Grilled Cheese Mysteries: Book # 3
Publication Date: January 31, 2023
The next in a delicious new culinary cozy series featuring a grilled cheese eatery owner who must solve murders in her small town before someone is cheddar off dead
Winter in Balsam Dell is a snowy affair, and to add in some cheer after the holidays Carly’s former classmate Klarissa Taddeo is hosting her extravagant bridal shower at the historic Balsam Dell Inn. That is, until a double-booking throws some mold in the cheese and leaves Klarissa scrambling. With the venue moved to the maid of honor’s family mansion and Carly rinding to create a new delicious treat it seems the group is going to pull off the shower without a hitch.
That is, until a rowdy band of groomsmen crashes the event. Klarissa is furious with her groom-to-be and when a loud argument ensues, everyone is shocked by what they hear. When the groom is later found dead at the bottom of the stairs, his drink spiked with a hefty dose of poison, Carly must put her nose to the rind and save Klarissa from being suspect #1.
Because you know what they say: it’s always the (almost) wife.
I really enjoyed the first two books in the Grilled Cheese Mysteries series by author Linda Reilly, so I couldn’t wait to reunite with Carly and the gang in Cheddar Late Than Dead. And what a reunion it was!
We’ve returned to small-town Vermont and Carly’s grilled cheese shop. Carly is fresh off of solving a murder and trying to settle back into day-to-day life. A couple of high school acquaintances drop by her restaurant, and she’s roped into catering a bridal shower at the last minute. At the party, there is plenty of drama, and then the groom is found dead, and Carly finds herself once again in the middle of a mystery.
I really enjoy Carly. She’s quite logical, creative in her sleuthing, and generally isn’t a nuisance. I mean, she’s nosy, and she did annoy a few people. But in general, those she was questioning took it in stride and didn’t mind so much. I suppose it helps that after having solved two murders, she’s getting a little reputation around town. But she’s thorough in her sleuthing, and she actually does figure it out before the culprit comes after her.
There are various characters in Balsam Dell, and I like getting to know each and every one of them. I felt the author introduced just enough new characters to make the mystery interesting without being too overwhelming. I was pleasantly surprised by the unmasking of the murderer and their motives. And I was thankful for the last couple of chapters that rounded out the story and gave some character updates.
I highly recommend Cheddar Late Than Dead to mystery fans. Obviously, as with most cozy series, the book is better if you’ve read previous books in the series. But it does stand on its own. Cheddar Late Than Dead is a wonderful mystery with fascinating characters. I can’t wait to revisit Balsam Dell in the future.
Armed with a degree in Criminal Justice, Linda Reilly once contemplated a career in law enforcement. But life took a twist, and instead she found her niche in real estate closings and title examinations, where the dusty tomes in the Registry of Deeds enticed her into solving mysteries of a different sort. A dyed-in-the-wool New Englander, Linda lives in southern New Hampshire with her husband and cats. A member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and Cat Writers’ Association, she loves solving mysteries of the cozy type. When she’s not pounding away at her keyboard, she can usually be found prowling the shelves of a local bookstore or library.
