The Page & Sommers Series by Cat Sebastian
- Reed
- Jan 22
- 2 min read
Author: Cat Sebastian
Rating: A-
Vibe: : 1960s baseball heartache with grief, yearning, and second chances
James Sommers arrives in a quiet English village on a mission: investigate a potential security threat, keep his head down, and get out. What he doesn't plan for is Leo Page, the local doctor who's far too observant, far too kind, and far too easy to talk to. When a body turns up and secrets start surfacing, James finds himself entangled in both a mystery and something he's spent years avoiding—actual human connection.
Cat Sebastian's Hither Page and The Missing Page are cozy without being cloying, romantic without losing their narrative drive, and clever without showing off. They're the literary equivalent of a well-made cup of tea on a rainy afternoon—which, given the English village setting, feels exactly right.
Sebastian is a master at yearning. It's not just physical longing (though there's plenty of that)—it's emotional stakes, slow build, and the ache of two people who recognize something in each other but aren't sure they're allowed to reach for it. The payoff feels earned because Sebastian does the work to get there. These aren't instalove stories; they're about two men learning to trust.
The mysteries themselves are tightly constructed and genuinely engaging. Sebastian clearly understands how an Agatha Christie plot works: keep it moving, layer in subtle clues, let the character work do some of the heavy lifting. These aren't quite at Christie's level—that's a stratospherically high bar—but they're smart, satisfying, and integrated with the romance in a way that feels organic rather than like two separate stories duct-taped together. The village setting helps with this. It's not just charming backdrop; the supporting cast is integral to both the mysteries and the emotional arc of the series. These people feel like a community, not set dressing.
I also want to give Sebastian credit for what she accomplishes in novella form. These books are short, but they never feel rushed or thin. The pacing is expert, the prose is clean, and every scene does multiple jobs at once. There's no filler, no meandering—just tightly written storytelling that knows where it's going and how to get there.
If I have any critique, it's only that I want more of them. The second book ends in a way that's satisfying but leaves the door open for future installments, and I genuinely hope Sebastian keeps writing in this world. These characters, this village, this blend of warmth and suspense—it's a formula that works.
For readers looking for historical romance with substance, or cozy mysteries with genuine emotional depth, this series delivers on both fronts. It's smart, it's heartfelt, and it's the kind of comfort read that doesn't sacrifice quality for coziness. A-—and I'll be first in line if there's a third.