A Classic Case of Murder
A Classic Case of Murder (A Literary Dining Mystery) by Daryl Wood Gerber
About A Classic Case of Murder
Cozy Mystery
3rd in A Literary Dining Mystery series
Setting – North Carolina
Publisher : Kensington Cozies
Publication date : October 27, 2026
Print length : 320 pages
Personal chef and caterer Allie Catt combines her love of fiction with her love of food in the scenic North Carolina mountains—but amid her latest themed event, based on Dickens’s beloved classic, A Christmas Carol, a rare-book expert’s goose is cooked…
In the charming town of Bramblewood, not far from Asheville, Allie’s preparing for a special seasonal soiree: a literary-themed dinner party that’s a tribute to Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol. It’ll take place at the Amber Lantern, the quaint inn recently opened by her best friend’s mother, Noeline—and the holiday spirit has even led a Scroogelike local businessman to lend his prized first edition of the nineteenth-century novella for the event.
With the voices of carolers ringing in the air and the community theater staging a special performance, it looks like it will be a happy Christmas—until the priceless book disappears and someone murders the expert who authenticated it. And if the police have their way, Allie’s lawyer friend Freddy will be dragged away in chains like Marley’s ghost…
The crime has also cast a shadow over Noeline’s fledgling business, so Allie feels doubly obliged to find the real killer among the gathered guests and local visitors—and put an end to this nightmare. It’s time to investigate them all, every one . . .
About Daryl Wood Gerber
Daryl Wood Gerber is the Agatha Award-winning and nationally bestselling author of the Literary Dining Mysteries, Aroma Wellness Mysteries, Fairy Garden Mysteries and Cookbook Nook Mysteries. As Avery Aames, she penned the popular Cheese Shop Mysteries. In addition, Daryl writes suspense novels, including the well-received Accidental Murder, The Son’s Secret, Girl on the Run, and the popular Aspen Adams trilogy. Daryl has published a standalone Christmas romance, Hope for the Holidays, a mystery anthology, and a children’s illustrated rhyming book. Fun Tidbit: as an actress, Daryl appeared in “Murder, She Wrote.” She loves to cook, garden, read, and walk her frisky Goldendoodle. Also she has been known to jump out of a perfectly good airplane. You can learn more on her website: https://darylwoodgerber.com
Author Links
My Thoughts
Deck the halls, gather the suspects, and prepare for a delightfully Dickensian mystery! In A Classic Case of Murder by Daryl Wood Gerber, Allie Catt is ready to cry “Bah, humbug!” when a man is murdered during her Charles Dickens–themed A Christmas Carol literary dinner. Light, festive, and character-driven, the story weaves its literary theme throughout, with passages from A Christmas Carol opening each chapter and references to Dickens’s life and works adding fascinating historical tidbits. The mystery offers a merry surplus of suspects—excuse me, guests—and everyone seems to have a motive, leaving them quick to point fingers. Allie and her friend Tegan must work quickly to solve the crime before it sinks the Amber Lantern.
With a sizable cast, the character list at the beginning is especially helpful, while the delectable treats Allie bakes for her clients are sure to make mouths water. As the third installment in the Literary Dining Mysteries, the book can be enjoyed as a standalone, though reading the series in order provides a richer introduction to the characters, town, and featured literary classics. Brimming with holiday charm, tempting culinary delights, colorful characters, and a satisfying small-town puzzle, A Classic Case of Murder serves up a cozy Christmas mystery worth raising a cup of cheer to!
Pull up a chair for an A
Christmas Carol literary dinner—where the holiday spirit is on the menu and
mystery is the uninvited guest! A Classic Case of Murder is available at
Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, Kobo, and Mysterious Galaxy. For
another helping of bookish mystery, check out the first two books in the A Literary Dining Mystery series: Murder on the Page and Murder by the Millions.
Ready for a little giveaway cheer? You could win your choice of Murder on the Page or Murder by the Millions, plus a $15 gift card to Bookshop.org. Enter
using the form below (scroll to the bottom) or click here to go directly to the entry form. Good luck!
I’ll return on Wednesday, November 4, with Chasing Daniel's Daughter by Mindy
Steele, the third book in the Daniel's Daughters series. Until then, may your
reading be merry, your literary dinners delicious, and your mysteries
delightfully twisty!
The Avid Reader
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*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.
