You Feta Watch Out (Grilled Cheese Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
5th in Series
Setting – Vermont
Publisher : Beyond the Page Publishing (October 16, 2024)
Paperback : 192 pages
ISBN-10 : 1960511955
ISBN-13 : 978-1960511959
Kindle ASIN : B0DJ9LRCL2
Humbug! leads to Homicide! in the new Grilled Cheese Mystery by Linda Reilly . . .
Christmas in the close-knit community of Balsam Dell promises to be especially festive for Carly Hale this year when a prominent theater company comes to town to stage A Christmas Carol. But it turns out that Scrooge is not the most ill-tempered character in the production, as blowhard actor Prescott Lennon proves when he begins berating everyone else in the cast for their poor theatrics. When his arrogant behavior threatens the production, someone decides to resolve matters with a fatal solution—and frames Carly’s friend Gina for the murder.
With such an unlikable victim, Carly finds herself faced with a long list of suspects, including a grieving widow who hasn’t shed a tear, an ambitious understudy looking for his big break, and all the cast members Lennon mistreated. But there’s a ghost of a clue in the air as rumors begin to surface that the dead man had a shady past that may have come back to haunt him. With her friend still on the hook, Carly will have to sort out past misdeeds from those of the present, even as her pursuit of the killer scares the dickens out of her . . .
Dollycas’s Thoughts
A theater company will be performing A Christmas Carol at the Flinthead Opera House in Balsam Dell this holiday season. Prescott Lennon appears to have been cast for the wrong part, instead of Marley, he should be playing Scooge although the man is even worse than Scrooge. He rebukes nearly every member of the cast and crew and basically everyone he meets. He must have pushed somebody too far because the man was found dead in his dressing room. Sadly the evidence points to Carly’s friend Gina as the killer but Carly knows she is being set up. With a theater full of suspects Carly has plenty of people to grill. Then she learns that it may be someone from the victim’s past that did him in. Carly is going to hold everyone’s feet to the fire to prove Gina’s innocence but she may die trying.
I really enjoy the characters Ms. Reilly has created for this series, they feel like old friends. Carly has a huge heart and loves serving up grilled cheese to the masses. Ari and Carly are getting their new home all decked out for the holiday but aren’t getting too much wedding planning done. Hopefully, after the holidays, they will start to firm things up. Carly is surrounded by a great staff who are also friends. Her former assistant manager and new grill cook, Valerie recently married the chief of police, Fred Holloway. Her new assistant manager Nina is getting comfortable in her new job. Server Suzanne, the proud mom of nine-year-old Josh, rounds out the crew and isn’t afraid to throw her two cents in on any topic. Carly’s BFF Gina was in hot water after being cast as a caroler in the A Christmas Carol production but her stationary store has a huge order of invitations for a “fancy-schmancy” New Year’s Eve party to keep her busy and her boyfriend Zach to lean on. Carly’s sister Norah even lent a hand in Carly’s investigation. A big treat in this story was that former grill cook and friend Grant was home for the holidays and asked to work and he was definitely needed. All the characters feel true to life and grow in realistic ways.
The “magnificent” Flinthead Opera House had been a dilapidated farmhouse when Nate Carpenter’s family undertook its huge renovation. It is an interesting location for a murder with its massive and confusing layout of rooms, hallways, the stage, and many exits. How did the killer do what they did and get away unseen? Did they blend in? or did they sneak out in the chaos? Carly did her best to follow each clue and get answers to her questions. Her observation skills are excellent but putting what she has seen into context took a bit. Eatery regular and publisher of the town’s free paper, Don Frasco is always a good source for information. A piece of evidence by Norah moved the case along but it didn’t reveal the murderer. That came later and both Carly and I were surprised. Nicely plotted Ms. Reilly.
As always the offerings at the Grilled Cheese Eatery make my mouth water. This time there was an unusual sandwich that was very fitting for the Christmas season. In Scrooge’s Redemption Nina has found the perfect way to use a typically scorned Christmas classic and transformed it into something so yummy. Grant shows off what he is learning in culinary school too with some festive appetizers. Recipes for both are included at the end of the book.
You Feta Watch Out, which I think should be followed by You Cheddar Not Cry, was a wonderfully entertaining Christmas cozy that I just had to squeeze in before moving on to non-holiday reads. Everything about it is cozy, from the small town of Balsam Dell to the close-knit cast of characters and the mystery that will make you think. It is all entangled with enough Christmas spirit to get you into the holiday mood whether you read it in December or July. I am very excited for this series to continue.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
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About the Author
As a child, Linda Reilly practically existed on grilled cheese sandwiches, and today they remain her comfort food of choice. A member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and Cat Writers’ Association, Linda is also the author of the Deep Fried Mysteries and the Cat Lady Mysteries. Linda lives in southern New Hampshire with her two feline assistants, both of whom enjoy prancing over her laptop to assist with editing. Visit her on the web at lindareillyauthor.com or on Facebook at facebook.com/Lindasreillyauthor. She loves hearing from readers!
Also written by Linda Reilly
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” “As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.”
Maddie Day is a talented amateur chef and holds a PhD in linguistics from Indiana University. An Agatha Award-winning author, she is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America. She lives with her beau and an energetic kitten north of Boston
, the 
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(Kensington Publishing) and the 
(Midnight Ink), and also writes award-winning short crime fiction.
