September 2026 Book of the Month: Murder on the Page by Darryl Wood Gerber

Chosen by Jake Grossman, Educator & Collections Coordinator

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A couple of weeks ago I sat outside of Old Baldy in the shade of our massive live oak, reflecting that sometimes my job can be a delight. My tour was done, emails were sent, and the most pressing task that remained for the day was to read our BOTM. I persevered through the heat to provide our readers with my review of Darryl Wood Gerber’s Murder on the Page.

Murder on the Page is a young adult “literary dining mystery”. Imagine a modern version of one of my childhood favorites, the Hardy Boys. Some readers might be familiar with my robust reading palate, whereas others might be curious why the historian chose a YA murder mystery. The answer is pretty simple- there is a cat on the cover that looks like my 15-year-old cat, Kitty. In all seriousness, however, I am a huge fan of the mystery genre. Agatha Christie is my favorite author, with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle not far behind. One time whilst on vacation in the OBX, I spent an entire day lost in an Agatha Christie book. Indeed, I was so consumed by the story I forgot to reapply sunscreen on my right leg. There is still a stain on our deck from when my dad popped the massive sunburn blister the following afternoon. Clearly, I do not fall into the target audience for this book, yet I was intrigued by the fact that Darryl Wood Gerber is a national bestselling author and an Agatha Award-winning author. In addition, I knew a fun quick read would be a nice, relaxing break during this busy time of the year. I hoped the book would deliver. And it did!

Jake's Cat, Kitty

The self-anointed Queen of Cozy Reads delivered a joyful and breezy ride like riding an empty Ranger on a calm day. The setting for Murder on the Page is not Bald Head but a small town outside of Asheville. Our main sleuth is a young caterer and private chef named Allie who loves cats, books, solving crime, and sashaying around with burly detectives. Allie is preparing to cater a proper English breakfast for her best friend’s bookstore-owning aunt when tragedy strikes. The day of the event, they arrive at the bookstore only to find the beloved aunt murdered. Whereas, originally, it seemed implausible that anyone could harbor a vendetta against the aunt, Allie soon unravels a web of blackmail, investigations, and a whole lot of wealth. Gerber expertly develops a host of characters with motives that convince the reader each one did it. The book is 336 pages, but the action keeps the pages moving well over 15 knots. Fair warning: if you are hungry, the book intertwines detailed descriptions of baked goods and food made by Allie. After all, baking helps her think. There is even a list of recipes at the end of the book that is pretty fun. I do admit I feel Gerber chose the wrong person as the perpetrator of the crime, yet I am probably just upset because they were not the one I guessed. This is a great book to read on the beach, but fair warning: make sure to reapply sunscreen and don't end up like me! 

Jake