Off the Shelf -- Cheddar Late Than Dead

 

The third entry in the Grilled Cheese Eatery series finds our heroine, Carly unexpectedly catering the bridal shower of a high school friend.  She is drawn into investigating after the groom collapses and dies after crashing the gathering and her friend is the prime suspect.

I enjoyed this title more than the others in the series.  The mystery is layered, relationship dynamics explored.  I feel like we're finally finding some of who these characters are.  There was a little more meat here than in previous entries in the series.  I like Carly's relationship with her staff and her family.  The chaste, innocence in her relationship with Ari is the odd point for me.  She is a widow with relationship experience so that part feels off at times.  

The opinions expressed are mine and given freely.  Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity!

Off the Shelf -- No Parm No Foul

This is the second Grilled Cheese  Mystery.  It's Halloween and the Balsam Dell is getting ready for the annual food competition. Carly is excited, as it's her first year entering her eatery. The owner of Sub-a-Dub Sub, Ferris Menard, is angry at Carly because Grant, her part-time employee left Menard's employ to work full time at Carly's eatery.  He angrily confronts Carly in front of customers and is found dead in his own shop the next morning.  

The investigation hits close to home, and Carly decides to see if she can figure out who the real killer is.  

The mystery was interesting.  The characters are more developing a bit from the first book. I really enjoyed Evelyn Fitch and hope to see more of her. This is the coziest of cozies, no curse words, witch is considered a harsh word, and Carly and her boyfriend share only the tiniest of kisses.While this a little more chaste than my normal cozy, I like the characters.  I did find myself getting annoyed with Carly's method of analyzing her relationship with Ari.  Honestly, the connection between Carly and Ari is where the writing falls the fattest for me.  It feels artificial and takes me out of the story.

The descriptions of the food make me want grilled cheese.  I see the Alvin Special in my future.

Off the Shelf -- The Lady With the Gun Asks the Questions

Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to review this title.  A series of short stories set in 1928 featuring the delightful Miss Phryne Fisher and her compatriots.  The stories are concise, thoughtful, and capture th Miss Fisher you love from the novels.  These stories evoke the feel and spirit of spending a few hours with Phryne.  I highly recommend this collection.
 

Off the Shelf --A Sprinkle in Time

 Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read and review this title. The second book in the Shake Shop series does not disappoint.

Trinidad is settling into life in Upper Sprocket, connecting with the residents and getting into the rhythm of running the shop.  All is going well, until she and Papa Luis discover a body in his trunk.  Who is it?  Where did the body go?  How deep does the mystery go?  

The relationships between characters develops a lot.  The mystery is intriguing, though I kind of figured it out partway through the book.  The ride to get there was enjoyable.  I like these characters and will definitely keep coming back to Upper Sprocket

Off the Shelf --Up to No Gouda

 

Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC of this title. This is first in a new culinary cozy series.Carly has returned to her home town after losing her husband and opened a grilled cheese restaurant. Her building is sold, and her new landlord evicts her. He is discovered dead outside the restaurant, and one of Carly's employees, Suzanne, is the prime suspect. To save her friend, Carly investigates.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read. The descriptions of the grilled cheese sandwiches had me craving one. The cast of characters is interesting. The relationships with some of the characters is a little weird in that progress through problematic issues in a breeze, trust super quickly, or just feel weird. I will give this series another book or so.

This is review is given freely.