This was a fast-paced and well-written whodunit that I could not put down, quickly becoming a page-turner. The mystery was expertly staged where the victim made their appearance known and the pool of suspects was varied and wide due to the misdeeds of the victim. I liked how the author hinted at the various motives among the suspects that kept me in the guessing game. When I thought I was on the right trail, the author added a few red herrings that had me looking more closely at the tidbits being supplied until that crucial moment when the only person left standing was the killer. With visually descriptive narrative, I was able envision all the action and the dialogue which enhanced how well this story was being told. Boasting a great cast of characters from Carly, Grant and Suzanne, this was very enjoyable, and I can’t wait to read the next book in this delightfully charming new series.

Linda Reilly has written a fun new cozy series around GRILLED CHEESE! Just the thought of the recipes made me drool! Carley moves back to her hometown with her dreams of opening a new diner with an emphasis on grilled cheese. Unfortunately her business is only going to be open for 5 months because someone from her past buys the building and wants to turn it into a boutique. Life was going well for Carley until this, and THEN murder happens right outside her back door. What next? Will someone she knows be arrested? This was a great start for this series.

Thank you, Net Galley for my ARC! I have been looking a cozy mystery about a grilled cheese restaurant!

Up to No Gouda introduces Carly Hale, a widow who has come back to her hometown after her husband passes away and opens her new restaurant. A straight forward whodunit, the plot and setting was as expected. Ms. Reilly generous with the chapters as the book was a bit lengthier than the average mystery but, she was able to cut them up well with enough twist amd tension. My suspect was wrong and I had no inkling at all.

In choosing a new mystery to pick up, the support characters carry a lot of weight if I will pick up the next book. Belsam Falls and its folk sound like a lively and cozy town and the familiarity is welcoming, no wonder Carly was so happy to be back. The only thing I am not feeling now is the budding new love interest angle but overall, an excellent cozy mystery.

This was such an adorable read. It had a couple (pun entirely intended) cheesy quirks that I think could be dialed down a little bit, but some of those are just kind of part and parcel of a cozy mystery and I'm willing to overlook them entirely.

Carly Hale is busy running her recently opened grill cheese diner (under the creative appellation, "Carly's Grilled Cheese Eatery") after returning to her hometown of Balsam Dell, Vermont.
When a troublesome charcter from her past is found murdered near her restaurant, and one of her loyal employees is suspected, she is roped into sniffing out the actual culprit.

As you may have guessed from the distressingly adorable cover, there is a friendly, fluffly little dog involved- and there are several promising recipes in the back!
Recipes for grilled cheeses seem like a little bit of a cop-out compared to the more involved or obscure ones for cakes or homemade lumpia, but you know what? They're fun, these were weird combinations, and it's great for people who want in on the recipe fun but aren't as culinarily incilned.
However, I do think if it's going to specify use of specialty breads, that it would be a lot cooler if a recipe for the bread is also included- especially since we meet the diner's bakers in the story.

I enjoyed that this book worked from some major cozy tropes, but it didn't feel recycled or boring because of that to me. Granted, that could just be because I haven't read enough of them yet.
We have the small town, single mid-30s, female restauranteur returning after a long absence from Balsam Dell. We get to follow Carly as she reconnects with friends from back in the day, and as she forms new attachments along the way, too. By the end of the book we have a solid cast of lovable characters that form a strong basis for the books that are sure to follow in the series. I also appreciated that we'll have recurring characters from a wide age range. I think that keeps things interesting.

I'm being careful to avoid any spoilage, but I thought it was a nicely executed mystery plot, too- and there's no relative or love interest in the local PD! That's a very welcome anomaly.
I didn't figure out the ending, but I did find myself picking up on hints that were smartly woven in throughout the narrative. It's worth a lot to me when the author strikes a good balance between an obvious plot and a mess of what I call bad faith red herrings- or such a paucity of information that you can't even formulate a guess to begin with. There were enough potential suspects to keep me guessing, but not so many that I couldn't keep the story straight... and it was all nicely paced, too.

There were a few things I thought detracted from the world a little, but none of them bothered me enough to deduct a star.

- Grant is too perfect. Like, annoyingly perfect. He reminded me of that kid who was in medical school in The Great British Bake-Off. I need him to have some sort of normal charachter defect or personal shortcoming in the next book, even if it's just like... forgetting to text back.

- Someone making a living off selling homemade cards in a local brick-and-mortar shop tests my suspension of disbelief. Maybe I'm wrong about that, but I doubt it. I figure if those still existm they aren't paying for themselves.

- I know it's a cozy trait to have charcters who are exaggeratedly rude, dramatic, or self-centered so that you don't get too emotionally invested in their well being, but the dialogue came off a bit stilted and unrealistic at times. I'm mostly thinking of Matt here.

- The "swearing" is a little jarring, although I'm obliged to reward points for crafting such original euphemisms.
While I could do without it just becuase it makes the conversations harder to picture, I can tell it's a bit of affectionate, self-effacing humor for the genre, and that is fun to see.

So, in short, I was super excited when I saw the cover and description for this book, and I actually squealed when I saw that my NetGalley request for it went through. I highly recommend it, and I see this series becoming a popular entry point for newcomers to the cozy mystery genre.

This is a solid debut rooted in a great concept. I love culinary cozies, and this one has lots of appeal. The heroine is likable and smart, and I really enjoyed her experiences running a grilled cheese-themed restaurant. The mystery was interesting, if a little predictable to genre fans. If you're a fan of cozy mysteries or books where food is heavily involved/mentioned, you'll probably enjoy Up to No Gouda. I'm looking forward to following the series and seeing how Carly grows and comes into her own.

This is one of the best first book in a new cozy series book I have read in a long time.
The cover was absolutely perfect for what was between the covers.
A Grilled cheese sandwich being the focus of a new series is great.
Carly Hale had just recently lost her husband and she needed to focus on healing, so she moves back to Balsam Dell to open her Grill Cheese sandwich shop. Everyone in Vermont both vacationers and locals love her sandwich combinations. Well, all except her ex-boyfriend from High school. He owns the building she has her shop in and he wants her out of there.
When he is found dead it is one of Carly’s employees who is the suspected of doing the deed! Carly knows she has to find the real killer to save her friend and her business.
I loved the story – I loved the characters, and I especially loved the sandwiches. This is one series I am eager to continue to read more in the series.
Thank you NetGalley, Linda Reilly and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC. This is my personal review.
The book will be published on Jan 25, 2022.

The first in a new series, Up to No Gouda. It was a great read, having all the things I like in a Cozy Mystery series. Most important is the main character, she needs to be likeable (someone you'd like as a friend in real life). The main character is that person. She's kind, loyal, and smart. I like what a big heart she has. The mystery is challenging (I didn't see that coming), and the supporting characters are very likeable as well (even the nemesis who lives above her diner, I hope she comes back in future books!). Her crew at the cafe (she runs/owns a grilled cheese diner), are fun and loyal. Her new love interest seems like a good guy and there is lots of chemistry between them. Her family doesn't live close but seem supportive (without a bunch of drama). The book is well written too. I look forward to the next in the series. Check it out, I think you'll like it.

This was a super cute cozy mystery set in Vermont. I loved the setting and the characters, and I was truly surprised by the ending. I'll definitely be continuing on with this series!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free e-copy. Out on January 22, 2022.

What an awesome cozy mystery! Loved the characters, great plot, and a mystery that I had to keep reading to figure out!
Carly owns and runs a grilled cheese eatery the heart of town, Her newly opened restaurant is doing well and life seems to be getting better for her after the death of her husband. When an ex-boyfriend of hers, Lyle, is found murdered in the parking lot of her restaurant, things become a little chaotic. Her dear friend is accused of the murder, but what Carly discovers is that Lyle had his hands in many schemes, and had many people angry at him. Can the killer be stopped before Carly finds herself the next intended victim?
Looking forward to the next book.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Up To No Gouda is a delightful read and the debut in the new series "Grilled Cheese Mysteries" by cozy author Linda Reilly. I loved the cover art first and fell in love with the charcters and the grilled cheese eatery. This is a great addition to culinary cozies. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My review opinion is my own, I predict this will be a long running cozy series with a large following.

We are introduced to our protagnist Carly in small town Balsam Dell . Carly has opened her dream business, a eatery just for grilled cheese . The creations will make every reader's mouth water for grilled cheese. Carly is a new widow and is starting her life over. When a high school nemesis buys out the building her business is in and wants her out Carly fights back. When he is found dead Carly's friend and employee is suspect number one and she must fight to save her business, her friend and her new life life. She decides to investigate and finds clues abound and the victim was generally disliked .

This was such a fun read ! Mouthwatering receipes for grilled cheese, great charcters, a atmospheric small town life and a well crafted sleuth that kept me guessing to conclusion. Very well done to the author ! I look forward to the next in series.

So excited to find a "first in a new series" cosy mystery. This one is off to a solid start. Carly is a likeable character and I was rooting for her grilled cheese café to succeed. The mystery was well-structured and although I suspected I knew who the murderer was, there were enough curve balls to keep me second-guessing. I'm looking forward to visiting the grilled cheese shop again!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

You had me at grilled cheese. This first book in a new series is a fast read with a satisfying resolution. Anybody opening up a grilled cheese restaurant has my full support. I like Carly and her dedication to her employees. The plot is pretty good--the two things I don't care for so much are 1) Some of the grilled cheese stuff doesn't ring true--is it really that revolutionary to put bleu cheese on a grilled cheese? and 2) The identity of the killer is a bit too obvious. Most mystery readers will guess the killer...

I'd give this one 3.5 stars.

Review copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for a copy of Up to No Gouda to review. Carly has moved back to her hometown after the death of her husband. While healing from her loss, she has fulfilled her dream of opening a grilled cheese eatery, is making new friends and reconnecting with old ones. Everything is going great until Lyle, a boyfriend from high school says he is buying the building her eatery is in and she has to leave. Lyle, however is not well-liked and is found dead with one of Carly's employees as the main suspect. I found this book a fast-paced, enjoyable read with believable characters that I connected with really quickly. I thought I had figured out the whodunit of the story but, not this time. I enjoy finding out when the characters do. Some books make it a bit too easy. This is the first in a new series and I look forward to more stories of amateur sleuth Carly.

Balsam Dell is a wonderful small town in Vermont, so of course they need a grilled cheese restaurant! The restaurant looking out on the town green is a great location to see all that is going on and get lots of foot traffic. I can see this being helpful in future books for our sleuth Carly.
Carly is a great sleuth. I fell in love with her from chapter 1 and I even shed a tear as she is telling us some of her back story. Carly felt like a character that could be your best friend. She was ready to befriend all the characters, so even her sleuthing wasn't harsh or rude. Her neighbor/ landlord Joyce is fun. Grant makes all kinds of wonderful sounding food. Suzanne and Gina were more complex than I expected. There were some others that I liked also, but I don't want to ruin their status as suspects.
I love a slow build romance and we get a great slow build here! She is not quite ready to jump into a relationship, but she is ready to have a crush on someone. That felt like the right balance.
It was easy to see early on that Grant was going to be killed, but the full list of his misdeeds was longer than I expected. There were so many people who he wronged. I was surprised by who did it, but then I went back and realized that I had missed several clues. So it was a well written mystery.
So a great mystery, a good romance, and some new friends. Great book!

I got an ARC of this book. This is my review.

Up to No Gouda by Linda Reilly is the first in the new Grilled Cheese Mysteries. The protagonist, Carly, returns to her hometown after the loss of her husband to open a grilled cheese eatery. Her lease is put at risk by the murder of her high school boyfriend and also current landlord, who is not well-liked among the town’s people. Carly needs to solve the murder to prevent her business from becoming a pile of crumbs. The small town setting and the fun cast of relatable characters made this a truly enjoyable read. I loved the concept of a grilled cheese eatery and the descriptions made me want to break out my panini maker and start grilling some of the combinations described in the story. With just a peek into coming attractions with Carly’s love interest, I can’t wait for the next book in this series. (I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy and all opinions are my own.)

The enemy you gnocchi will entertain you as the characters try to solve a murder or two. The cousins can't help but ask questions about the murder. They still find time to run their business es and get ready for Christmas.

This book is the first in a new series, and I am so pleased that I read it. It was obvious from the earliest part of the story that it was a well written cozy mystery from an very talented writer. The plot was good, and the characters were down to earth. The ending was a big surprise to me. I highly recommend thus book to other cozy mystery readers.

I was drawn to the Vermont setting of this book because I used to be a Vermonter. And it is always fun to read a book that takes place in a familiar place. It had the requisite small charming town setting and it is a comfortable read. You WILL get hungry and I was happy to see recipes for some of the sandwiches at the end of the book.
The characters are fairly unique and the plot kept me engaged. I'd definitely come back for more!

I really enjoyed the idea of this story more than the story itself. I was hungry constantly because the descriptions of the sandwiches where so good. The characters were all fun.
The solution to the mystery came kind of out of left field. I had the why of it figured out but not the who and I don't think there was enough lead up there.
Also there are a lot of side characters, and they are all great, but I think some of them deserved more time and attention. The love interest plot was kind of nonsensical given how little time we ever saw the guy.
Finally, I think the author needs to be more upfront about her past and the fact that this novel is reworked from an earlier story. I googled it to show the cover to a friend and found the older work with the same title, very similar cover, and a different author's name and was very concerned that this work might have been plagiarized. Link your Goodreads pages and put a note in the front of the book explaining that its been rewritten.

I was attracted to this book by the "punny" title and adorable puppy on the cover. Cozy mystery is not my usual genre as I'm not good at figuring out whodunit. The murder of town cad Lyle Bagley behind her grilled cheese diner, brings out the detective in Carly Hale. As she works to clear the main suspect, friend and waitress Suzanne, Carly manages to get into everyone's business around town.

This mystery is a very slow build; took a bit for me to get drawn in to the story. Being the first in a planned series, there is way too much world building and introduction of characters. I get that the author is setting up the future stories, but it took away from the plot to drop in so many characters, none of whom felt fully developed. Oh, and not enough of the adorable puppy! The puppy has almost nothing to do with (or in) the story, yet is prominently featured on the cover.

This books suffers from too much telling and not enough showing. It's very, "Carly did this", "Carly met this person", "Carly wondered". Carly does a lot of wondering. She wonders why her teenage employee Grant's parents don't come to the restaurant, but doesn't want to pry by asking. She wonders why Suzanne was hostile towards Lyle, but doesn't want to pry by asking questions. Instead, Carly spends her energy snooping and asking inappropriate questions to the murder suspects. It leads to a shallow understanding of the heroine, as well as the core supporting characters. The story would have been better served by spending more time with these core characters and less time on introducing all the red herring suspects.

Overall, it was OK; an enjoyable enough small town mystery. However, I don't feel invested or connected to the town or these characters, and am not interested in reading any more books in this series.