW, AUTHOR GUEST POST
October 22 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
October 22 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – REVIEW
October 23 – Ruff Drafts – RECIPE
October 23 – Christy's Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
October 23 – The Plain-Spoken Pen – REVIEW
October 24 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW
October 24 – Books1987 – SPOTLIGHT
October 24 – Sarandipity's – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
October 24 – Novels Alive – REVIEW
October 25 – Boys' Mom Reads! – REVIEW
October 25 – Caboodle of Cozies – AUTHOR GUEST POST
October 26 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW
October 26 – Elizabeth McKenna - Author – SPOTLIGHT
October 27 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
October 27 – @bibliophile_foodie – REVIEW
October 27 – Maureen's Musings – SPOTLIGHT
*I voluntarily
read an advanced copy of this book. I am not required to leave a
review. The comments and opinions expressed are strictly my own.
*This post contains affiliate links.
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