Cat Gilbert’s Best Laid Plans wins top Book Excellence Award

By AI, Created 3:40 PM UTC, May 20, 2026, /AGP/ – Cat Gilbert’s mystery-romance novel Best Laid Plans won in the mystery category at the Book Excellence Awards, recognized from among thousands of submissions. The win spotlights Gilbert’s growing profile as she expands her Morgan Jones series and broadens her readership.

Why it matters: - Best Laid Plans won in the mystery category at the Book Excellence Awards, putting Cat Gilbert’s latest novel in a competitive international field. - The recognition can help broaden attention for Gilbert’s move into contemporary romantic mystery and strengthen momentum for the Morgan Jones series.

What happened: - Best Laid Plans was selected as a top winner after thousands of books were submitted to the Book Excellence Awards. - Cat Gilbert said she was shocked when the award was announced and felt honored the book was considered in such a competitive field. - The novel is available on Amazon: Purchase the book. - More information is available on Gilbert’s website: Cat Gilbert’s website.

The details: - Best Laid Plans follows Morgan Jones, a high-end construction project manager in Dallas whose life unravels after she finds a body at a job site. - Police initially rule the death an accident, but Morgan believes it was murder. - The story also centers on Justin Dulac, a reclusive multimillionaire and potential client who refuses to work with Morgan without explanation. - Morgan and Justin are forced into an uneasy alliance as they search for the truth. - The book combines mystery, romance, ambition, resilience and suspense. - Gilbert’s previous series include the Taylor Morrison psychic thriller series and the Molly McMurray ghostly mysteries. - Gilbert is now building out the Morgan Jones series. - Gilbert lives in Arkansas with her husband and their dog, Clancy. - Book Excellence described the novel as a “compelling blend of mystery and romance” with a tense, character-driven search for the truth.

Between the lines: - Gilbert’s interview frames the book as the result of a long-running idea that she set aside while finishing other projects and publishing two other series. - She said her approach to mystery writing comes from thinking like a puzzle solver, using twists and misdirection to keep readers engaged until the final reveal. - The award also reinforces a broader publishing pattern: genre novels with strong character work and clear commercial appeal can still break through in crowded contests.

What’s next: - Gilbert is likely to continue expanding her Morgan Jones series after this award win. - The Book Excellence recognition and online availability could drive more readers to the novel and strengthen Gilbert’s audience across her earlier series as well.

The bottom line: - Best Laid Plans has turned a long-gestating story into a career boost for Cat Gilbert, with an award win that may help the book reach a wider mystery audience.