I really enjoyed Cheddar Late Than Dead by Linda Reilly - I had not had a chance to read the first two books in the series, but I figured I'd jump right in. Now I plan to go back - the book was absolutely readable as a standalone but I'm eager to get a little of the backstory in the first two as well.

I really enjoyed our main character, Carly. She was a fun amateur sleuth with a good intentions that occasionally lead her into some sticky situations. The other characters in the book contributed nicely to the plot line and the story was fast paced. I loved the grilled cheese themed restaurant and getting to know Carly's staff there as well. Overall, this was a fun, fast moving cozy and I'm definitely ready to read the others in the series!

Grilled Cheese Series
Carly’s Grilled Cheese Eatery owner Carly Hale runs a booming business and snoops into murders on the side.
Carly got wrangled into catering a bridal shower last minute for old school friends and when the groom is murdered at said shower, she can’t let it go. She is sure...well kinda, that Dawn is innocent, and there’s plenty of suspects to check out. Accusations are bandied about and Carly dutifully looks into each one, making new friends as she clears her suspects. Someone else turns up missing, one of her suspects and after digging into that, Carly convinced they also are innocent, but where are they.
She has interaction with a variety of characters, some very nice, some odd and a few nasties...and is warned repeatedly by the police chief to stop snooping, lest she end up in the morgue.
Ms. Reilly ties it up nicely with a murderer, who was on no one’s radar and clears up some of the reasons why some of the suspects acted as they did. I recommend as an amusing, quickly moving cozy.
I requested and received a Net Galley ARC to peruse gratis and offer my opinion in the same.

*This was a cute cozy mystery, but nothing really new or intriguing. I wasn't overly attached to any of the characters, not enough that I would continue reading the series, but if you enjoy a cozy just because it's cozy, you'll like this one.

Setting the Scene: Carley Hale's Grilled Cheese Eatery is doing well. She finally has a great complement of employees and a growing business. Add to that her deepening relationship with Ari, and life is good. Then 2 former high school acquaintances enter the eatery with a crisis and ask Carley to cater a bridal shower last minute. Catering is not in Carley's business plan, but she agrees, and things are going reasonably well until she finds a body.

What I thought: I enjoy this series, even though it always makes me crave a grilled cheese sandwich. Carley, her friend Gina, Ari, and Grant are all relatable characters who bring their own personalities and stories to the book. Carley vacillates between not being able to say no and standing firm. The former frustrates me, but she redeems herself when she demonstrates her strength of character. I suspect most of us are more like that than we want to admit. While I confess that I identified the murderer early on and even the reason for it, it did not take away from the enjoyment of watching the paths taken and red herrings encountered by Carley as she seeks the truth. .

Another fun entry in a good cozy mystery series set in a diner in small town Vermont. Third entry in this series and they keep getting better, interesting characters and setting.

Another cute installment in the Grilled Cheese mystery series. Carly gets involved in solving yet another murder. This time it's Tony, the groom to be for a former classmate. Carly uses her sleuthing skills to try to save her friends and as usual, gets herself into a little bit of trouble.

First I must say I love the title of this book and that is why I requested it I mean who doesn't love cheese?). On top of that it It is a cosy 'Grilled Cheese Mystery' That sounds like my kind of book!

Having not read any other books by this author I wasn't sure what to expect but I can say it is a very entertaining and good fun too. The food theme is right up my alley as well and loved that aspect of the story. Had so mystery about it, the characters were good and it was very easy to read.

There is a lot of toing and froing going on in the beginning which made my laugh and then the murder! Who Dunnit? You will have to wait until the end to find out!

Fun book to enjoy anytime.

Strong characters with lots of appeal! Third in the series but can be read as a standalone. Who doesn't love cheese?? A delightful cozy that appeals to readers! Thanks #netgalley and #PoisonedPenPress for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC for an exchange for an honest review.

I thought this cozy mystery was great.

Thank you to NetGalley, Linda Reilly, and Poisoned Pen Press for the digital ARC of Cheddar Late Than Dead, the third book in the Grilled Cheese Mysteries series. *Get caught up on the series, because this one comes out January 31, 2023 and you don't want to miss it!*

Although I didn't realize that this was the third in a cozy mystery series, that did not detract from the story in any way. I did not feel like I was missing the backstory between Carly and any of the other characters.

In this novel, Carly runs into some schoolmates who come into her grilled cheese eatery, and she ends up doing a favor by catering the bridal shower for one of them. At the bridal shower, the groom-to-be ends up dead at the bottom of the stairs, and no one has any idea of who the culprit is. Restauranteur Carly is on the case though! Against the advice of the Chief of Police, her boyfriend, and all of her friends, Carly keeps gathering clues as to who the killer is, and the killer is a little too close for comfort.

This was an easy read, with likeable characters. Carly isn't a needy, weak female protagonist like some cozy mysteries seem to have. She's a take-charge, get things done kind of woman, and you can only root for her to figure the case out before something more sinister happens. Her boyfriend, Ari, seems to be a stable, supportive partner, which is nice in a male character. All of Carly's friends are caring on so many levels, and everyone is happy to pitch in and help wherever they can.

My only "complaint" (in the loosest of terms) is that with this being an ARC, there are some typographical and grammar errors, which should hopefully be fixed before the final draft goes to print. Other than that tiny issue, this was a great read. I tried putting the clues together as Carly got the pieces, and was still surprised at the end.

All in all, a great cozy mystery with likeable characters, a well organized plot, a surprising killer, and bonus recipes at the end. If you enjoyed the Hannah Swensen books, then you will definitely like the Grilled Cheese Mysteries!

Love this series and author. If you haven't read it yet I highly recommend her and her books. I suggest reading in order

I like the beginning of this book. The setting and characters were fun. But I got a little bored in the middle and skipped a few chapters. Then it got really good! Great ending.

I enjoyed this book. All the food sounds so yummy. The characters are great. I was surprised by who the killer is. I love the motivation for the killings, so original. #CheddarLateThanDead #NetGalley

Another well written cozy mystery for this series. This was well developed and had a surprisingly good twist that I did not see coming.

More Poison Than Passion…
The third in the Grilled Cheese Mystery series and a snowy scene greets us in Balsam Dell as Winter arrives with a flurry and a bridal shower brings more poison than passion. Needless to say, Carly needs to do a little snooping of her own. Another fun entry with a well crafted cast of eccentric characters, puns aplenty and an entertaining storyline.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, from Poisoned Pen Press and #NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview and review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.


Another enchanging and suspensful ride in the Grilled Cheese Mystery series. You'll be guessing until the very end.

Thank you, NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC of one of my favorite series. Carly is hired to cater a shower for an old high school friend and the groom ends up dead before the shower is over. Of course, Carly has to get involve and find out who killed Tony especially when the bride's best friend is a suspect. There were so many other suspects in this book and I kept bouncing between 2 of them, I should have gone with my gut and stayed with my first guess. I enjoyed going on another adventure with Carly, my only complaint and the reason that I only gave 4 stars was that there wasn't enough Grant, Valerie, Susan, Gina and Ari. I'd like to see Carly's relationship with them a little bit more especially with Ari. I also felt that Valerie's storyline in this book could have been explored a little bit more. Thank you, Linda Reilly for writing another great mystery in this series and can't wait to read the next one! Anyone who has not read this series should really give it a try!

I enjoyed this book. I have read the book before this one no parm no foul and it was good too. Carly this time does a catering job for a wedding. There is food,,fun. And friendship in this book besides trying to find out killed someone.
I.was approved by netgalley and the publisher to read and review this book.

Carly Hale owns Grilled Cheese Eatery in her hometown of Balsam Dell, Vermont which she runs with Valerie Wells her assistant manager, and Suzanne Rivers, Carly’s part-time server.

When two old acquaintances of Carly’s—Dawn Chapin and Klarissa Taddeo—from high school come in for lunch, Carly learns Klarissa is getting married in a month. Carly then overhears Klarissa arguing with the owner of the venue where she’s supposed to have her bridal shower.

And then later blames Dawn—her maid of honor and wedding planner for the double booking. Klarissa suggests they have her shower at Dawn’s mother’s house and Dawn agrees.

Klarissa then hires Carly to cater the shower and asks Carly to make donut grilled cheese 🫕🍩 for the event.

At the bridal shower, Carly finds Rose Manous, Klarissa’s future mother-in-law sitting alone in the breakfast nook and she appears to have been crying.

Rose is upset to hear the spiteful things Klarissa has been saying about the Balsam Dell Inn. Partly because Rose works there as a pastry and cookie chef 👩🏻‍🍳. She wasn’t even allowed to serve her homemade pastries 🥮to the guests.

Shortly after the shower, Klarissa’s future husband Tony Manous is found dead at the bottom of the stairs with a broken cocktail glass 🥃 beside him. Did he have too much to drink and fall off the stairs? Or was he pushed?

Carly immediately calls the police and Fred Holloway the police chief and a long-time family friend of Carly’s shows up and starts interviewing the guests.

Later Carly gets a message from Dawn that the police thinks she killed Tony and to come help clear her name.

A good culinary mystery. Would recommend
Thank you to Linda Reilly, NetGalley, and Poisoned Pen Press for the arc of this book.

Latest in a series, but could easily be read as a stand-alone. Carly gets tangled in another murder investigation after she helps cater a bridal shower. As always, the writing is good and the mystery well-developed. I felt, though, that with this book Carly’s reasons for getting so involved in the investigation were thinner than in previous books in the series, making it harder to understand why she would go to all the effort she does to help uncover the truth. It also makes it feel like a stretch when other characters answer her probing questions despite the fact she has only a tenuous connection to the people involved. I will continue with the series and hope the next book doesn’t have the same issue. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest opinion.