I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance reader copy of this story. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

An enjoyable read. I haven't read any of the others in this series and my first was an interesting story. The plot was good and I learned a lot about bleu cheese, which I like. If there was a cheese monger anywhere near me I'd go and use my new knowledge. I also liked the mystery man who looks like Henry Cavill, he perked me up.

Thanks to St. Martins Press, NetGalley, and Korina Moss for the delightful fourth book in the Cheese Shop Mystery series The Case of the Bleus. If you’re like me and you love cheese, you’ll want to have some crackers and possibly even a glass of your favorite beverage (be it wine or tea lol) while enjoying this delicious cozy mystery. This was my first introduction to these lovely characters and they quickly found a place in my heart. The main characters are trying to solve several puzzles at the same time-where is the missing cheese recipe, who killed the cheesemonger, and who is betraying who in selling Max’s secret recipe? All of these items are quite fun to watch unravel through the eyes of our intrepid heroine. I look forward to going back and reading the other backlist books and will definitely be adding this author to one of my new favorites.

Willa Bauer has a case of the blues. It’s not just about cheese this time. Her mentor has died, and she’s feeling sad. Before Willa had moved to Yarrow Glen in the Sonoma Valley, she worked for Max Dumas at his Church Cheese Shop. At the time, she had peppered him with questions about the running the shop, trying to find out everything she could before opening her own shop, Curds and Whey.

Willa had been looking forward to seeing the gang she used to work with at Church, but Max had been killed in a car accident just before they all came for the Northwest Cheese Invitational, an annual celebration of cheese for makers and mongers. This year, the Northwest Cheese Society chose Yarrow Glen for the show, and Willa is happy that the people she used to work with could see her new store. At the show, there was a special presentation of Max’s famous bleu cheese, Church Bleu.

Church Bleu was a one-of-a-kind cheese that people would come to his shop for especially. He had long kept how he made the cheese and where he stored the cheese a secret, so no one else knew where he’d ben aging his wheels. The cheesemongers from Church Cheese were hoping to get the secrets at the reading of Max’s will, so they could use that as collateral to buy the shop and continue his work. Instead, there was a single clue given to the attendees of the reading, but no one knew what it meant.

The shop had been left to his daughter Maxine, who he’d been estranged from for most of her life. She planned to sell the shop. Kendall was the top cheeseseller at the shop, and she had hoped to continue Max’s legacy, but he didn’t leave her the location of his cheese cave. None of the other employees got it either, nor Hugo, the president of the Northwest Cheese Society. Willa wasn’t terribly surprised that Max had only left a clue to the famous cheese’s location. The only thing Max had loved as much as cheese was a mystery.

As WIlla tries her hand at figuring out what the clue in the will meant, her friend Kendall had a bad allergy attack and couldn’t get her epi pen in time. She had been known to be allergic to honey, and while they had been to the local meadery earlier that day, they had mostly bought wine that would have been safe for her to drink. But when the cups were found to have traces of the mead, and Kendall’s epi pen was found in a trash can, Willa knew that her death had been no accident. Someone had murdered Kendall to try to get to the cheese.

Willa and her friends try to solve the mystery of Max’s cheese while also looking into who might have killed Kendall, much to the chagrin of the local police. But will their investigating bring Willa too close to someone who is willing to kill to find Max’s cheese?

Case of the Bleus is Korina Moss’s fourth book in the Cheese Shop Mystery, and I think it’s her most delicious to date. These mysteries, set in an artisan cheese shop in a small town in California, are filled with charm and fun and interesting mysteries to solve. At the end, there are cheesy recipes, like the Ham and Bleu Cheese Tart, Gorgonzola Garlic Bread, and Cool and Creamy Dolce Dip, so readers can find their own local cheese shop and snack along with the characters. (I mean, Gorgonzola Garlic Bread? Hello, gorgeous!)

I loved Case of the Bleus. I thought it was fun to meet some of the people from Willa’s past, but learning about the famous Church Bleu and hearing about cheese caves was fascinating. It lent an extra air of mystery to the murder and trying to figure out the riddles was lots of fun. I look forward to more cheesy fun in the next book, and a deeper understanding and appreciation for the cheeses that I love so much.

Egalleys for Case of the Bleus were provided by Minotaur Books through NetGalley, with many thanks.

Dear Fellow Reader,

Fall is creeping its way into this area of the Midwest. It is getting cooler, and the leaves are starting to turn. I love it. I do enjoy the warmth of summer after winter and spring but come fall, I’m ready to get out the sweaters and curl up. It seems to me that it is warmer than usual for the end of September but it does cool off fast once the sun starts setting. Not yet time for a warming fire in the fireplace though.

I happened to look at the notebook where I keep a list of titles I want to read. That list is long. My first inclination is to try and organize the list so that I can go through the list methodically. But then the other side of my brain says that is not the way to read books. Read what you want to read. My list is diverse – I have a desire to read all different kinds of books. Somehow arranging the books in some sort of order seems like useless work. I tend to want to read something but if the spirit passes, I am hard-pressed to bring it back.

I was going to spend the summer reading Alice Hoffman’s books. I had only read a couple of her books and thought I should read more. As they say, the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. My reading does not always follow my aspirational goals. We have had some stressful times over the last few months and I find I take cover in cozy mysteries. Somehow, I started reading Patricia Wentworth’s Miss Silver series. There are 32 of them. The first book came out in 1928 and the last one in 1961. I seem to just keep clicking through them. I think I have 9 left. They are older mysteries and I like to see the difference in the style between then and now.


But today we are looking at Case of the Blues: A Cheese Shop Mystery. This is book 4 in the series. I had no idea when I said that I would review this book that it was the 4th in the series. You know I hate reading series out of order, but I will say that I don’t think there was anything that I missed by starting at the 4th book. I understood what was going on. So, don’t let that deter you from reading this book.

As you might guess from the title, this book takes place in a cheese shop. Willa Bauer’s store, Curds and Whey, is fairly new; she learned the ropes while working in a cheese shop under the tutelage of Max Dumas, a legend in the world of cheese. The Northwest Cheese Invitational Festival is in her town and there is a tribute to the recently departed Max Dumas as part of the festival.

It seems that in the year or so since Willa left Max’s cheese shop, several important things have happened. The first is that Max had developed a blood disease that was getting worse and had his staff worried about his health. Then he was in a car accident that claimed his life. Prior to the accident, Max had reconnected with his long-estranged daughter.

The reading of Max’s will was going to take place on the second day of the Cheese Festival. That would answer two questions that were up in the air. Who would inherit the cheese store and who was going to inherit the recipe for the famous Church Blue cheese that Max had kept as a closely held secret. There seemed to be an assumption that Max’s daughter would inherit the store but that Kendall, his assistant, receive the secret to the cheese.

But when the will was read, it did not disclose who would have the recipe for the cheese. With that mystery still over their heads, the four people who worked for Max along with Willa and her staff went over to have a picnic at the festival.

While at the picnic, Kendall drinks a glass of wine and goes into anaphylactic shock. While looking for her Epi pen, Willa finds that it isn’t in Kendall’s purse although it was just a couple of hours before.

Who would have wanted to kill Kendall? And why was Kendall seen coming out of Willa’s apartment? The mysteries start compounding. Who is the mysterious good-looking stranger? What will happen to Max’s shop now that his daughter has inherited it?

I found that the plot of the book moved at a good pace. While some things became evident while I read, I thought the book gave enough hints but not too many. I don’t try to solve mysteries when I am reading them. I did see the “who done it” in this one. That is not bad. I enjoyed the book. I think it is a worthy addition to your “to be read” pile.

Thanks for reading!

Case Of The Blues, the fourth book in Korina Moss' interesting and fun-filled Cheese Shop Mystery series, was a terrific addition to the series. I was kept entertained throughout the entire book . I adore Willa and her crew, her cheese shop, the mystery (or mysteries) they try to solve, and of course, the cheese!

Perfect for any reader who enjoys an interesting cozy mystery, great characters, and yummy recipes.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

One fun thing about cozy mysteries is that readers often get to learn a bit about a particular business or hobby. In this title, the reader learns about the cheese business while at the same time enjoying a good story.

Readers travel to the Sonoma Valley where a group of cheese mongers is meeting. The secret of a particular bleu cheese has enticed many of the attendees. However, instead of someone inheriting a recipe, they are left with a strange clue. When a murder follows, the stage is set for Willa Bauer to put things to rights.

This book has everything a traditional mystery reader wants. There is a good setting, characters (aside from the murderer) whom readers will enjoy, a good plot and a hint of romance.

Note that, while this book is part of a series, in my opinion, a new reader can jump right in. They may then want to go back to book number one just to enjoy more time with Willa.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur for this title. All opinions are my own.

Case of the Bleus is the fourth book in the wonderful Cheese Shop series. Cheese shop owner Willa Bauer is enjoying getting together with other cheesemakers at the Northwest Cheese Invitational in the Sonoma Valley. Then a killer strikes and Willa is determined to solve a murder, even when it puts her at odds with the police detective who is leading the case - and who happens to be someone Willa is interested in dating.

Besides the delicious sounding cheeses, my favorite part of this series is the friendship between Willa, her neighbor, Baz, and her two employees at the shop Archie and Mrs. Schultz. "Team Cheese" is there for each other on the job, in their personal lives, and when investigating a case. Their friendship also provides a contrast to the sometimes toxic relationship between Willa's former co-workers who are in town.

The way the classic book Rebecca is worked into the plot is wonderful. I also liked how Mrs. Schultz's former career as a drama teacher comes in handy during the case. I didn't care for the decisions Willa makes in the investigation and the consequences they have in her personal life. I still love this series, however, and recommend it to all cozy lovers looking for a well-written series with a strong, likable main character.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley, St. Martin's Press/Minotaur but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

What a delightful scrumptious read for the cheese lover like I am.

Based in the NW where I am from, there is a Cheese Invitational, and Max has the popular cheese called Church Bleu. He ages this cheese in a secret place, with no one knowing the recipe.

Max dies and at his will reading it seems like there is a major clue, so this becomes very interesting. There is a mysterious death with everyone a suspect, so this is a 'who done it read".

Willa is one of the main characters who owns Curds & Whey, she used to work for Max, and loves his Church Bleu cheese. She too would love the recipe but not enough to get killed.

What I like most about this book is the characters which I always say make the story come to life and Korina Moss does just that.

I would recommend this book for anyone that loves a good cozy mystery. This book is part of a series and great as a standalone read. I have to say this is my favorite read of 2023 and also my first book from Korina Moss. I look forward to reading more books from this author.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

I may be lactose intolerant, but I am still a sucker for good puns and cheesy mysteries.

Willa, proud owner of the cheese shop Curds and Whey, is once again embroiled in a mystery when her ex’s business is implicated in a death. Add to this the will of her former mentor, and the trail of clues he left to his secret blue cheese recipe, and she just can’t catch her breath.

I think this was second in the series, but it stands solidly on its own as a mystery. We’re given just enough information to get the backstory of the previous mystery without getting bogged down in an info dump.

The characters were charming, although I wish we could have spent more time with Willa’s friends. The story is so busy trying to simultaneously catch a murderer and solve a treasure hunt that the characters get a little lost.

The mystery was really solid. I was definitely kept guessing as multiple prime suspects just kept making themselves more and more suspicious. And I adored the treasure hunt for the secret recipe. The inclusion of a book I know we’ll just made it even better. I almost dug out my own copy as Willa and her friends were referencing it.

And there seems to be genuine consequences for Willa’s interference in an active investigation, even if it’s just loss of trust with a friend. So I’d love to see that more in future stories. As much as I love the various cozy mystery heroines Miss Marpling their way through murder mysteries, I do like seeing characters dealing with consequences.

I will absolutely be keeping my eye out for more of Moss’s work, especially this series!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this advance reader’s copy!

I’m a huge fan of Korina Moss’s Cheese Shop Mysteries. So, I was excited to jump into Case of the Bleus. And while it’s an enjoyable read, I felt this is the weakest link so far.

In this book, Willa has a handful of old co-workers in town for a cheese convention. They’re also there for a memorial service and the reading of the will of Willa’s old boss, who also happened to be the creator of an award-winning cheese. The reunion is rocky at best and then takes a nosedive when one of Willa’s friends dies. And, of course, Willa and her #teamcheese can’t help but jump into investigating the mystery.

I found Case of the Bleus to be a slow starter. I was happy to be back in Yarrow Glen and see the staff of Curds and Whey. But I had a tough time getting through the first few chapters as all the regular cast was re-introduced, and the new characters met for the first time. I think it was because of all the backstory that had to be established between Willa and her ex-co-workers. It probably also didn’t help that I didn’t like any of these new characters, who also happened to end up being suspects (well, except for the victim) in the murder.

The murder mystery was well-developed and kept me guessing until the end. And really, about the time the murder happened, the story finally took off and had me turning the pages to see how it ended. There was also a secondary mystery concerning the award-winning cheese and who would inherit the secret, and while I wasn’t really invested in that subplot, I did like how it ended.

Case of the Bleus is a good addition to the Cheese Shop Mysteries series. Despite a slow start, I found myself drawn into the story and trying to solve the mystery alongside Willa. It was nice to reunite with #teamcheese, and I can’t wait for the next book.

One of the best cozy mysteries I've read in awhile and all of the cheese references are enough to make a reader hungry. As she searches for clues and tries to solve the puzzle, our heroine will meet many "cheesy" characters. A quick, entertaining read while you make a grilled cheese sandwich.

Willa is excited about the cheese festival being held in town, but it is also a tribute to her mentor who recently died. People are windy who he left his famous blue cheese to in his will. The people from his cheese shop assume it is them, the president of the cheese association thinks it's his and the long lost daughter is also in the running. When one of the cheese shop workers is killed, Team Cheese begins asking questions. This was an interesting mystery in that there were lots of suspects and some interesting alliances among them. I enjoyed the interplay of Willa's past and present. I hope the connection between Willa and Jay continues. A good read.
I was given an arc of this book in return for a review. Thank you, netgalley.

This was a fun mystery/treasure hunt! When Willa Bauer gets together with some of her old work friends at a cheese convention, the biggest topic of discussion is who will inherit the recipe for Max Dumas' amazing bleu cheese. But Max liked puzzles, and his death leads them all on a deadly hunt to see who will find it first.

I liked the premise and thought the hunt was a lot of fun. I did get a little mixed up with all of the characters at the start - it probably didn't help that I was in a busy place and I haven't read previous books in the series. But once I was a bit into the book, everything was fine and I clearly enjoyed it because I read it quite quickly.

Wow what a long and winding path to finally figure out the secret, but it was great! Max was a true prankster right up to the end. What a stinker—sounds like someone I’d probably like lol! I’d figured out little things along the way a little before Willa did along with whodunit, although I didn’t have those details right at all.

I liked the side story about Archie and Hope—he’s such an awesome boyfriend and it sure didn’t seem like she appreciated him. And I wish it’d ended on a better note for Willa and Heath, but maybe he’ll come around as long as more books are on the way. I loved what Baz did at the showdown! I just love his character who’s been one of my favorite characters since the first book. He just cracks me up all the time, sorta reminds of Deeks from NCIS: LA. I hope there’ll be more books coming!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by St. Martin Paperbacks via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

Willa Bauer is living the dream - she's running her own cheese shop in Sonoma Valley.  I can't think of anything better, honestly.  Surrounded by gorgeous countryside and good friends, she's making her life's goal come true.  Trouble is, bodies keep turning up in her vicinity.  

As a cheesemonger, Willa is a lot of fun.  She knows her cheese and has fun with it.  As a boss, she's even better, treating her team as if they were family.  As a sleuth, well, she has her good moments and her not so good moments.  However, she never lets that deter her from getting to the answer.  She's very considerate as well as smart.  Something I liked about her was that she didn't assume she knew best and trusted in #teamcheese to help her get to the bottom of the murder.  

Willa's almost relationship with Detective Heath is very strained, mostly due to her not listening and sticking her nose into his cases.  However, you can tell that they care about one another.  Hopefully, they'll be able to figure it out and make a go of it in the future.  

Detective Heath himself was a sober, dedicated detective.  He didn't take any of Willa's garbage and held her accountable.  Also, he wasn't portrayed as bumbling or incompetent as law enforcement sometimes is in cozies.  He'd have absolutely solved the murder if Willa hadn't interfered.  

Team Cheese was one of the best parts of this story.  Willa's friends and employees all added something to the mix, making them a cohesive and productive group.  Mrs. Schultz brought experience, Roman and Baz brought their brains, Archie brought a bit of humor.  They worked well together and would be fun to hang out with, I think.  

I'll be the first to admit that I am a sucker for cheese.  So, when I saw a cozy mystery set in a cheese shop, I was all in.  I wasn't disappointed, either.  There was a ton of fun, lots of drama, and CHEESE!  While I haven't read any of the others in this series, I wasn't lost and didn't feel like I'd been dropped into the middle of a story.  However, there were little things that related back to other books and I'll need to go back and read them all now.  That will keep me content until the next installment arrives in the Cheese Shop Mysteries!

Case of the Bleus is book 4 in A Cheese Shop Mystery by Korina Moss.
This was such a fun cozy mystery.
I loved the small town setting that made me want to visit.
The characters were well developed, humorous and supported each other.
This story has many twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end.
A fresh, original and highly entertaining cozy mystery.
A well plotted, solid, and compelling novel that kept me guessing and having fun.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Minotaur Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

This is the fourth story in the series about Willa, her friends and her cheese shop. I think the idea of a cheese shop is original, and learning about some of the different kinds of cheese, (many of which I never see in a supermarket) is interesting. The town seems close knit and her friends Roman and Baz have unique careers. Mrs. Schultz and Archie sound like the kind of friends I would want to have. Together, they all strive to figure out this new mystery. Willa's old cheese mentor dies. He has produced a very special cheese that the world would love to have the recipe for. But he sends clues for it's location only to Willa, and she has to decipher them to find out where it really is. Thanks, Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for the chance to read this book.

A good mystery. Willa is getting ready to honor a man she used to work for and to see some of her old work mates at a cheese festival. Max made a bleu cheese that was very unique and since his death, everyone is wondering who would inherit the cheese. He kept how he made it and where it was kept a secret. In his will, Max didn't leave it to those who expected it and he left clues for Willa. Max liked a good riddle and mystery, so no one was surprised. When one of her old co-workers was murdered, Willa and friends decided to investigate because they are sure the killer will come after Willa because they think she knows something. Can they figure out the clue before someone else dies?

So happy to report: I still love this series!! Once again, I had fun reading along as Willa gets embroiled in a murder mystery in the little town of Yarrow Glen. Side characters Archie, Mrs. Schultz, Baz, Detective Heath, and even Roman are all important to this story. It was just like being back with a group of old old friends- what a delight!! The mystery in Case of the Bleus brings in people from Willa's past for a cheese convention. I enjoyed being skeptical of all new characters introduced and solving the riddles and mystery right along with Willa and team cheese. One big lingering question: will Detective Heath cool off and come back around?! Can't wait to get into book 5 already!!

Case of the Bleus is out September 26th! Thank you Netgalley and Minotaur books for my e-arc!

I am not a big cheese person. So I don't go to a cheese shop and rarely deviate from my select few cheeses I like. But I liked the idea of a shop devoted to all things cheese. I like the shop keeper and the folks she has in her life. When friends from her old work place come to visit who knew one cheese would create such chaos. So many want the secret of how one cheese was made. Let the back biting and craziness begin. What a delightful story! Hope Heath gets himself together in the next book of this cast of characters. I totally enjoyed the book.