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Daryl Wood Gerber Books in Order

Browse Daryl Wood Gerber books in order, with short summaries, series background, and a simple guide to where to start across her mysteries and suspense.

Last updated: July 4, 2026

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41 books

The Long Quiche Goodbye

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2010

Charlotte Bessette's cheese shop is barely open when her landlord is stabbed with one of her knives. With her grandmother under suspicion, Charlotte has no choice but to investigate before the real killer strikes again.

Lost and Fondue

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2011

A fundraiser in an old winery should be all fondue and fine wine, until a fresh body is discovered in the cellar. When Quinn becomes the chief suspect, Charlotte follows the clues into a mess of legends, grudges, and buried truths.

Palace by the Lake

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2011

This Agatha Award nominated short story first appeared in the water themed anthology Fish Tales and offers a compact dose of Krista Davis’s cozy crime style, blending everyday details with a tightly focused mystery that can be read in a single sitting.

Clobbered by Camembert

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2012

At Providence's Winter Wonderland fair, Charlotte meets a woman planning to start a honeybee farm. When that woman is found dead in Rebecca's cottage, Charlotte races to clear an innocent man before town gossip hardens into a verdict.

Final Sentence

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2013

Jenna Hart leaves advertising behind to help her aunt open a culinary bookshop and cafe in Crystal Cove. A grand opening visit from a celebrity chef ends in murder, and Jenna finds herself pulled into the case immediately.

To Brie or Not To Brie

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2013

Wedding plans, a local production of *Hamlet*, and a new Brie blueberry ice cream should keep Charlotte busy enough. Then a body turns up in an ice cream freezer, and she has to catch the killer before the big day falls apart.

Days of Wine and Roquefort

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2014

A visiting sommelier seems like the perfect match for Charlotte's cheese expertise, until she turns up dead. To find the truth, Charlotte has to sort through winery politics, jealous exes, and a houseguest who kept too many secrets.

Inherit the Word

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2014

The Cookbook Nook is hosting Crystal Cove's Grill Fest when the eight-time champion is found murdered behind the cafe. Jenna dives into local grudges and competition-fueled secrets to keep the wrong person from taking the blame.

Stirring the Plot

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2014

Halloween in Crystal Cove brings witches, fortune-tellers, and a big fundraiser to the Cookbook Nook. When the head priestess turns up dead, Jenna has to look past superstition and stagecraft to uncover the very human killer.

As Gouda as Dead

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2015

Valentine's festivities turn grim when a beloved bar owner is found murdered on Jordan Pace's farm. With Charlotte's wedding plans shaken and another death looming, she has to stop a killer who is clearly not feeling the love.

Fudging the Books

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2015

Pirate Week and a chocolate cookbook club event should be a sweet draw for Jenna Hart's shop. Then her friend Coco's editor winds up dead, and Jenna has to hunt down a sticky-fingered killer among a crowded suspect list.

For Cheddar or Worse

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2016

Cheese Festival week in Providence should be good for business, until a sharp-tongued critic is found murdered at an inn. When Erin becomes the main target, Charlotte digs into old grudges, broken romances, and local rivalries.

Girl on the Run

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2016

After a fairy-tale costume ball, Chessa Paxton wakes beside her murdered husband with blood on her dress and only shattered memories. Terrified she will be blamed, she runs and tries to piece together the truth before the killer finds her.

Grilling the Subject

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2016

Crystal Cove's Wild West Extravaganza should be all barbecue and rodeo fun, until a local woman is found dead in a bonfire. With Jenna's father under suspicion, she has to clear his name before the case gets hotter.

A Deadly Éclair

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2017

Mimi Rousseau finally gets her own bistro and inn in Napa, only to have the man financing her future turn up dead with an éclair in his mouth. With suspicion pointing at Mimi, she has to save herself and her business.

Day of Secrets

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2017

Chase Day thought he lost his mother years ago and never knew his father at all. When his mother reappears, dying from a gunshot wound, Chase is pulled into a dangerous search that could destroy what family he has left.

A Soufflé of Suspicion

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2018

Crush Week in Napa should be a boost for Mimi Rousseau's bistro, especially with a sweets festival underway. But when Renee is found dead in Chef Camille's kitchen, Mimi starts chasing the truth before Camille takes the fall.

Pressing the Issue

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2018

The Renaissance Fair has come to Crystal Cove, and Jenna's friend Bailey is planning a vineyard wedding. When the vineyard owner is found dead by a winepress, Jenna must solve the case before celebration turns to scandal.

Wreath Between the Lines

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2018

Christmas sparkles at the Cookbook Nook, until a man is found murdered with holiday decorations. When Jenna realizes another victim may have been the real target, she races through festive chaos to stop a killer before the season darkens further.

Desolate Shores

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2019

After finding her best friend dead on the icy shore of Lake Tahoe, Aspen Adams refuses to let the police handle things alone. Her search for the killer uncovers family strain, old wounds, and secrets that hit far too close to home.

Fan Mail

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2019

A Lake Tahoe news anchor starts receiving letters that turn from flattering to terrifying after a murder is committed in her name. Aspen Adams hunts for the writer before the deadly obsession claims even more victims.

Sifting Through Clues

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2019

Book clubs descend on Crystal Cove for Bonanza week, and Jenna is ready for good food and clever talk. When a Mystery Maven is murdered and her friend Pepper is blamed, Jenna starts sifting through suspects of her own.

A Sprinkling of Murder

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2020

Courtney Kelly has rebuilt her life around a fairy garden shop and tea room in Carmel. When a neighboring business owner is found dead beside a fountain, she becomes a suspect and gets unexpected help from a very unusual friend.

Cold Conviction

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2020

Private investigator Aspen Adams finally reopens the cold case that shattered her family, the murder of her parents fourteen years earlier. The deeper she digs, the more dangerous the truth becomes for everyone still standing close to her.

Shredding the Evidence

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2020

Food Bowl week should be great for the Cookbook Nook, with chefs and food lovers all over Crystal Cove. Then murder crashes the festivities, and Jenna has to cut through culinary rivalries before the killer serves up more trouble.

A Glimmer of a Clue

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2021

When an art critic is stabbed with a decorative letter opener from one of Courtney Kelly's fairy gardens, suspicion falls on Courtney's friend Wanda. To clear her, Courtney has to sort through public feuds, odd behavior, and buried anger.

Wining and Dying

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2021

At Crystal Cove's Art and Wine Festival, Jenna is excited to show one of her own paintings, until an up-and-coming artist is murdered. When the evidence points to one of her friends, Jenna steps in before an innocent man is framed.

A Hint of Mischief

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2022

Courtney Kelly is hired to create a fairy garden birthday party for a local socialite, with a famous actress on the guest list. After a spa day ends in a suspicious death, Courtney and Fiona start digging for the truth.

Simmering with Resentment

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2022

Crystal Cove is full of wedding fever as Jenna Hart prepares to marry Rhett Jackson. But a woman Jenna once helped convict wants revenge, and an explosion at their intimate dinner turns wedding joy into a desperate hunt for answers.

A Flicker of a Doubt

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2023

Courtney Kelly is hired to build fairy gardens for a tea and art show at a local estate. When her best friend's ex-boyfriend is found dead in the yard, Courtney and Fiona start following clues through a very suspicious crowd.

Hope for the Holidays

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2023

Hope Lyons has moved back home with her children and is trying to rebuild after selling her bakery. When a Christmas contest brings a determined sportscaster to her door, a reluctant holiday romance starts to bloom.

Poaching Is Puzzling

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2023

A crossword tournament brings puzzle fans and brisk business to Crystal Cove, until the star constructor is found murdered on a hike. When Aunt Vera is blamed, Jenna trades wordplay for sleuthing to crack a very personal case.

A Twinkle of Trouble

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2024

Courtney Kelly is preparing for the Summer Blooms Festival and growing supplies for her shop when an influencer friend is murdered. As suspicion lands on people Courtney cares about and a second victim appears, she has to dig deeper fast.

Murder on the Page

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2024

Chef and caterer Allie Catt turns clients' favorite books into themed dinner parties in the North Carolina mountains. When her best friend's aunt is murdered and the inheritance points suspicion in the wrong direction, Allie starts reading the clues.

The Son's Secret

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2024

College dean Maggie Lawson cannot reach her son Aiden just as her ex-husband is shot and trouble starts closing in. No one believes her fears, so Maggie starts searching on her own and uncovers secrets she was never meant to find.

A Jingle of Justice

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2025

Courtney Kelly is decorating her shop for Christmas when a stranger starts talking about buried treasure in the courtyard. Soon the woman is dead, a jingle bell is in her hand, and Courtney is chasing a very festive mystery.

Accidental Murder

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2025

Kayla Macintyre discovers her twin sister Ashley murdered and realizes she was the real target. Pretending to be Ashley buys her time, but stepping into her sister's glamorous life may bring her face to face with the killer.

Essence of Foul Play

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2025

Emma Brennan is ready to open her wellness spa in Carmel, until a rival spa owner is murdered with an item from Emma's own gift basket. With her name in the frame, Emma has to bring some calm to a deadly mess.

Murder by the Millions

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2025

Allie Catt is planning a glittering *Great Gatsby* themed event when a developer with big plans for Main Street turns up dead. With evidence pointing at Allie herself, she has to solve the crime before the ending turns tragic.

New

Murder in a Lavender Daze

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2026

Emma Brennan's spa is thriving, and a happily divorced party looks like just another unusual booking. Then the hostess's mother is found dead with an herbal pillow nearby, and Emma has to sort through family tensions and fresh suspicion.

New

The Adventures of Jake the Snake

by Daryl Wood Gerber

2026

Daryl Wood Gerber steps into children's fiction with this picture book featuring Jake the Snake. Details are still sparse, but it appears to be a lighter, playful read aimed at younger readers rather than mystery fans.

Where should I start?

If you want food-centered cozies: Final SentenceInherit the WordStirring the Plot
If you like a touch of magic: A Sprinkling of MurderA Glimmer of a ClueA Hint of Mischief
If you want French food and wine country: A Deadly ÉclairA Soufflé of Suspicion
If you prefer darker suspense: Desolate ShoresFan MailCold Conviction
If you want a newer series: Murder on the PageMurder by the Millions

Author bio

Daryl Wood Gerber grew up in the Bay Area and later graduated from Stanford University. Long before she published her first novel, she loved dressing up, performing, and making things up, and she has said that Lake Tahoe still gives her ideas. That mix of showmanship and curiosity helps explain why her books feel so lively, whether she is writing a cozy mystery, a thriller, or something in between.

Writing came early.

As a child she wrote stories, devoured books, and kept circling back to the idea of becoming an author. Then school got in the way of confidence. An eighth grade teacher talked her out of the dream, and when she tried again in college, another teacher dismissed her work. So she put writing aside for a while and moved on with life, thinking she would become a mother and a teacher instead.

Then Los Angeles changed the plan.

Gerber moved there to sing, dance, and act, and she started booking work fast. She appeared in commercials for big brands, landed roles on television shows like Murder, She Wrote, Hart to Hart, and Matlock, and spent time around story structure from the inside out. She also wrote screenplays and created the format for the sitcom Out of this World. All of that sharpened her sense of pacing, dialogue, and scene building, skills that carry straight into her fiction.

When she finally returned to prose, she did not come back halfway. Her Cheese Shop books, written under the pen name Avery Aames, introduced readers to Charlotte Bessette and a small Ohio town full of family, food, and murder. Books like The Long Quiche Goodbye helped establish the warm, clue-driven style she is still known for. Soon after, she launched the Cookbook Nook books with Final Sentence, then added the French Bistro, Fairy Garden, Aroma Wellness, and Literary Dining mysteries.

Food matters a lot in her fiction, but it is never just decoration. In A Deadly Éclair, Final Sentence, and Murder on the Page, the shops, kitchens, parties, and festival menus are part of how the characters live and how the mysteries move. Readers who like culinary cozies usually find a lot to enjoy here, from recipe friendly setups to close-knit communities and smart amateur sleuths who care deeply about the people around them.

She is also happy to go darker.

That shows up in the Aspen Adams suspense novels, including Desolate Shores, Fan Mail, and Cold Conviction, and in standalones like Girl on the Run, Day of Secrets, The Son's Secret, and Accidental Murder. Even there, Gerber tends to stay focused on people under pressure, especially women trying to sort out family secrets, trust, loyalty, and survival. The tone is different from the cozies, but the engine is similar: strong stakes, clean plotting, and characters who keep digging when it would be easier to walk away.

These days, Gerber writes across several lanes at once, from magical cozies to straight suspense to the occasional romance. She loves to cook, read, golf, swim, and garden, and she has a frisky Goldendoodle named Sparky. She is also, by her own account, adventurous enough to have jumped out of a perfectly good airplane and hitchhiked around Ireland by herself. That playful, game-for-anything spirit shows up in the books, too.

Edited by

Richard Reis

Software engineer whose passion for tracking book recommendations from podcasts inspired the creation of MRB.

Anurag Ramdasan

Lead investor at 3one4 Capital whose startup expertise and love for books helped shaped MRB and its growth.

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