No Parm No Foul takes us back to Balsam Dell to Carly Hale and her grilled cheese eatery. This is book two in the series and is a great continuation of the series. It's Halloween and Carly is working on her entry to the food competition. Unfortunately, the prior year's winner and main competition for Carly's entry, Ferris Menard, believes that Carly is the reason Grant, who also is Carly's chef, quit a few days before the competition. Ferris makes things difficult for Carly at every turn, however when Ferris is found murdered the morning after the competition, Carly is really in hot water. Carly goes to work solving the murder before any of her friends are charged. It's a great mystery that keeps you guessing until the end!

The characters introduced in book 1 are back and their stories continue along with Carly's. Carly's employees and their issues only add to the realism of the story - from chef wannabe Grant's struggle with his parents' desire for him to be a professional musician, to waitress Suzanne's broken foot and inability to work, making Carly short-staffed and struggling to find good help. This book is full of new characters as well and Carly's involvement in their stories only further endear Carly to the reader, even though she is a bit nosy! Of course Carly's boyfriend Ari and best friend Gina are involved in helping to solve the crime, and one of them is the prime suspect!

In addition to a great mystery and extremely likeable characters there is good food -- the many sandwich ideas sprinkled throughout the book, some of whose titles are 'groan-worthy', sound wonderful! Fortunately, there are recipes for two of these sandwiches at the end of the book!

This is a very well-written mystery that is engaging from page 1. Good food, good friends and a murder to solve - what more could you ask for?

Release Date: July 26, 2022

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Carly is finally settling at her ice cream shop turned grilled cheese restaurant in Balsam Dell (Hill) VT. Her sous chef Grant left his unhappy job at the sub shop run by Menard. Menard is convinced that it is all Carly’s doing and storms into the restaurant to tell her off. Grant reveals that Munster Mr Menard has been off his rocker lately and even his daughter is walking on eggshells so when Menards body turns up there is an endless supply of suspects. However Carlys electrician-beau seems to be at the top of the list. Can she, Gina, Grant and Ari figure out who killed the sub owner or is will Ari be as Gouda as gone.

I really liked this book. The sandwich’s talked about made my mouth water and Carly’s friendship with Gina (a carry over from the first book) is really wonderful. I hate when characters introduced in books simply disappear but it seems Gina is here to stay! Also Ms Fitch is a hoot and I really hope to see more of her in future books. I’d highly recommend this series! It’s delightfully grilled cheesey 🧀

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

#bookstagram #netgalleyreads #bookrecommendations #lindareilly #grilledcheesemysteries #grilledcheese #poisonedpenpress

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is book #2 in this series, and this one was just as much as the first one! Carly Hall has an eatery known as Carly's Grilled Cheese Eatery. Her "competition" is a local sub shop owned and operated by a crusty old man, Ferris Menard. When one of Ferris' employees quits working for him to go to work for Carly full time, he is not a happy man. He accuses her of stealing his employee and reporting him to the Health Department. He storms into her restaurant and publicly declares his distaste for Carly and her restaurant. The Halloween food competition is the following day, and he once again lets her know how he feels as he is competing alongside her. When his dead body is found in his sub shop early the next morning, the suspects and enemies are too many to count. When someone Carly cares about ends up being the prime suspect, she starts using her amateur sleuthing skills. The setting for this book and this series is Balsam Dell, Vermont, and the author does a great job of making the reader feel as if they are inside this quaint little town. The grilled cheese sandwiches have names like Sweddar Weather which is a grilled Swiss and Cheddar on marble rye bread! I just love the imagination Linda Reilly uses when naming the grilled cheese sandwiches! It will make your mouth water and make you want to go make a grilled cheese sandwich. There are some tasty recipes at the end of the book as well. I also love Carly's little dog named Havarti! His picture is on the front cover, and he is everyone's friend! If you enjoy a good, clean cozy mystery, you will enjoy this one. I look forward to the next one in the series!

Carly Hale has returned to her hometown of Balsam Dell, Vermont and has opened Carly's Grilled Cheese Eatery. She is doing well selling her cheesy treats and the Halloween food competition is on the horizon bringing with it more opportunities. Ferris Menard owns Sub-a-Dub-Sub, a sandwich shop and one of Carly's employees worked for Ferris then quit. When Ferris is found dead, having been stabbed with a steak knife, Carly's boyfriend Abi is the prime suspect.

The continuation in a new series by Linda Reilly, this second instalment, No Parm No Foul follows "Up to No Gouda" and it has twists and turns to hold my interest. The storyline moves along swiftly and the characters are colourful. The star of the show is the scruffy beige young dog, Havarti. I look forward to getting to know Carly et al. better in the upcoming books. The next one in this series is Cheddar Late Than Dead.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

Halloween is coming up and grilled cheese restauranteur Carly Hale is looking forward to competing in Balsam Dell's annual Scary-Licious Food Competition for the first time. Unfortunately, the fun is marred by cheating, and when someone winds up dead Carly can't help but try to clear her boyfriend's name.

No Parm No Foul is book two in Linda Reilly's Grilled Cheese Mysteries series. I read book one, Up to No Gouda, but it isn't necessary to read it to enjoy the second book. Though they are both quick reads so if you have an end-of-summer vacation planned and wondering what to read, you could start this series.

No Parm No Foul made an excellent weekend read - I started it Saturday afternoon and finished it Sunday evening. I'm sweltering in the summer heat wave so it was kind of nice reading the descriptions of crisp cool air. Though with its fall setting and Halloween mentions, if I hadn't been reviewing this book I would have waited to read it as part of my Halloween fun reads in October.

Whether you mentally want to escape the hit or looking for books to put on your fall reading list, you can't go wrong with this one.

Carly is a delightful character. She is someone you would want to be friends with. As Grant is now working full-time at Carly's grilled cheese restaurant, we get to know him a bit more. Having this 20-year-old as a prominent secondary character is interesting. He is struggling with choosing between his two passions - being a cellist (which his parents want) and being a chef (what he is really leaning towards). With this character being part of Carly's circle, we get to see another aspect of her character - the one that acts as a mentor.

It might just be because I'm listening to an older Hannah Swenson mystery, but I got some of the same vibes from Carly as I did from an early Hannah. There are some similarities so if you are a fan of Joanne Fluke's series, then you will want to try out Linda Reilly's new series.

My review is published at Girl Who Reads - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2022/07/no-parm-no-foul-by-linda-reilly-review.html

No Parm No Fowl is book #2 in the Grilled Cheese Mystery series by Linda Reilly.

It’s almost Halloween and Carly Hale’s business is doing well. A fellow restaurant owner has a beef with Carly and many others. When he turns up dead, there are plenty of suspects.

I’m always craving grilled cheese sandwiches when reading this series. I really like Carly, her friends, and family. It was an interesting mystery that gave us a chance to get to know some of the restaurant regulars. The recipes at the end sound yummy!

Thank you to the author, Poisoned Pen Press, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for providing a NetGalley ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Pub date: 7/26/22
Genre: cozy mystery
Series: Grilled Cheese Mysteries, book 2
In one sentence: Carly's Grilled Cheese Eatery is all set to win Balsam Dell's Halloween food contest - but she'll have to return to sleuthing when her main competitor is found dead.

I love cozy mysteries, and book one of this series (Up to No Gouda) was such a treat! No Parm No Foul continued Carly's story well - it works as a standalone, but you'll get more background on Carly if you read book 1.

The food is definitely a highlight of the book - I loved reading about Carly's creative sandwich combinations. The reader also learns more about Carly's team in this book - I enjoyed seeing her mentor her employee Grant, and I hope we get more team content in future books! Of course Carly's morkie Havarti was also featured - such an adorable sidekick!

The mystery is compelling, as the victim was not well-liked and had plenty of enemies. Carly's love interest Ari comes under fire, so she tries to sleuth around to find the truth. She's not a great sleuth (maybe this will improve in later books!) but I was satisfied with the wrapup of the mystery.

If you enjoy cozy mysteries, especially food-themed ones, this is a fun read to pick up!

No Parm No Foul is a cheesy mystery that you can sink your teeth into. When an obnoxious sub shop owner publicly berates Carly and soon after is found dead Carly's boyfriend becomes the #1 suspect. Carly is sure he has been set up and starts asking questions which quickly gets her in trouble too.

There are lots of suspects that will keep you guessing throughout the story but the feel-good ending was my favorite part. Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for an ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

I enjoyed the first installment in this cozy mystery series, but for some reason the writing in this one felt forced.

I thoroughly enjoyed Up to No Gouda, the first book in the Grilled Cheese Mysteries series by Linda Reilly. So when I came across No Parm No Foul, I knew I had to pick it up. And boy, I was not disappointed.

Since No Parm No Foul is the second book in the series, the stage at Carly’s Grilled Cheese Eatery is basically set. The reader is familiar with Carly, her employees, her love interest, and her family. Oh, and the police chief. So in this installment, most of the world-building takes place around the murder victim and the various people Carly turns into suspects.

Ms. Reilly does a wonderful job of weaving Carly’s snooping into her daily work at her restaurant. I appreciated that her sleuthing didn’t completely interfere with her day job. Yes, she’d run off during a break and run some sort of errand related to the case or talk to her customers or employees about it. But Carly doesn’t let it completely take over her life, as it often happens with amateur sleuths.

Carly is still a likable character. Even though she’s a bit nosy, people like her and talk to her. I’d like to think that if I was a Balsam Dell, Vermont resident, I’d frequent her eatery and be friends with Carly. Her personality jumped off the page and pulled me into her circle. Along with her friends and family, I was concerned her snooping was going to land her in a perilous situation.

The mystery was quite well done. The murder victim was not well-liked, and so there were quite a number of people who weren’t crying over his death. So many people had valid reasons for wanting him dead that Carly had quite the task of sorting it all out and finding the actual murderer. I’ll admit that I didn’t figure it out and was quite happy to go along for the ride.

No Parm No Foul is a well-rounded book with interesting characters and a complex mystery. I have enjoyed both books set in Balsam Dell, Vermont, and can’t wait to revisit Carly and her eatery when the next Grilled Cheese Mystery is released.

No Parm No Foul by Linda Reilly (A Grilled Cheese Mystery #2) 4 stars

This is the newest book in the Grilled Cheese Mystery series following “Up To No Gouda”. I will confess that “Up To No Gouda” is on my TBR pile, but I decided to dive in without reading that first.
Carly Hale is the owner of the Grilled Cheese Eatery in Balsam Dell. It is fall and there is a Halloween food competition among the local eateries. Ferris Menard, owner of Sub-a-Dub-Sub has a grudge against Carly since her one of her employees left his part time job at Sub-a-Dub-Sub. Although a virulent rant in her restaurant leaves Carly uneasy, all is pushed to wayside in favor of competition preparations. However, when somebody discovers Ferris’s body in his shop, Carly and her boyfriend are considered the main suspects. Carly and company will have to figure out who wanted Ferris dead or they might be eating cold grilled cheese sandwiches in the slammer.

I found this book easy to read. I didn’t need to read the first book to get the feel of all the characters. I found Carly’s curiosity and logic skills a necessity in order to put together a myriad of clues from multiple sources. The identity of the culprit managed to surprise me and I enjoyed this book. I look forward to the next book in this series.

Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC.

Through NetGalley, I received a free copy of NO PARM NO FOUL (Book 2 of the Grilled Cheese Mysteries), by Linda Reilly, in exchange for an honest review. A public confrontation with another small business owner lands Carly Hale in hot steaming goo when that business owner is murdered within hours of the row. I am a fan of Linda Reilly's writing and recommend her books.

No Parm No Foul continues exploring Balsam Dell, a small college town in Vermont. The first installment, Up to No Gouda, was released in January 2022 and is set at the beginning of the summer. This installment starts at the end of October as the town prepares for a Halloween festival.

Ferris Menard continues to be a thorn in Carly’s side until he is found murdered in his restaurant. Carly isn’t a suspect, though. With Menard’s actions before his death, it would be understandable if she had been. Instead, someone close to her is the prime suspect, and Carly takes it upon herself to prove the police wrong and find the real killer.

I will admit this time-I didn’t suspect the true culprit. I had suspicions about a few others, but not the one who did it. That’s okay with me, and I don’t mind not knowing.

Some of the characters we get to see more of in this book are Carly’s mom and sister. Grant’s dad also makes an appearance. Havarti was in the book a bit more, but I still want to know more about the little guy! He is so darn cute and fluffy!

Be prepared to crave grilled cheese sandwiches as you read this book! As a bonus, you will find a couple of recipes at the end that you will be tempted to try.

As with most, if not all, cozy mysteries, you don’t have to read the first book to understand what is happening in the second. You may not understand a few minor details, but generally, you aren’t missing out on anything if you don’t start at the beginning.

No Parm No Foul is an excellent addition to the cozy mystery world. And I can’t wait to read the third book, Cheddar Late Than Dead.

When Ferris Menard - owner of Sub-a-Dub-Sub in Balsam Dell, Vermont - arrived at Carly Hale's Grilled Cheese Eatery, full of abuse about Grant quitting his job, blaming Carly for enticing Grant to her shop, she was shocked. Her customers were embarrassed for Carly. Ferris' daughter Holly was mortified at her father. But when the Halloween food competition two days later, was concluded and there was an issue with the votes, Carly was puzzled. They'd never had a problem before.

Carly, Grant and Suzanne worked tirelessly in the eatery and when Suzanne twisted her ankle and needed time off, Carly and Grant tried to keep up with the rush. It wasn't long before they heard of Ferris' murder, found by Holly in the kitchen of his shop. When Carly's significant other, Ari, was taken in for questioning, Carly knew she and her best friend Gina needed to do some sleuth work. And even with the Chief ordering Carly to desist, she continued. Would the police find the killer or would Carly put herself in danger once again?

No Parm No Foul is the 2nd in the Grilled Cheese Mysteries by Linda Reilly and once again I thoroughly enjoyed it. Fun and entertaining, the elderly Evelyn Fitch was a wonderful character, the recipes are delightful and I'm looking forward to #3. Recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

Linda Reilly is one of my favorite authors and when I see she has a new book coming out I tend to squeal with joy. After reading the first book in this series, Up to No Gouda, I had a tough time waiting for No Parm No Foul.

Carly owns an eatery specializing in grilled cheese sandwiches. With different flavors to choose from it has become a hit in Balsam Dell, Vermont. It seems that one of the only people not enjoying melted cheesy goodness is a sub shop owner who feels the need to compete and complain a lot.

This book takes place during October and Carly is competing for the first time in the town Halloween cooking competition. Later after someone dies Carly works hard to find the killer even as problems arise in her shop. Events from the past and present come together to help lead the reader to solve the mystery.

Delightful writing makes this book a breeze to enjoy and there are recipes that look fun to try. I will continue the series.

Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for access to a copy of an eARC so I could give an honest review.

I really enjoyed this story because the town and its residents are so loveable; it's a truly cozy setting. The mystery definitely kept me guessing until the very end and the writing is easy to read and flows well. Where this story lost points is in the way Carly badgers the suspects. I get that she was feeling the pressure of clearing her boyfriend's name but she was so abrasive and unlikeable that it was a real chore to get through these sections. Also, we're all adults, even if it is a cozy mystery, you don't have to spell out derogatory words; it seemed a little childish and it's hard to take a sleuth who's investigating murder seriously if you can't deal with a little language. Otherwise, this was an entertaining story and I look forward to the next.

Carly and her grilled cheese eatery are back in this second book. Carly is looking forward to the Halloween cooking competition but it is overshadowed by accusations from a fellow contestant. When that person is later found murdered Carly's boyfriend Ari seems to be the main suspect. This was a fast easy read. I wish I had a little more mystery and a little better flow but all in all a good book

This is the second in a cozy mystery series set in Vermont where the main female lead owns a grilled cheese shop. It is just as delicious as the first.

Balsam Dell is hosting a food competition for Halloween and Carly is busy coming up with the right grilled cheese combination and decorations. However, the Trick comes early when a food competitor with a grudge against Carly is found dead in his restaurant. This grumpy man has made plenty of enemies and if Carly can’t find the person responsible, someone she cares about may end up locked up in the big cheese (cheesy, I know).

The mystery is solid. The food delicious. And the characters are great. You will want to come back for more servings of this series to spend more time with them and find out what happens next. And don’t be surprised if you have a hankering for a grilled cheese sandwich either!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.

After a long hot summer in Balsam Dell, Carly Hale, owner of the Grilled Cheese Eatery, is ready for autumn weather and the upcoming Halloween food competition. But Ferris Menard, the owner of Sub-a-Dub-Sub, is nursing a 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 snit. In a confrontation at the Eatery, Menard accused Carly of sabotage and vowed to bring her down. The morning after the competition, Menard's body is found with a steak knife sticking out of his heart. But he had a slew of enemies, and if Carly doesn't figure out which one is the culprit, someone she loves will be serving grilled cheese sandwiches under lock and brie!
This was a great new installment to a mystery series that I deem one of the best. Carly Hale is a woman who values friendship and hard work. She caters to the population of her town with luscious grilled cheese delights, as well as making the reader (meaning me) hungry. The plot was a puzzle, and I was surprised with the ending. It also had enough suspense and a cozy setting that I loved. Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this advanced reader’s copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.

I LOVE COZY MYSTERIES. This book is a must read! I was on my toes from beginning to end and I plan to read every book in the series! I got everything I wanted from this book and more! Food, friends, death! I love halloween too so that’s a plus, this book was just so fun and so freaking great, i need moreeeee!

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!