Welcome to Cozy Wednesday!
I am delighted to welcome Daryl Wood Gerber to Escape With Dollycas and to share my thoughts about Murder by the Millions today!
Murder by the Millions (A Literary Dining Mystery)
by Daryl Wood Gerber
Researching Cats
Daryl Wood Gerber
“A cat has absolute emotional honesty: human beings,
for one reason or another, may hide their feelings,
but a cat does not.” ~ Ernest Hemingway
I don’t own a cat. I did as a girl. We only had black cats. Inky and Smoky were their names. One ran away. The other met a sad demise. When I moved to live with my father, we had dogs and one cat, Scooter—also black—who thought he was a dog and went everywhere with them. Unlike a dog, Scooter would be cool to humans.
So when I decided to include cats in my mysteries, because I wasn’t really knowledgeable about them and their quirks, I had to do a lot of research. I needed to know more about their backgrounds, their behavior, their desires. I needed to know which cat might fit my protagonists.
In the Literary Dining Mysteries, Allie owns a tuxedo cat, which she has named Darcy. Yes, as in Mr. Darcy. She is a huge fan of Pride and Prejudice. Darcy is crafty and clever. He loves his cat-scratching llama station. He enjoys playing a game of dive from the top of the llama to chase a toy. He is fiercely protective of Allie, but he is also extremely independent. I based Darcy’s character on Charlie, the tuxedo cat my nephew’s family owns. Unlike Charlie, Darcy is an indoor cat. He enjoys a bit of pampering. Charlie could care less.
In the new Aroma Wellness Mysteries, Emma, the owner of the spa, desperately wants a cat. Now that she has her own apartment, she splurges. However, because she’ll be working long hours, she needs to ensure that she chooses the kind of cat that can be independent yet warm. Her cousin Sierra suggests she adopt a stray, claiming they shower their owners with affection, but Emma wants a cat with history. To be thorough, Emma goes to the library. When she discovers Birmans, she is sold. Birmans are the sacred cat of Burma, a fact that resonates with Emma because she studied meditation and more in Asia. Thanks to the tradition that all Birmans born in the same birth year have names that start with the same letter, Emma named her cat Vivi, seeing as V was the letter. Vivi means full of beans, and true to her name, Vivi is frisky to the point of exhaustion. But so pretty and loveable.
Way back when I was researching cats to include in the Cheese Shop Mysteries, I wanted to include a Ragdoll cat. My hairdresser owned one and said they were affectionate and had a docile temperament. She would show me pictures of her cat wrapped around her shoulders, and I would melt. So cute. I named the fictional cat Rags. Very original. Yeah, not. But Charlotte, the owner of the Cheese Shop, loves him and often brings him to work. He has to stay in the office. Even though he is hypoallergenic, she doesn’t want the health inspector to come down on her.
Because I enjoyed writing about Ragdolls, I included another one in the Fairy Garden Mysteries and named her Pixie—very appropriate. Pixie can see fairies and loves playing with Fiona, the righteous fairy. She is cute and pert and pixie-ish in nature.
I might not own a cat, but in my fiction-writing life, I get to know plenty of them thanks to research. I’m pretty sure my dog Sparky would love each and every one of them. He’s quite social and seeks out my son’s cat whenever we visit their house. Of course, Mango hides. She likes humans, but she’s a little timid around creatures of the canine persuasion.
Do you have a cat? Did you adopt or pick the cat because of the breed? Are you drawn to mysteries that have cats on the book covers?
Thank you, Daryl, for visiting today!
Please keep reading for my thoughts about Murder by the Millions and more info about Daryl and her books.
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
ISBN-10 : 1496748204
ISBN-13 : 978-1496748201
Digital ISBN-13 : 978-1496748225
ASIN : B0DX58P859
Audiobook ASIN B0DW5MKYKZ
Audio CD ISBN-13 : 979-8228545793
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 . . .
Dollycas’s Thoughts
We are back in Bramblewood, North Carolina, just in time for a Book Club Soriree at Feast for the Eyes Bookstore, based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. Fabulous foods of the era will be served. Ladies will be wearing timely flapper dresses, and men will be attired in colorful vested tuxedos. Allie’s tuxedo cat, Darcy, will fit right in with the Art Deco decorations.
While Allie, Tegan, Vanna, and Chloe are firming up the details, and Lillian, owner of Puttin’ on the Glitz, sources the costumes, the town has a very important visitor, developer Jason Gardner has some big plans for Main Street, intending to buy up some historic buildings. He wants to erect a modern mall, and Allie is troubled about how his plan will affect the rest of the merchants and residents. The problem is he’s a nice guy who seems to have good intentions, and he wants her to cater an extravagant party.
Shortly after their meeting, he texts her to come to the estate he is renting and says it’s “urgent”. When she arrives, she finds him dead, and evidence is found, putting her in the crosshairs of the investigation. Everyone thinks she needs to use the sleuthing skills she used to save Tegan to save herself. But she knows sleuthing could go very wrong and lead to her demise.
I really love this Literary Dining Mystery theme. This time, each chapter begins with a quote from The Great Gatsby, many of which fit so well with what happens next in the story. The story is also filled with details of throwing a Gatsbyesque party. The author’s descriptions bring it all alive, from the costumes, decorations, music, and food, including one of my favorites, which I have not had in a long time, Pineapple Upside Down Cake. (Recipe included in the book.)
The author has created a strong cast of characters for this series. Allie Catt is a wonderful protagonist, following her dream with her catering business, Dream Cuisine, and delivering “tasty treats to the good people of Bramblewood”. She is smart, determined, and a really good friend. She received a small percentage of the bookstore when Tegan’s Aunt Marigold died, so most days, you will find her helping out at the bookstore, stocking shelves, and brainstorming ideas for upcoming literary events. Allie is also teaming up with Tegan’s sister, Vanna, on some catering jobs. Junior clerk Chloe is like the Energizer bunny at the bookstore. Lillian Bellington floats in and out of the bookstore with beautiful dresses on her arm for the Gatsby event. Allie had tried dating Bramblewood police detective Zach Armstrong, but it really didn’t work out, and now they are thrown together again by another murder. He can’t truly think she killed a man . . . or does he? A great group of supporting characters joins the core cast, including several suspects.
The mystery in Murder by the Millions is very well-plotted with a manageable number of suspects, but both Allie’s Clue Crew and this reader had a hard time pinning down the guilty party. Every twist and turn sent us in different directions. Even Zach was spinning his wheels. It took some contemplation for the clues to come together and for Allie to know who set her up, and she had the killer talking. I enjoyed the reveal. It answered almost all my questions, and the killer was in custody before the Gatsby event at Feast for the Eyes. There, the answers to the rest of my questions were revealed.
Murder by the Millions is a marvelous mystery with a great theme and great characters, including a very clever cat. The story was totally entertaining and A Perfect Escape! It may be time to reread The Great Gatsby. I am eager to see which literary tome will be featured in book 3. Until next year . . .
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Kensington Cozies and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
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About Daryl Wood Gerber
Daryl Wood Gerber is the Agatha Award-winning, nationally bestselling author of the Literary Dining Mysteries, the Fairy Garden Mysteries and the Cookbook Nook Mysteries. As Avery Aames, she penned the popular Cheese Shop Mysteries.. 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.
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Find all of Daryl Wood Gerber’s Books HERE.
Great Escapes Praise for Murder by the Millions (A Literary Dining Mystery)
by Daryl Wood Gerber
Murder by the Millions is a mélange of culinary and literary delights served with a liberal portion of mystery. A bookish friend of mine recently introduced me to the term “potato chip mysteries,” and I think Murder by the Millions fits solidly in that category. You want to just keep reading in this world.
~Hall Ways Blog
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.
~The Avid Reader
MURDER BY THE MILLIONS combines classic literature and scrumptious food molding them into a delightful cozy mystery. I look forward to seeing what book the next themed party will be based on.
~Cozy Up With Kathy
TOUR PARTICIPANTS – Please visit all the stops.
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
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” “As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.” I am also an affiliate of Bookshop.org and I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.” These funds are often used for gift cards and other giveaways.
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