Cheese Shop Mysteries: Book 6
Publication Date: April 29, 2025
In Korina Moss’s Bait and Swiss, Yarrow Glen’s newest business gives one unlucky resident the swiss of death.
It’s been almost two years since Willa Bauer opened Curds & Whey in Yarrow Glen, and both cheesemonger and cheese shop are thriving in the Sonoma Valley. While Willa doesn’t eat chocolate, it’s true that life is like a box of chocolates. Unfortunately, life’s latest curveball is that Willa’s ex fiancé and ex-best friend—the reason for her chocolate aversion—are opening a chocolate pop-up shop across the street. By the end of the shop’s first day, the town’s newest reporter is the victim of death by chocolate. Now Willa’s ex wants her to be Swiss Congeniality, solve the case, and save the day. As much as Willa wants to hit him with the nearest cheese wheel, she can’t stop herself from saying yes. And it’s not long before tourists decide to stay clear of town until the killer is caught. To save Yarrow Glen, Willa and Team Cheese have some work to do.
The Cheese Shop Mysteries by Korina Moss has quickly become one of my favorite mystery series. So when I saw that the latest installment was releasing, I knew I had to get my hands on Bait and Swiss.
The Cheese Shop Mysteries follows Willa and her staff in a small northern California town. In Bait and Swiss, the shop is celebrating its second anniversary, and the town is welcoming a new cake and specialty chocolate business. However, when a reporter dies from poisoned chocolates, Willa appears to be the prime suspect and her business is taking a hit. Of course, Team Cheese can’t just sit by and hope that the police will solve the mystery, so they begin their own investigation.
I really liked that in Bait and Swiss, Willa’s backstory was expanded upon and her budding relationship with Detective Heath continues to grow. Willa is shocked when her ex-fiance and best friend show up in town as the business partners in this pop-up chocolate shop. Willa doesn’t hide her surprise and even anger that these two from her past are in town, but she’s determined to support Hope’s half of the new business. But when chocolates are determined to be the murder weapon and Willa happens to be the one to deliver them to the newspaper office, well, it puts her as the prime suspect and puts a strain on her relationship with Heath. I found this to be a nice twist to the series to help advance Willa’s growth as a character.
I continue to enjoy Team Cheese. Willa, Archie, Baz, and Mrs Shultz are so different, yet they make a great team. Their friendship and interactions enhance the story, making me wish I was part of their group. They genuinely like spending time together in and out of work, and I appreciate that aspect of the story. And I even like that each member of Team Cheese got a bit of character development in Bait and Swiss.
The mystery wasn’t bad, but for me, it felt more like the vehicle for all the character development rather than the primary focus of the book. Willa actively investigated, and she did it with the help of her team, yet somehow it all felt secondary to their relationship growth. I wasn’t terribly surprised by the reveal of the murderer or their motives, even though I hadn’t figured it out on my own.
I have no problem recommending this book, but I suggest starting earlier in the series to understand the setting and characters better.
Bait and Swiss was a fun ride and I will definitely continue with this series. Thank you for another enjoyable read, Ms. Moss!
KORINA MOSS is the author of the Cheese Shop Mystery series (Minotaur Books) set in the Sonoma Valley, including the Agatha Award winner for Best First Novel, Cheddar Off Dead. Her books have been featured in PARADE Magazine, Women’s World, AARP, and Fresh Fiction.
