Cheddar Off Dead
By Korina Moss

After working in various cheese shops, Willa Bauer decides to open up her own cheese shop named Curds & Whey in Yarrow Glen in Sonoma Valley, California. But she’s not just starting a new business, she’s starting a new life after some heartbreak—romantic and otherwise. In the new town, she’s hoping to establish her business and make new friends. Everything gets a lot harder when the food critic turns up dead in his car just outside her store, with one of her custom knives as the murder weapon. Armed with her new friends, Willa does some sleuthing to try to figure out why the unpopular food critic was killed. Mark your calendars: this book is due out on March 29th, 2022.

When this year started, the bestie and I made a "rule" that we would only request books from authors we know, to cull some of the overwhelmingness we were getting from so many NG books. Then this book popped up and I promptly broke the rules. I am so glad I did.

THIS was a really fun book. SO. MUCH. CHEESE. Which is a glorious thing [she even talks about my most favorite cheese ever, which I never hear about and I was right chuffed about that for most of the book]. And some really great characters [I did have a couple of nitpicky things about the MC Willa, but I think they are mostly my issues and not issues overall, so I will not mention them here]. I LOVE Mrs. Schultz and Baz and Willa is a really great MC. I love how you learn about her cheese education and how she has used it to develop her cheese shop - her story-line is a really good one. My only real complaint about it is that she often leaves her shop [that she is dreading won't make it] to sleuth. DO YOUR JOB FIRST AND THEN GO SLEUTHING. It's not rocket science. If you were really concerned about your shop succeeding, you'd not be running all over town during business hours. Just sayin.

I knew who the murderer was early one [though I really had hoped it was somebody else because I don't like them. SO smarmy!] but not the why, which was a huge and complete surprise and made for a really good reveal. I liked how the book ended and am really looking forward to the next one in the series. Well done.

Thank you to NetGalley, Korina Moss, and St. Martin's Press/St, Martin's Paperbacks for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cheddar Off Dead sounds so intriguing- a cheese shop with a real cheese monger, she has a certificate and everything. We meet Willa, the cheese monger in the second week of her cheese shop, Curds & Whey, being open. She was knowledgeable and enthusiastic about cheese, and really who doesn’t love cheese? Willa was helpful and seemed like a good boss to her two employees. She was flawed, having low trust in men due to disappointment that we don’t learn about until a bit farther into the story.
Willa seemed like a great main character until the murder happened. Then she went leaping off cliffs of assumption and making hasty decisions about who was responsible. She treated a number of people badly. Some took offense, but some seemed to shrug it off and excuse her bad behavior. It wasn’t surprising when threats started to come her way.
I guess I wanted a more logical heroine. Willa leapt to so many erroneous conclusions and each time she was show to be wrong she leapt off on another trail. I have mixed feelings. I really like the setting in Sonoma and the cheese shop. I like the characters. I like Willa, but I think she’s an idiot.
It makes me unsure whether to recommend this book or not. I was thinking 3.5 stars and was going to round up, but in evaluating the book in the review I think that for me 3 stars is more accurate.
Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

Willa Bauer just opened her French-inspired cheese shop, Curds & Whey, in the small town of Yarrow Glen. She's determined to make it a success, starting with a visit from the local food critic. Afterwards, she finds the critic’s dead body, stabbed with one of her shop’s cheese knives. Now a prime suspect, Willa has to figure out which new friend is really a murderer.
I absolutely loved this cozy mystery. It had all the ingredients: likeable characters, intriguing plot, beautiful setting, and great food. It was fast-paced, and an exciting story. I want to read the next book in this series. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced reader’s copy of this novel. This review is my unbiased opinion.

A solid start to a new cozy mystery. The mystery was decent and I liked the cast of characters, especially Baz. He brought the wit much needed to keep the pace moving forward and some lighthearted banter. Willa was a bit bland herself - you know a little about her life but certain details don’t come out until way later in the book, unexpectedly. I also couldn’t get on board completely with her flirting with Roman and Heath. I’d rather she either have one clear interest or just be friends with both until the characters had a chance to develop. That said, I loved the descriptions of cheese and I’d like to see how the series develops as it has a lot of potential.

Love cheese. Love cozy mysteries. So, picking up this one was really a no-brainer. Fortunately, it's a really charming start to a new series. The first book in a cozy series has a lot of work to do with introducing our setting and the cast that will be populating the books, and it worked out that this one did a fairly nimble job with all of that while still telling an interesting mystery. I'd be interested in how relationships develop over the course of the series.

I was excited to read this debut in the Cheese Shop mysteries. Unfortunately, I could not get past my dislike of the main character to enjoy the story as much as I hoped.

Willa Bauer is excited to open her cheese shop in the small town of Yarrow Glen, CA. She looks forward to bringing artisanal cheeses to the masses as well as sharing delicious recipes and cheesemaking classes. When a local magazine offers to do an article about her, she is ecstatic for the publicity and hopes to bring in more business. Except the author of the article is a total jerk and no one in town likes him, not to mention he seems out to destroy businesses in the area due to general ill-will towards his family. Not surprisingly he winds up dead in Willa's alley with a cheese knife embedded in his neck. And there are six possible suspects, including Willa.

Willa is a bland character. While she says she has multiple years of cheese experience, she completely lacks self-confidence in herself and in her business. She starts investigating the murder, because she is a suspect, but since she is new in town and knows few people her sleuthing skills are rather ridiculous. Even her wearing of a University of Oregon sweatshirt (my alma mater) didn't make me like her. Such a disappointment, even if you do love cheese.

Cheddar Off Dead by Korina Moss is the first book in A Cheese Shop Mystery series. Willa Bauer has traveled since college learning all about the different variety of cheeses available in the world. She is now ready to open her own shop. Willa picked Yarrow Glen in Sonoma Valley for Curds & Whey. It has only been open a short time when the murder occurs. Willa lacked personality. She is nice, but she is only okay as a protagonist. We get to meet Willa along with her two shop employees (Archie and Mrs. Schulz), Baz (I love his real name), and various townspeople. I found the pacing to be a little slow for my liking. The author provides descriptions on the town, the shops, the people, and various cheeses (this slows down the pacing but allows readers to visualize the scenes). I liked the various secondary characters in the series. It is a well-rounded cast that is diverse in age and experience (from teen to retired drama teacher). The mystery involves a food critic who is disliked in the town. It was easy to figure out that the nasty critic would be murdered and there is a small cast of suspects. There are clues to help readers solve the crime. It is a light, simple whodunit that can be solved long before the final clues are given, and the reveal occurs. The mystery is nicely wrapped up at the end, but I felt the ending was incomplete (if I said why, it would be a spoiler). Willa actively investigated the crime by asking questions and eavesdropping on conversations. She gets help from her two employees and her neighbor, Baz (I like all three of these characters). Detective Heath is a handsome man (according to Willa) who warns Willa about the dangers of sleuthing. For some reason, Willa doubts the detective’s ability to solve the case. My favorite scene in Cheddar Off Dead is when Archie, one of Willa’s employees, comes out in a large cheese costume made by her other employee, Mrs. Schulz. It is a cute scene. I hope the author will cut back on romance in future books. I do not mind a little light romance that plays out throughout the series (I just do not like our fair protagonist admiring the various eligible men and debating the merits of relationships with them). I read a cozy mystery for the mystery along with friendly characters, charming small town, and that extra bit (whether it is a culinary cozy, pet themed, craft related, etc.). Cheddar Off Dead is okay, but I do not know if I will continue with the series (it cannot compare to Daryl Wood Gerber’s cheese shop mystery series). The novel is not long, but it felt like it thanks to the slow pacing and writing style. Cheddar Off Dead has readers traveling to the Sonoma Valley for delectable cheeses, a knifed critic, several suspicious suspects, an understanding neighbor, eager employees, a dedicated detective, and a curious cheesemonger.

Cheddar Off Dead is the first book in a new cozy mystery series by Korina Moss.

Willa has recently moved to the small town of Yarrow Glen and has fulfilled her dream of, opening a cheese shop to share her love of cheese. During her first Cheese Making Class, a magazine reviewer named Guy, known for writing scathing reviews, comes to the shop to write a review. Things get Intense when Guy threatens to reveal a secret one of the members of In Willa’s cheese class is hiding. Guy ends up leaving in a flurry of anger, but later that night is found murdered with a knife from Willa’s cheese shop, Curds, and Whey, Willa doesn't trust the police to clear her name before her new is ruined, so she takes matters into her own hands and begins sleuthing. At times her and her friends cause more trouble than they find answers, and the police are not happy she is involved. Can she solve the mystery before anyone else dies?

This was a great first story, the groundwork was laid naively for character development. There was a lot of details provided which some people feel is unnecessary in a cozy and is just used to fill same on the page. I don't agree, I enjoy all of the background information, it really helps me to connect with everyone involved. Yes, I figured out who the murderer we around 60% of the book but really, if you regularly read cozies it's easy to piece things together. The characters were fun and it read smoothly. Looking forward to the next book.

Thank you St.Martins Press and Netgalley, for the advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is a tough review to write because this is one of those books where I just don't have much to say about it. I think the big reason for that is because the main character, Willa, just doesn't seem to have much personality. She knows a lot about cheese and a few facts about her past are mentioned throughout the book but she never really comes to life on the page and I had a hard time connecting with her. As well, the pacing felt a bit jumpy and never fully pulled me in.

What bumped this up to three stars for me were the side characters. I do love a good team and Mrs. Schultz, Archie, and Baz are a fantastic team. The town of Yarrow Glen has the potential to be a great cozy mystery town with a variety of characters with a range of personalities. I will most likely read the next book in the series and I'm hoping I'll be able to connect more to Willa in that book.

This is a really fun start to a new series! You’ll absolutely want some cheese nearby when you start reading, though. The book did a really solid job introducing the different characters and businesses that make up Willa’s new world. The mystery was complicated enough to keep me engaged without being overly confusing. I’m looking forward to book two!

Thank you NetGalley for this book. The main character Willa is starting a new business in a new town. She’s already had her grand opening and now it trying get the word out about her cheese shop. It’s all going well until murder happens and now she’s trying to clear her name with her new friends. At first it was a little slow getting into the story but between her trying to keep her business going and her bumbling to solve the mystery, I did enjoy the book and look forward to reading the next one. I love cheese because who doesn’t, but after reading this book I definitely have some new cheeses I want to try.

I am a big fan of this book! The small town of Yall0w Glen is adorable. The author does a great job of creating a place that is so amazing you wish that it was real.

Cheddar Off Dead by Korina Moss kicks off a new cozy series featuring a cheesemonger named Willa and an eclectic cast of characters. Moss’ writing style is great and I feel like she worked to provide lots of details throughout. Some may see this as a negative or filler, but I feel like this is rather helpful to begin to lay the foundation for the type of cozy series the author is creating and character development. Overall, the book is well-plotted and had plenty of red herrings that kept me guessing until the very end. I look forward to the second installment!

Cheddar Off Dead was a great first book in a series. I love Willa's character and the supporting characters like Mrs. Schultz, Archie and Baz, in her new town.

Willa moves into a new town and opens her dream cheese shop, Curds and Whey. All is going well until a reviewer comes into the shop during a cheese making class and soon after is found dead with one of Willa's cheese knives, Willa starts to investigate to clear her name.

I enjoyed this first book in the series. I will definitely read the next in the series.

Cheese! Willa has finally opened her shop in Yarrow Glen and she's doing her best to market it, including inviting the local food critic to visit. Turns out he's an awful man and drunk to boot when he does appear so when he's found stabbed to death with one of her cheese knives- well, cozy readers know what will happen next! Willa investigates against the wishes of Detective Heath and discovers there is more to Yarrow Glen than she knew. This is the first in a planned series so know that the characters aren't perhaps as well rounded as you might like- but they're close. Willa's got two good assistants and, in a turn from the expected, a pet fish. I liked the cheese references even though they made me hungry. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Looking forward to the next one.

I HATE giving negative feedback. I got over halfway through with this book, but I just couldn't finish it. It started out okay but it was just so slow. The descriptions were way too detailed and it felt like they took up half of the content. I just stopped caring what was happening at some point. Again, I hate giving negative feedback. It's a great story idea, but I think the book could be cut in half lengthwise and it would be great!

What a great new cozy mystery series!
Willa has decided to start over in a new town, opening a cheese shop to share her love of cheese. She tries to become involved in the community and make her shop a success. During her first Cheese Making Class, a man named Guy comes to the shop to write a review. Things get a little carried away was the guests Willa has for her class have mixed feelings about Guy and he ends up leaving in a flurry of anger. But Guy is found murdered, Willa feels the police are pointing their fingers at her, and she does some sleuthing too clear her name. At times her and her friends seem to cause more trouble than they find answers, and the police are not happy she is involved. Can she solve the mystery before anyone else dies?
Great characters, plot was fun and read smoothly. Had a surprising twist. Looking forward to the next book.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The first in a new cozy mystery series, Willa is the owner of a cheese store in California. She has recently opened, and is hosting a cheese-making workshop for fellow small business owners nearby. When a tough critic barges in and threatens to expose one of the shop owners' secrets, he ends up dead. Willa must solve the case before she ends up next.

As a first book, this was pretty solid; however, there were moments when it was slow. I would say the first half was really captivating and then it tapered off some. I liked the characters, though, and would read the second in this series.

it is always a pleasure to welcome a new cozy series . This is such a fun mystery that I enjoyed it cover to cover. I thank the publisher, Net Galley and the author for the opportunity . Cheddar Off Dead captures the reader from the beginning with the sublime setting of the gorgeous Sonoma Valley. I love the author's description of the area that is so created so picturesque to the reader. Right away I like the protagnist who is smart, savvy and owns a cheese shop that she hopes will be a success.
Willa has named her unique shop Curds and Whey. She was so excited to start her business and pleased with the response from the townspeople. When she finds a dead body outside she fears she will be made the primary suspect as she is new to the area. As she investigates to save herself and her business she finds red herrings abound and soon is invested in the mysterious death as she works to solve the murder with the local police.

I loved this charming first in series. This is a promising series that I look forward to in the future. The supporting charcters all add to the fun and I look forward to more adventures by Will and friends. Well done to the author.