Case of the Bleus is the latest in the Cheese Shop Mystery Series. It's a cozy mystery about Willa who runs her own cheese shop called Curds and Whey. Her co-workers from her previous job come to town for the Cheese Invitational, which is a large cheese convention. Her previous boss Max has passed away, but he left a wheel of his famous cheese bleu. It's a blue cheese surrounded by mystery, as no one knows exactly how Max aged it or made it and everyone is waiting to see who Max gave the secret to before he died.

Someone is killed as everyone tries to learn the secret to the cheese and when the will is read and doesn't clear up the mystery, even more shenanigans begin. It's up to Willa and her friends at Curds and Whey to figure out who's involved.

CASE OF THE BLEUS, A CHEESE SHOP MYSTERY by Korina Moss, is the fourth book in the series. I lament that this is the first book I’ve had the chance to read in this series and I’ll be remedying that and starting with the first book. I’m eager to catch up with Team Cheese—protagonist Willa Bauer and her employees—at her Curds & Whey cheese shop. Still, I had no problem jumping in with this newest release and getting to know the characters. Ms. Moss does an admirable job bringing the backstory onto to the pages in just the right amount so that I never felt lost. The core characters are relatable and I loved their interaction and close friendship. Willa is a dedicated cheesemonger and is more than happy to share her love for cheese and her experience with customers and the curious alike. And since cheese is one of my most favorite foods, I’d love to have the opportunity to visit her shop.

Of course, the book isn’t just about cheese, an inviting setting, and entertaining characters. The focus is, instead, on the dual mysteries of the secret of the legendary, award-winning bleu cheese and its deceased creator, and the murder of a cheesemonger in search of said bleu cheese. The author does an admirable job weaving the two mysteries together with plenty of suspects and cryptic clues to puzzle over. I love how the Team Cheese crew work together to solve the case of the missing bleu cheese and track down a murderer as well. It added to the appeal of the storyline and I’m looking forward to catching up with their previous antics!

I was provided with an advance copy. All thought and opinions are my own.

This is the third book in the Cheese Shop series that I've read, and I've enjoyed every one of them! This time there are two mysteries - where is the famous recipe for blue cheese that was developed by an artisan cheesemaker who recently died that could make the inheritor a fortune, and who killed one of Willa's former coworkers?

There are lots of plot twists and so many delicious sounding cheese recipes in this book! I wasn't sure of the murderer until the end. I love the characters, and "Team Cheese" is coming together as a force to help solve these mysteries. I hope to read more of this series in the future.

Willa Bauer owns a cheese shop in the Sonoma Valley in California. Her former employer, Max, developed a unique Bleu Cheese. But he died in mysterious circumstances. The secret behind the cheese is going to one of his employees. But which one?

It looks like one of them is the chosen one. Until she turns up dead. Or maybe she got the information and that's why she turned up dead. Willa and her team set out to find the murderer.

In this delightful cozy mystery, the characters are well-developed. The plot line is good, not deviating into a bunch of side subplots like many cozy mysteries frequently do. Thankfully, we aren't burdened with countless product recipes. The author simply sticks with the telling of a good mystery.

Nice mystery read. Interesting descriptions of cheeses that I had never heard of. A few twists I didn’t expect. Would suggest for a light mystery read.

Title: Case of the Bleus
Author: Korina Moss
Genre: Mystery
Rating: 4 out of 5

What in the bleu blazes is happening in Yarrow Glen now?

Cheesemongers from across the Northwest have come to the Sonoma Valley for the Northwest Cheese Invitational. As owner of the local cheese shop, Curds & Whey, Willa Bauer loves it. The event showcases custom cheese creations, and it’s the perfect time to gather with old colleagues to honor her former boss, the late and grate cheese legend, Max Dumas. He was famous for journeying into the wild bleu yonder to where he aged his award-winning custom Church Bleu. Only Max knew the recipe and location to his beloved cheese, and many are eager to have these revealed at his will reading.

But instead of naming someone to inherit his cheese and its secrets, Max stuns everyone with one cryptic clue. When a fellow cheesemonger dies under mysterious circumstances––the woman they all thought would get the secrets to Max's prized possession––everyone falls under suspicion. Willa adores Church Bleu as much as the next cheese connoisseur, but it’s not to die for. Is a killer trying to get away with murder...and the cheese?

I would not recommend reading this while hungry…especially if you’re a cheese-lover. The cheeses and other foods in this book sounded wonderful! This is the first book I’ve read in this series, but that wasn’t a problem. I had no problem telling the characters apart or following what was going on. I thought this was a fun little cozy mystery, and I’d be interested to read more.

Korina Moss is an award-winning author and lives in New England. Case of the Bleus is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Press in exchange for an honest review.)
(Blog post live 9/27).

Cheese Shop Mystery series just keeps getting better and better. Case Of The Bleus is the fourth book in the series.
There is a Northwest Cheese Invitational being held in Yarrow Glen, California where Willa has her cheese shop, Curds and Whey. They will be honoring Max Dumas at the event. He had been a mentor for Willa. His death has left the recipe for his blue cheese in a place only he knew where it was. The missing recipe is wanted by many, and this is the start of finding out who will get the recipe.
I loved the twists and turns in this book because it was a tough one to try to figure out who did what, when where and why!
The author did a great job of keeping me guessing till the very end.
Thank you NetGalley, Korina Moss and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of Case of the Bleus: A Cheese Shop Mystery. This is my personal review.

I got clued in to this cozy mystery series through a Cozy Case Files compilation, where Minotaur Books puts together opening chapters of upcoming books. This is the 4th in the cheese shop mystery series, but it quite readable as a standalone.

Willa is excited about welcoming her former colleagues to her new cheese shop and also about honouring her late mentor at a cheesemaker's convention being held in her community. Things rapidly start to go wrong as tensions rise around the fate of her mentor's famed blue cheese recipe, and one of her visiting friends ends up dead.
This is a comfortable cozy. It's readable, the characters are likeable and Korina Moss has created a believable sense of community among them. There is a hilarious scene that will be very recognizable to anyone who has ever spent time with a retired drama teacher. The cheese-based food descriptions (and recipes) are an added bonus.
3. 5 stars, rounded up to 4. Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur for the e-arc.

Did someone really kill over cheese? Well, yes, they did after Max whose bleu cheese was famous and secret didn't leave a clear successor in his will but rather a series of clues. And then someone murders Kendall, who had been widely believed to be a possible winner. Willa, Archie, and Mrs Schultz swing into action to find the villain among the many suspects (perhaps too many). Fans of cozies know that there's something more than cheese at stake here and that will be a few red herrings. Willa's a great character as are her pals (and her romantic interest) but most of all- cheese! Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It's indeed the fourth in a series but it will be enjoyable as well as a standalone.

Willa Bauer, the talented cheese monger and avid sleuth from Korina Moss’s Cheese Shop Mysteries, is back, with all of her quirky friends from the quaint Sonoma town of Yarrow Glen. In CASE OF THE BLEUS, we find Willa preparing for the Northwest Cheese Invitational, which will be held in her town this year and will honor her mentor, Max Dumas, and his world-famous Church Bleu cheese.

Willa’s old friends from Max’s cheese shop are in town to celebrate Max, who died recently in a car accident, and to hear the reading of his will. Everyone is anxious to learn who inherited the secret to Max’s signature cheese. But Max, ever dramatic, has one more secret up his sleeve, a cryptic clue to the location of where he ages the bleu cheese, which is crucial to replicating his recipe.

With no clear answer to who will benefit from the value of his Church Bleu, the race is on to decifer the clue. Rifts quickly develop between Max’s former employees, his estranged daughter and even a mysterious stranger.

When one of the cheese mongers dies under suspicious circumstances and the clue begins to point toward Willa, our favorite cheese shop owner realizes the danger she is in and starts her own investigation, aided by her trusty friends and Curds and Whey staff, Mrs. Schultz and Archie, and her neighbor, Baz.

Korina Moss mixes up a perfectly executed cozy mystery, with delicious cheese facts and recipes marbling the story like the blue and green veins that flavor the best bleu cheeses. This is the fourth in her series, but it can easily stand alone. Just be forewarned, when you finish, you’ll likely have a craving for the rest of the series!

First, let me say right off the bat, this is the best book in the series. Am I prejudice because I love bleu cheese, maybe, but the story is phenomenal and I enjoyed every word of it.

This author has developed lovable recurring characters. You have the grandmotherly, Mrs. Schultz; Archie who is learning what it means to be an adult; Willa, the protagonist, who is kind and learning to open her heart.

The plot was cleverly written with lots of adventure and a memorable ending. The author dishes up cheese recipes throughout the story as well as including some of those recipes at the back of the book. Ms Moss’ writing style is like comfort food on a rainy day. You can’t wait to start and so satisfied after it’s been consumed.

You could follow the book without reading the series as the author does keep you updated as to what has occurred in the past. However, the series is so delicious, you might as well start with book one. I’m definitely team cheese as Willa and her friends like to say.

My review is voluntary and all comments and opinions are my own.

Willia is excited to show off her new cheese shop to her former co-workers who are in town for the Northwest Cheese Invitation. It's not all fun and games though as they are also there to honor their late boss Max and hear the reading of the will. Most of all, they hope to discover the secret to his famous Church Bleu cheese. Max was known for puzzles and secrecy - what he expected would be a fun game turns deadly.

Case of the Bleus is the fourth book in Korina Moss's Cheese Shop Mysteries series. I haven't read the previous books in the series, but it doesn't make any difference. I enjoyed it and didn't feel any confusion as to who was who.

I'm always on the lookout for new cozy mysteries and I couldn't pass this one up. It was a quick, engaging read.

There is a good deal of descriptive details that bogged the story down some. I like cheese, but some of the descriptions were too much. While I love eating cheese, I don't like to think about how it is made - the mold that grows during the aging process kind of makes me feel sick. I also wondered if Willa describes her shop in such detail in each of the previous books, which would annoy me if I had been following the series. I appreciated it as a newcomer to the series, but it seemed overly detailed for book 4.

I enjoyed the riddles and clues for discovering the secret to Max's Church Bleu. They aren't too difficult to solve. I figured on that a book played a part in the mystery before there was a death or the clue from the will was revealed. The game was fun, but I was disheartened that his game resulted in the death of someone.

I liked Willa and the rest of the characters. She reminds me a little of Hannah Swansen from Joann Fluke's series.

I don't feel a need to go back and catch up on the earlier books in the series, but I would be open to reading future books.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Tuesday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2023/09/case-of-bleus-by-korina-moss-review.html

Yarrow Glen is hosting the Northwest Cheese Invitational. And during this event, Willa and her former colleagues are gathering to honor their late boss, a man well-known for his valued and award-winning Church Bleu cheese. His passing means the recipe for this cheese might be gone forever, or did he, a man who loved puzzles, leave clues behind? Someone is willing to kill to get their hands on this info, leaving Willa and her crew to investigate more than one mystery.

This is one of my favorite cozy mystery series, and I know I'm in for a treat with each new installment! Very well-written, with likable characters and a small-town Sonoma Valley setting that always feels like a charming escape. Willa and her crew have become more skilled in investigating the murders they are faced with, and their relationships are deepening. I enjoyed spending time with all the characters, but Mrs. Schultz especially stood out to me this time. She's as wise and perceptive as usual, but seeing her use her talents as a former drama teacher to help with the cases was fun, and she steals the show in one scene. Willa is down-to-earth and fun to sleuth along with. Some of the developments in this book have me curious to see where her romantic life is headed. The cheese and food descriptions are mouth-watering, and delicious recipes are included.

I enjoyed this delightful cozy! It’s a fun mystery to add to your Fall tbr! Fans of the series will definitely want to pick this up, but it works as a stand-alone too!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press Minotaur Books for the gifted ARC.

The newest cheese shop mystery finds Willa investigating when a former colleague is murdered at a cheese invitational. Willa's colleagues from her previous cheese shop are in Yarrow Glen for the reading of the will of Max Church, Willa's old boss. They are all on edge because he has left behind a legacy for his bleu cheese and they all want to inherit. However, one of them winds up murdered, and Willa finds herself pulled in when she realizes Max has been sending her clues to the cheese's location.

Another good entry in this series! We got some good relationship development/complications with Willa and Heath. I also like the various side characters story developments too. I appreciate that Moss thinks about even the supporting characters in terms of character development and not just the protagonist. I look forward to seeing where Willa's cheese adventures take her next!

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Summary
The Northwest Cheese Invitational has come to Yarrow Glen, California, where Willa Bauer runs Curds and Whey, her cheese shop. This year there will be a special ceremony to honor Max Dumas. Max was a mentor to Willa, but he was best known for his Church Bleu - a blue cheese he created and aged in a location known only to him. Four of Max’s employees - Kendall, Claire, Pepper and Freddie - are in town for the ceremony and to hear the reading of the will in which they hope to benefit. They suspect that Max will have left his cheese shop to his long-estranged daughter, Maxine, but they hope that he will have left the secret of Church Bleu to Kendall. That secret could be worth a fortune to the cheesemongers and is key to keeping the shop profitable. When Kendall dies not long after the reading of the will, Willa knows she needs to help get to the bottom of it quickly.

My thoughts
While I enjoyed meeting the characters, discovering the cheese shop, and learning about cheeses, and found the romance aspect entertaining, the mystery lacked depth. It was far too easy to narrow down the suspects because there was really only one motive that applied equally to all of the suspects - the desire to find and own the secrets to Max’s cheese. This is a story that could have benefited from some red herrings and cleverly placed clues to create a more complex puzzle. Willa didn’t so much solve the murder using deduction as she did luck into it. The mystery also lacked a satisfying round-up; we never found out how the murderer did it.
Although this was book 4 in the series and I hadn’t read any of the first 3, I find it did well as a standalone. I liked the story enough that I will check out others in the series.

What Else I Liked

The Cheese! I enjoyed learning about cheese and there are some interesting recipes included that I plan to try out.

The town! It sounds like such a cosy place with everything I’d hope for in a town - a bakery, a cheesemonger, a bookstore with a cafe, a grocer, and a winery! There’s also a lovely park with a farmer’s market, bike trails, a bike shop, even an inn with a nice restaurant! And, of course, friendly neighbors. Every little town needs those.

The author describes the town and all of the locations so clearly that I have a map and pictures in my mind.

Archie, Mrs. Schulz and Baz are great secondary characters.

What I Didn’t Like

Willa is clearly a gifted business owner who knows cheese, but her observational skills could use some work. Overall, I find her endearing and compassionate. However, she seems a bit too trusting for somebody trying to track a murderer and she jumps to some strange conclusions at times.

I didn’t find the epilogue answered enough questions.

My Rating 3/5
I received an eArc copy of this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I adored this cozy mystery! The group of characters were fantastic, and I loved the setting. I enjoyed the plot twists and the mystery. It was well paced and well written!

In the fourth Cheese Shop Mystery, Willa's former co-workers arrive in town for an event and trouble follows them. Their recently deceased former boss had been keeping a big secret about his signature cheese, and when one of the group is murdered, Willa and her friends on Team Cheese need to once again follow the clues.

I really enjoy the characters in this series, and if there is a real cheese shop like Willa's nearby, I need to find it and become a frequent customer! There's a little bit of everything in this installment... friendship, betrayal, potential romance, and heartbreak. And of course, some mysteries to be solved along the way.

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

#TEAMCHEESE TO THE RESCUE!!
Another winner for Korina Moss! Moss always manages to suck me right into the streets of yarrow glen for the fun adventures of Willa and the gang!
This one was super exciting, and of course had me guessing till the end!
I highly recommend this to any cozy mystery lover or cheese lover as the recipes sound divine! I would like to thank netgalley, the author Korina Moss, and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book!

"Cheesemongers from across the Northwest have come to the Sonoma Valley for the Northwest Cheese Invitational. As owner of the local cheese shop, Curds & Whey, Willa Bauer loves it. The event showcases custom cheese creations, and it’s the perfect time to gather with old colleagues to honor her former boss, the late and grate cheese legend, Max Dumas. He was famous for journeying into the wild bleu yonder to where he aged his award-winning custom Church Bleu. Only Max knew the recipe and location to his beloved cheese, and many are eager to have these revealed at his will reading."
This is a good mystery full of intrigue. A cheese shop is the setting.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed Case of the Bleus. It is the fourth novel in the Cheese Shop Mystery series, but I didn’t have a problem reading it as a standalone.

Unlike most cozy mysteries, Case of the Bleus wasn’t heavy-handed with atmosphere. There was a lot more drama and suspense, especially due to the numerous plot twists. And because the novel is really two mysteries in one, I was kept guessing on the who, what, when, where, and why.

I loved all of the characters in the novel. And although the characters are new to me, I still managed to get sense of their personalities. The main characters of Willa, Archie, and Mrs. Schultz (Team Cheese as they called themselves,) were a joy to follow. I especially enjoyed the comic relief from Archie — the youngest of the group. And Mrs. Schultz with all of her wisdom balanced out the group’s dynamics.

Author Moss has done an excellent job of balancing the cozy atmosphere with the thrill of an adrenalin-filled mystery. Moss is a new to me author that I will add to my list of favorites. And extra kudos to her for sharing the recipes for those mouthwatering dips and spreads mentioned in her novel. Five delectable stars.

I received a DRC from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.