⭐⭐.5 -- This cover literally has ZERO reflection of the story. It's Halloween in Vermont. Not a 4th of July picnic. Where is the Jack o lantern shaped grilled cheese? The fall colors? Any hint of Halloween AT ALL?? Covers not reflecting the story within is one of my biggest pet peeves...sigh.

Onto the story itself. I really enjoyed the first book in this series and was looking forward to diving into this one. Unfortunately, I just didn't love it as much. The positives...the mystery was engaging and kept me guessing. The writing was great. The pace was good. The setting is original. I still love that Carly's love interest isn't in law enforcement (if you read a lot of cozies you know! 😂). The recipes were an added bonus. What really brought this book down was Carly (and Grant to a lesser extent). Carly was awful, honestly, Annoying. Rude. Nosy...how this woman has a single friend left is a mystery. I also was annoyed by Grant. The whole "school" situation that I thought was settled last book was drug back up, and for being an employee of Carly's he sure acts like he runs the place. I don't know, maybe I was in a mood, but all I kept thinking was "Dude, stay in your lane" 😂

So yeah, this one just hit differently than the first book. However, I am still onboard to give book three a go and hope the author gets Carly back to the character she was in the first book. 🤷🏻‍♀️

**ARC Via NetGalley** 🤷🏻‍♀️

No Parm No Foul by Linda Reilly
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book two of the grilled cheese mysteries was so fun! I love the relationships Carly has with her co workers and friends. This one kept me guessing and had so many red herrings! Just like the first book, I didn’t see the ending coming at all and I love that! Another great one from Linda Reilly. Bonus points for the unique recipes that are included !

This is such a fun cozy series, I adore the grilled cheese ideas and this book will definitely give you some food cravings. The characters in this one are well done and well rounded, the plot and mystery were enough to draw me into the story and I thought the ending was well done. Can't wait for the next one.

For book summary, please see publisher’s provided book description.
This is the second installment in the Grilled Cheese Mystery Series. This series is quickly becoming one of my favorite cozy series!
Regardless of the time of year (or weather outside) I can guarantee you will end up craving a cozy grilled cheese sandwich with a side of soup after these scrumptious descriptions and recipes. This book is set in Autumn and there is a Halloween themed Food Competition and festival at the heart of the story that will absolutely have you immersed in fall leaves and crackling fires, crisp air and pumpkin spiced everything!
Ms Reilly gives us so much to love in this series and this book specifically. The setting of the Grilled Cheese Eatery is so unique and yet so completely comfortingly familiar. The books are filled with appealing characters who each contribute to the life and complexity of the mystery. Carly is likeable yet flawed, as any real human being is and as an amateur sleuth must be, but her mistakes are fitting to keep the story moving without becoming a disruption to the flow of the story. I love the appearances of two temporary employees but someone more permanent would go a long way in rounding out the Eatery’s staff alongside Grant and Suzanne (who has only been partially present in both books so far). The mystery is well plotted and moves swiftly.
No Parm is complete Autumn-y goodness at its best! Can’t wait to read the next installment!
Thank you to Netgalley for providing an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This was the second Carly Hale mystery I've read, and I am very impressed by the talented author. The story was very engaging, and the main characters were likeable. I look forward to reading more Carly Hale mysteries. I highly recommend this book to other cozy mystery readers.

I’m really enjoying this new series with Carly, her Grilled Cheese Eatery, and small town Vermont. (I did go back and read the first book as well… it’s not necessary to understand the storyline, but it does help clarify some things.) A couple of characters I really liked from the first book showed up less in this one, so I’m hoping they’re more involved in future installments.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the complimentary digital review copy of this title.

Love this book !!! The characters are engaging and the plot has me guessing until the very end .
A great Halloween mystery to read at this time of year . My only complaint is that there should be a warning not to read on an empty stomach .

This is the second book I have read in this series and I enjoyed it as much as the first. The town of Balsam Dell is celebrating Fall and Halloween with a festival and food competition. Ferris, another local sandwich shop owner, has a problem with Carly. When he is found dead and her beau, Ari, is framed for it she sets out to solve the crime. I really like the characters and the restaurant setting. The grilled cheese sandwiches all sound delicious. The mystery was good and there were a lot of suspects. I was able to solve the mystery at the end. I look for word to reading the next book in the series. This makes a wonderful fall cozy. Enjoy

I didn’t want this book to end!

I loved the characters both familiar and new, the yummy grilled cheese and soup descriptions, the setting and the great twisty mystery.

I can’t wait to see what the characters are up to in the next book.

No Parm, No Foul

Grilled Cheese Mysteries, Book # 2

Linda Reilly

5 Stars

Synopsis:

“Foodies and mystery lovers will come for the red herrings and stay for the cheese.”— Kirkus Reviews

The second book in a delicious culinary cozy series—the muensters have arrived in Balsam Dell in this Halloween cozy mystery featuring a grilled cheese shop owner turned amateur sleuth

After a long hot summer in Balsam Dell, Carly Hale is ready for crisp Vermont weather and gourmet grilled cheeses at her Grilled Cheese Eatery. And the upcoming Halloween food competition is the perfect way to impress the locals.

But Ferris Menard, the owner of Sub-a-Dub-Sub, is nursing a serious grudge against Carly. Two days before the competition, one of Carly’s employees quit his part-time gig at Menard’s sub shop, sending Menard into a serious snit. In a confrontation at the Eatery, Menard accused Carly of sabotage and vowed to bring her down.

That’s when Menard’s body is found in his kitchen the morning after the competition, a steak knife sticking out of his heart. But Menard had a slew of enemies, and if Carly doesn’t figure out which one is the culprit, she might find herself—or someone she cares about—serving grilled cheese sandwiches under lock and brie! (Amazon)

Review:

The characters are well rounded, well developed and three dimensional. Carly is caring and loyal. She is looking forward to the local food competition and hopes that her Grilled Cheese Eatery will do well. But the owner of Sub-A-Dub Sub shop is sure that he will win. He is not liked by very many people and when he is found dead Carly needs to find the before someone she cares about is charged with the murder.

The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and these descriptions pulled me into the story from the very beginning. The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The mystery was well plotted and there were plenty of suspects to consider and clues to sift through. You needed your thinking cap on to solve the mystery.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. There was so much I liked about this book:the characters, the setting(cheese), the mystery. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.

Book two in the series takes us back to Balsam Dell and Carly’s Grilled cheese restaurant. Carly is so excited to learn that her part time employee has quit his second job to come work for her full time, but his previous boss isn’t. He is jealous of Carly and her success he seems. He degrades Carly publicly and ends up murdered with her boyfriend as the prime suspect.
Carly must prove Ari’s innocence and save her reputation.

Carly Hale has cooked up the perfect grilled cheese on pumpkin bread for an annual Halloween food competition. She's not too worried about a rival sandwich shop owner. Ferris Menard is rude and unpleasant and angry that one of his employees has quit to work at Carly's shop...and then he's found dead in his own restaurant kitchen with a steak knife sticking out of his chest.

After reading this one, I wanted to run out and buy some fancy bread and cheeses so I could make myself a sandwich half as good as the ones in the book sound. It's a fun read with lots of atmosphere and a plot that twists and turns in some unexpected directions.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. I already did a review for the audiobook.

Just like the first book in the series, this book is going to make you want a grilled cheese something fierce. Suggest having ingredients on hand prior to reading. The charming characters, quaint setting and delicious food make this a cozy way to while away an afternoon.

I loved this one! I love the grilled cheese theme and the dog Havarti! The mystery was well paced, and the characters were fantastic. The small town setting was endearing, and I really loved the main character, Carly. I cannot wait for book 3!

What an enjoyable cozy mystery!
Second in the series, I was pleased to find I liked this even more than book 1.
What I really liked is that the main character doesn't do anything outrageous in her detective work. Most of her "investigating" is talking to people during her day, not doing dangerous tasks. Too many times in cozies the main character is found doing dangerous tasks and can't for the life of them understand why those around them are upset with them.
Good, quick recap the characters backstory so if you haven't read book 1, you' wouldn't be lost.

While I didn't enjoy this book quite as much as the first book in the series, this is still a very solid cozy mystery. I really liked the mystery itself; I figured out the who relatively early but there were still some surprises along the way. The animosity aimed at Holly by a couple characters was a little much for me and lessened my overall enjoyment of the story, but I still enjoyed it very much. Looking forward to more in this series!

No Parm No Foul, the second installment in the Grilled Cheese Mystery series, lives up to the high expectations generated by the first book. Linda Reilly has another solid hit on her hands with this one.

Carly Hale and her Grilled Cheese Eatery crew have prepared some savory Halloween-themed treats for Balsam Dell, Vermont’s Scary-Licious Smorgasbord Competition, where her delectables will face off with a several competitors, including Ferris Menard, owner of the Sub-A-Dub Sub restaurant. Menard is upset because one of his employees quit to go work full-time for Carly, and he confronts her. The festival competition goes as planned, except that unfortunately, there is a snag with the voting – more votes have been counted than tickets sold, which sends the organizers scrambling to find who was stuffing the ballot box. To make matters worse, Menard is murdered, and Ari, Carly’s boyfriend becomes one of the prime suspects. In reality, however, Menard was an unpleasant man who was disliked by many of the townspeople, leaving a surfeit of possible suspects. Knowing that Ari could not have killed Menard, she sets out to clear his name and finds herself in imminent danger.

This series is so fresh and inviting. Carly, in particular, is a fantastic character – smart, kind, and determined. She values her friends and her employees. Grant, her musically-talented employee, may be my favorite character. Once again, he has a pivotal role in the story, with the subplot involving the conflict with his father, bringing a personal and heartwarming touch to the story. It is also easy to see why Carly likes Ari. He is supportive and dedicated, ready to lend a hand when one is needed. And Evelyn Fitch, a retired teacher who is a new character in the series, fits right in. And, of course, there’s Havarti, Carly’s cute Morkie, who offers canine companionship at all times.

The mystery is quite complex, with a vast assortment of clues, suspects, and red herrings to keep you guessing throughout. I had my suspicions early on, but it was intriguing to watch Carly unravel the evidence. A good deal of thought went into developing the mystery trail, and, in my view, it pays off.

Without question, No Parm No Foul is a delightful cozy mystery, enhanced by the addition of a couple of mouthwatering grilled cheese recipes, especially Alvin’s Panko Perfection. I will eagerly (if not patiently) await the next installment of this engaging series.

Note: I received an ARC of No Parm No Foul from NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press. The above is my honest review.

Narrator: Carly Hale, owner of the Grilled Cheese Eatery
Supporting characters: Holly, Grant, Suzanne, Ari, Gina
Location: Balsam Dell, Vermont
Sub-location: Grilled Cheese Eatery
Magic?: No
Animals: Carly's little white dog, Havarti
Recipes: YES. Included are: Alvin's Panko Perfection and Farmhouse Cheddar Sleeps with the Fishes.
Series #: Grilled Cheese Mysteries #2
Theme: Halloween, grilled cheese, sandwiches
Mystery notes: They think that Carly's love interest, Ari, committed the crime! I didn't even guess at the killer, but when it was revealed, it felt like it all fit together.
Copaganda/police involvement:
Police chief: No! Do not investigate this murder, you are a grilled cheesery owner, not a policeman!
Carly: Yeah whatever I'm stubborn and I think I can solve it!!!
Notes on the puns of the title: incredible. amazing. no notes.
Further Notes: There is a competing sandwich shop called "Sub-a-Dub-Sub".

Honestly, I think that the concept of a grilled cheese shop is SO charming, PLUS the recipes in the back combined make this a four-star read, not to mention the additional charm of the surrounding characters. I also like that Carly is a really kind of blunt person who Gets Things Done. You need tomato soup to go along with this book.

I adored Linda’s Cat Lady Mystery series and I wondered how this new series would compare?! I worried for nothing. I am having so much fun with Carly and the gang.

The setting was fun, being Fall with a fun food festival. Cozy Mysteries are often quirky which gives them their charm but Linda is able to do that with making you feel real emotion for the characters as well.

I didn’t guess The Who Dunnit!!

I enjoyed getting to know a few of the characters better this book but hope to see more of my favorites in book 3.