I love a good mystery but it has to get my attention within the first 2-3 chapters. By chapter 3, I still wasn’t caught up in the story. It is also the 4th book in the series and I felt I had missed a lot of the background details by trying to read this book first.

A cheese invitational is being held and people from Willa Bauer’s past come to celebrate. Max, Willa’s former boss and cheese legend has died. Everyone thought Max would leave his secret recipe for his famous Church Bleu to her.

Instead, Max leaves a clue and then someone dies. The rest of the book is about figuring out “who done it”.

My suggestion would be to read this series in order. I felt I had missed too much by starting with Book 4.

This is the first book I’ve read in the Cheese Shop series but it will not be the last! In fact, I will go back and buy the first three books because I enjoyed this one so much. Great characters and delightful mystery with lots of twists and turns. While this is part of a series, you could definitely read it as a standalone. This particular book had two mysteries so I was left guessing until the very end. I loved Willa and her coworkers, Archie and Mrs. Schultz (Team Cheese). Mrs. Schultz was a hoot and I loved seeing a more senior adult character bring so much to the story.

One nice plus to this particular story was the mention of Jimmy Buffet and the Cheeseburgers in Paradise and It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere margaritas that were served at the local bar, The Cellar, while his music was being played. Though he was still living when this book was written, it just seemed to be a nice tribute to be included.

I will definitely be on the lookout for the next book in the series and can’t wait to spend time with Team Cheese and the rest of the folks in Yarrow Glen.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Paperbacks for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

I was so happy to get to read this book in Korina Moss’s Cheese Shop Mysteries. I love this series and this one did not disappoint.

Team Cheese reminds me so much of Scooby Doo’s gang 😂.

There was a lot of twists and turns for this scrappy gang as they try to figure out all the clues being sent to Willa.

Her current love interest is thoroughly aggravated with our scrappy cheesehead heroine. He just needs to join all the other aggravated cozy boyfriends and take a chill pill.

5 stars and very much looking forward to the next book.

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this ARC. All opinions are my own.

First book I have read by Korina Moss. It took me ten days to read this cozy mystery. It didn't keep my interest. I would read a chapter or two and then put it down. I wouldn't pick it up for a few days. Maybe if I had read the others in the series I would of liked it.

Published September 26, 2023

Thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for the E-ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#netgalley
#stmartinspress
#minotaurbooks
#caseofthebleus
#korinamoss

Princess Fuzzypants here: Willa’s friend and mentor is being honoured posthumously at a big cheese conference. Her work friends from her time with him all arrive as does the daughter who was estranged from him until recently. They all want to know what happens to the special recipe that he has kept a secret throughout his life. No one will know until his will is read. Even then, all that he left was a huge puzzle’. The former employees are not alone in wanting to know the secret. It is worth a lot of money but is it worth murder?

Willa and her friends in town get caught up in the mystery and some of them stand to lose a lot because of it. Willa, who is just starting to explore the possible relationship with cop Heath, cannot resist getting involved. He tries to keep her out of it but the deceased cheesemonger had other plans outside of his will. His capricious nature causes all sorts of unforeseen trouble and when all is said and done, nobody walks away very happy- some dead and some in jail. And Willa may have pushed her luck too far.

Always interesting learning more about different cheeses, Willa is self aware. I like this trend where heroines are intelligent enough to know when they may be doing something dangerous. Definitely a story that has some legs to see where it is going to go. Four purrs and two paws up.

Korina Moss has done it again! Team Cheese is back on the case in the latest installment of the Cheese Shop Mysteries. Willa's former mentor and boss Max, has passed away recently and her former colleagues are coming to Yarrow Glen for the Northwest Cheese Invitational to honor him. Shortly after the group gathers to hear the reading of the will though, Willa's former colleagues are shocked to discover only a clue and none of them being the recipient of his prized cheese, Church Bleu. To add to the shock, one of the cheesemongers dies shortly after under suspicious causes.

I loved being back in Yarrow Glen. This being the 4th book, it's always fun to get to know the characters more and easily jump back into their world. This one had more twists and turns than the previous and it's always fun to try and figure out whodunnit! These are the perfect cozy books for Fall! Thank you Minotaur Books, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun read, and despite it being 4th in a series I haven't read, it was no problem to read as a stand alone book. My main complaint was that it kept making me hungry for the yummy cheeses they were describing, and that bread *almost* had me out of bed at midnight to look for a snack. I was thrilled to see that the author included several recipes at the end, and may try one or two out. The story went at a good pace and the clues were very clever. Seems like a good series to check out. Forever #TEAMCHEESE.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books, the author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Case of the Bleus is Karina Moss’s fourth novel in the Cheese Shop mysteries. And, although I have not read previous novels in the series, it is not difficult to catch up and learn the background of each character, whether they be friend or foe, and to orient yourself to the charming Sonoma Valley town where our protagonist’s (Willa Braun) Curds & Whey cheese shop is located. In this installment, the book opens with the Northwest Cheese Invitational, where Willa’s now deceased former boss, Max Dumas, is being honored along with his Church Blue Cheese. The novel has all of the traditional elements of a cozy (with the exception of a fish instead of a.cat), but it is a cut above given the sheer number of mysteries involved. How did Max die? Who did he leave his cheese recipe to? Where is it now? All of these questions, as well as the numerous suspects, keep the reader guessing until the very end. 4.5 out of 5.0 stars. Highly recommended!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a complimentary advanced copy of the novel.

I love cozy mysteries and I had a great time reading this book. Willa Bauer has her dream career of owning her own cheese shop. Her previous job she had the perfect mentor, Max Dumas. After his passing there is a debate over who would inherit the secrets for making his famous cheese. When the annual cheese convention is held in Willa's hometown her old co-workers come to town with the last of Max's cheese and to find out who will inherit the recipe. There is a murder and lots of suspects and it was a fast paced fun read to discover who committed the murder and to learn who will inherit the recipe.

Willa is growing very comfortable in her cheese shop, Curds and Whey. A year or two prior, she had been working for a good friend and excellent cheese monger, Max, and thought she was close to his staff there. She is excited to see them again as they come to a cheese convention in her town, especially since Max recently passed away. The group will be bringing Max’s award winning, secret recipe cheese as a highlight, and will also attend a reading of Max’s will. They’re hopeful that the secret recipe will be revealed. When things don’t go as planned, Willa and Team Cheese will have to investigate.

Case of the Bleus is the 4th in the Cheese Shop mystery series but works perfectly well as a standalone. It's clear that Willa and her employees and friends have been developing deeper relationships as they have solved previous mysteries, and I really like their camaraderie. The atmosphere of the small quaint town is exactly what I want in a cozy, and the cheese shop sounds amazing. I’m definitely ready to try some of the recipes included at the end. I particularly liked the fact that there appeared to not be a romantic triangle but rather a moving on from one relationship to another with everyone functioning mostly as adults.

There are really two mysteries included here and neither one was particularly satisfying. That isn’t a deal breaker for me since I enjoy the story more than trying to beat the MC in solving the mystery. However, we never learn how the murder mystery was actually carried out, and I found I was looking for that information to have everything make sense. With that aside, I still enjoyed reading this, and have just purchased the first in the series. I’ll likely keep reading titles in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an advance e-copy of this title.

I enjoy cozy mysteries a lot, and this one kept me occupied nicely for a few hours. It had both pleasant and annoying characters, and the setting, a cheese shop, was certainly new for me, though culinary cozies abound in the book world! I was at a slight disadvantage, as this book was NOT the first in the series, so I had to work to remember who was who in this story. Sadly, this did not make this a memorable book/characters for me. There is a valid reason for reading books in their order in a series!

I rate this at a 3.5, and thank NetGalley for making the ARC available for me to read. All opinions are my own.

Dollycas's Thoughts

It is time for the Northwest Cheese Invitational and this year it is being held in Yarrow Glen. Making the event even more special for local cheese shop owner, Willa Bauer is that her former boss Max Dumas is being honored following his death. He was a cheese legend who created the award-winning Church Bleu. His colleagues, most worked with Willa, will be in attendance and also will attend the reading of his will. He had never shared his recipe or where he aged his special bleu cheese so it is assumed that for production of the cheese to continue he will name a successor and award his secrets to them.

Max Dumas was truly one of a kind and instead of naming one person to follow in his footsteps he just leaves a mystifying clue for them to follow. When one of his colleagues and Willa's closest friend in the group, the person everyone thought would be named in the will is murdered, all the others quickly make up the list of suspects. Willa loves Max's cheese but never expected anyone to get killed over it. Everyone really seems to have a case of the bleus. Willa and Team Cheese need to solve Max's clue in hopes that it will bring the real killer to light before they get really cheesed off and kill again.

______

I truly love the characters in this series. Willa has grown so much, she has her flaws but she is open and truthful and can admit when she is wrong. She feels so genuine and I am so happy with the way the author is allowing her to evolve realistically.

Willa is surrounded by a great supporting cast. Mrs. Schultz is a treasure and a great friend. She is wise and has a huge heart. Archie is facing some new things in this story and finds himself in need of advice. Thankfully, he has Willa and Mrs. Schultz to turn to. Baz is also a good friend and part of Team Cheese. Roman and Willa are trying to keep their friendship after their breakup, while Willa is focused elsewhere in the romance department. All these characters are believable and true to life.

The new characters introduced in this story were not easy to like, except for the deceased Max, they all had an agenda. I would have loved to know Max. He was a prankster and must have been fun to be around.

The story had two mysteries to solve. Who killed Max? And where is the last of Max's cheese, its recipe, and the aging spot? The murder mystery had many twists and turns. The means was apparent right away but who the killer was and how they pulled it off was difficult to determine. I love the way Willa and her friends gather, Team Cheese, to sort through clues and seek answers. Willa has a big idea to draw out the killer but it is risky and could cost her in more ways than one. The reveal was dramatic and scary. I was partially right in my thinking but the way everything played out was surprising.

The second mystery was a true puzzle. Max had really thought out what would happen if he passed away and had a unique way to make his wishes known. That reveal was priceless, heartwarming, and absolutely perfect.

With the recent passing of Jimmy Buffet, I love the references to him in the book. I know he was still alive when Ms. Moss wrote this story but I have to say the popular bar in this series, The Cellar, doing a Jimmy Buffet Weekend, serving Cheeseburgers In Paradise and It's Five O'Clock Somewhere margaritas while playing all his songs was a nice tribute.

Case of the Bleus is an awesome addition to this series. I loved everything about this story. Engaging characters that have grown by leaps and bounds since the first book, Cheddar Off Dead, 2 superb mysteries, and all that cheese was more than A Perfect Escape. It was A Trip to Paradise, complete with a virtual Cheeseburger in Paradise. I had to give it my highest rating and add it to My Best Reads of 2023! I can't wait for the next book in this series!

Cheesemaker Willa Bauer is mourning the death of her mentor Max Dumas, the owner not only of the last store where she worked before setting up her own business but also the maker of the award-winning Church Bleu cheese. The recipe for this acclaimed cheese has long been one of Max’s most closely held secrets. He’d always promised to reveal it only to his favorite cheesemaker.

Naturally, everyone assumes that this will be one of his long-time employees at the Church Cheese Shop. Despite the sad circumstances, Willa is happy to be reunited with her old friends when they come into town for the reading of Max’s will. Kendall, the de facto leader of his apprentices, is as warm to Willa as always, as is Kendall’s best friend Claire. The slightly older Pepper is prickly as usual, though her thorniness seems to be somewhat tempered by the friendship of Freddie, the newest member of their little circle.

The Church Cheese Shop employees are all hopeful that Max will have left them both the store and the secret to Church Bleu in his will. Unfortunately for them, the recent reappearance of Max’s estranged daughter Maxine might have thrown all their plans into disarray. In the last months of Max’s life, he and Maxine had seemed to make up considerably. Kendall has, in fact, already started feeling out Maxine on selling the store to her and her co-workers just in case the other woman does inherit.

So when the will is read and Maxine does indeed get the store, no one’s truly surprised. What does come as a shock are the instructions regarding how to make Church Bleu. Max was notorious for loving games and riddles, so when his only proclamation regarding his secret recipe is one cryptic sentence, it sets his entire team into an uproar.

Willa is very sorry to see so much discord among her former friends, but when one of them dies from what seems to be a deliberate poisoning, her sympathies turn to serious concerns. She hadn’t been invited to the will reading, but everything she’s gradually learning about it points to the idea that Max might have actually left that clue in his will for her. Someone has already murdered once to get closer to Max’s secret. Could Willa’s prior relationship with Max make her the killer’s next target?

This was a delightful conundrum of a cozy mystery, as Willa and her circle of co-workers and friends (a.k.a Team Cheese) must contend with another tightly-knit if more fractious group in order to not only solve a murder but figure out the riddle of Max’s legacy as well. As a puzzle-lover myself, I was pleased that at least one of the riddles proved a genuine challenge for me. It was also really nice to see how the members of Team Cheese supported one another, not only through their mystery-solving but also in their personal lives, with Mrs Schultz especially handing out excellent advice.

There were three recipes included here, and I went for the most comfort food one of them all:

QUOTE
Gorgonzola Garlic Bread

¼ cup butter, softened
½ cup gorgonzola cheese
1 garlic clove, minced
½ tsp dried parsley
1 (16-oz) loaf crusty bread (French, Italian, sourdough, etc.)
3 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper

Set oven broiler to high.

Cream the butter with the gorgonzola cheese. Add minced garlic, parsley, salt and pepper.

Slice bread in half lengthwise and spread cheese mixture on each half.

Sprinkle the top of the bread with the Parmesan cheese.

Place bread under the broiler until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Cut into generous slices and serve.
END QUOTE

In an effort to use up the whole container of gorgonzola I bought, I may have skewed the balance on the sharp cheese vs the butter and bread. Or perhaps I don’t like bleu cheese as much as I’d like to think I do! My bleu-cheese-loving aunt certainly enjoyed this dish, especially when I served it as a side with spaghetti. Next time, I might dial back the amount I use, and possibly even the garlic, as I definitely threw in more than one clove. I do love a cheesy garlic bread, and this was quite close to being exactly what I wanted.

Next week, we travel back to the East Coast to welcome the impending Halloween holiday with a seasonally appropriate murder and a wonderful baked treat for fall. Do join me!

This is my first Cheese Shop mystery and it will not be my last .

Korina Moss creates a mystery that holds the reader’s attention from start to finish .

Willa Bauer owner owner of Chuds and whey travels to the Northwest Cheese Invitational an event that showcases custom cheeses and also to get together with her former co workers when one of her co workers is murdered Willa and her team can’t help but to get involved .

A great mystery even if your lactose intolerance..

I just reviewed Case of the Bleus: A Cheese Shop Mystery by Korina Moss. #CaseoftheBleusACheeseShopMystery #NetGalley

This was such a  great book! I love this series and each book just gets better. On the mystery front there were several story lines to follow. Who murdered Kendall? Was Max murdered as well? Where is the recipe to the Church Bleu? Who keeps stealing the book Rebecca that all clues leads back to? I loved trying to untangled the mysteries alongside Willa and her friends, Archie, Baz, Mrs. Schultz and Roman and join along on the treasure hunt. They are all such great characters that balance each other out perfectly. There are some big personal changes going on for some of them, especially in the romance arena, and I loved how they had each other to support and banter with. Also….please include more of Willa’s inner dialogue! She’s so funny and completely spot on.

It’s no secret that I adore this series and this book is just as great. There is mystique around a world renowned cheese that is creating tons of drama. Full of puzzles and riddles, this book had so many aspects to enjoy, and of course the friendships that keep bringing us back to Yarrow Glen. The thing that really pulls me toward this series (other than the delectable sounding cheese) is the town. The descriptions make you want to walk along the street and visit all the shops, then go to the park for the farmers market. The people and community that Willa has surrounded herself with are such a great group and I love how they work together and take care of each other. I also have a secret hope for a romance to bloom, but it seems that might not happen or might go slowly. I enjoyed this very twisty story!

Set in northern California, Willa runs a cheese shop. She’s a cheesemonger – my husband collects names with monger. There’s a cheese convention in town and her former shop mates have come to town hoping to find a missing cheese recipe. This is the first of this series that I’ve read and I really enjoyed it.

I can’t believe this is already the fourth book in the Cheese Shop Mysteries! It’s such a fantastic cozy mystery series and it just seems to get better with each book. I adore Willa and her #TeamCheese gang and this book doesn’t disappoint in the least.

While there are lots of new characters introduced, including Willa’s previous co-workers, Kendall, Claire, Pepper, and Freddie, and a mysterious Henry Cavill lookalike, we also check in with all of the regulars – Archie, Mrs. Schultz, Baz, Roman, and Heath. It may sound like there’s a lot of personalities to keep track of but honestly, at no point was it confusing.

Alongside the murder of Max Dumas, I liked that there was also a bit of a treasure hunt-type mystery – it really added to the excitement and kept the action moving along as various characters raced to win the bleu cheese hunt.

Speaking of bleu cheese, if you’re a cheese lover (or even mild cheese nibbler), you’ll want to have a stocked fridge, or at least make sure your stomach is full when you read this book. The food and drink descriptions are drool-worthy and as a huge cheese lover myself, I want to try it all.

This series has continued to develop its characters in a fantastic and realistic way. I really enjoy seeing each of the supporting characters grow, getting into (and sometimes out of) relationships and growing as people.

Willa, of course, is no exception and has become a more confident shop owner as the series progresses. The love triangle between her, Roman, and Heath isn’t quite over yet, although it’s less a triangle and more…people who live in the same town? It’s a bit messy and I love it (but it doesn’t ruin the mystery fun in any way). I just checked my notes and I have written down: “Heath needs to get his game on. Willa is barely friends with Roman. Gia sucks.” LOL. I have strong feelings about some of these characters!

You can read this book as a standalone but honestly, it’s REALLY much more enjoyable read in order since the characters honestly grow a lot.

This is a series that always has me cheering the good guys, laughing at the shenanigans, drooling for more cheese, and shouting at Heath. Plus, without any spoilers, I have to tell you that the ending made my jaw drop (in a good way). I absolutely can’t wait for Book 5.

*** Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

This newest entry in Korina Moss’ Cheese Shop series is a terrifically entertaining book. The characters are as sharp as a finely aged cheddar, and the story flows like a delicious fondue. Ok, enough of the cheesy imagery. In this book, Willa’s past meets her present as the Northwest Cheese Invitational comes to Yarrow Glen. At the conference they will be honoring Willa’s old mentor, Max Dumas, who recently died leaving behind his business and the secret of his signature bleu cheese. His employees, Willa’s friends are obsessed with learning the secrets of the cheese, as are the head of the NWCI and a mysterious stranger.

When one of Willa’s friends is murdered she gets on the case to figure out who would kill for Max’s secret and to clear the name of her ex. There are enough twists and turns in the story to keep you guessing. The story is entertaining. And Willa and her friends are relatable and fun characters. The recipes included in the book look delicious too.

I received an advance review copy of this book from Net Galley and am leaving this review voluntarily.

Another great installment in the cheese shop mysteries.

I have had the pleasure to receive an ARC of each novel, and I regularly peruse korina's instagram in hopes of a new announcement.

The characters in this series are all so well developed and likable, really giving the small town feel to the series. Although an avid mystery reader, I was once again not aware of who the guilty party was, despite some red herrings that seemed like the obvious answer.

These books will be an auto-read for me. I am hooked now on seeing where Willa ends up and learning more about cheese along the way!