I'm always on the lookout for new cozy mystery series. While I don't mind starting a series in the middle, it is always great when I discover a new series at book 1. Linda Reilly, author of the Cat Lady Mysteries, has penned a new series that starts with Up to No Gouda.

I've not read her other series, but if Up to No Gouda is representative of her writing then I'm going to have to look it up. Her new series Grilled Cheese Mysteries is off to a fun start. I think it might be added to my "must read" list.

Following the death of her husband, Carly has decided to follow her dream of owning a grilled cheese restaurant in her hometown. She lucks out in finding a location - she takes over the lease from the former ice cream shop. But her luck runs out when the building is sold and the new owner, a former boyfriend, wants to the space for his girlfriend's clothing boutique. When he winds up dead behind her restaurant she is of course on the top of the suspect list.

I really liked the characters. I don't think any of the series I read with younger sleuths are widows so it's nice to have some variety. The police aren't portrayed as country bumpkins - they seemed pretty realistic for small town cops. There is a little dog and a potential love interest. While not totally original, they could provide fun moments (the dog) and a continuing story arc (the love interest).

I liked Mia Gaskin as the audiobook narrator. There are quite a few characters but I didn't have trouble keeping them straight. The story was easy to follow as well.

While this novel would technically be considered a culinary cozy, there are no recipes. There is some description of the grilled cheese sandwiches so if you are wanting to expand beyond American cheese between two slices of bread you will get some ideas. Listening to this book did make me crave a grilled cheese sandwich. Even though my favorite "fancy" grilled cheese wasn't mentioned, I really wanted an apple and gouda sandwich.

I look forward to more books in this series. I'm really curious about what titles Reilly will come up with that include cheese references.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Saturday, Jan. 22 - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2022/01/up-to-no-gouda-by-linda-reilly-review.html

Excellent narration. This title is the first in a new cozy series. This excels and diversifies from other series with attention to detail, diverse characters and a great twist!

This is a perfectly acceptable cozy mystery. Some of the dialogue was rather stilted but it was mildly amusing so that made up for some of it. The plot was pretty good. The characters weren't really well fleshed out but they were likable enough.

What a riot! What a trip! The ending, you will NOT see coming. It's laughably silly but hell, I enjoyed it. Only one CHEESY pun "my legs felt like melted cheddar." 🤣 I was hoping for a lot more! Definitely want to keep reading this cozy mystery series and I'll have to check out her other cozies as well!

Carly Hale has her dream of a grilled cheese eatery. Just 5 months in things start to go wrong. The building her restaurant is in goes into foreclosure and it’s purchased by a slimy business Carly knew growing up. The new owner, Lyle, gives her a month or so to vacate because he is going to convert the space into a clothing boutique for his girlfriend. Then Lyle is found dead behind the building by the dumpster and it’s murder.
The main suspect is Carly’s friend and employee Suzanne. Carly thinks the police can handle finding the killer but the local newspaper owner, Don, convinces Carly to investigate with him.
The setting is Balsam Dell, Vermont. It sounds like a fabulous place to visit. The book descriptions are well done and draw the reader into this fictional place.
Overall, this is a very nice series debut. Carly is friendly with the chief of police. She has a possible love interest outside the police force. She has a lovely landlord and great employees. Carly is a thoroughly nice person and makes a great main character for this series.
I didn’t really see the murderer coming because there were lots of reasons Lyle could have been murdered. I didn’t anticipate the one that was behind Lyle’s death.
I had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook ahead of release. The narrator does a great job.
I would recommend Up to No Gouda as a fun cozy mystery read.

What an amazing book. I enjoyed it so much as an audiobook that I want to buy a physical copy of it as well. It also had me craving grilled cheese sandwiches the whole time. I can highly recommend this series. Plus the narrator was amazing!

Carly has moved back to her hometown of Balsam Dell, Vermont, after the tragic death of her husband. In an effort to get on with her life, she has invested his life insurance in her dream: a grilled-cheese eatery. Since renovating and opening the restaurant, things have been running smoothly. That is, they were until her high school boyfriend, Lyle Bagley, walks in one day with an announcement that he has bought the building and is not planning on renewing her lease. However before anything can be done, Lyle is murdered behind the building and Carly's server, Suzanne, is the prime suspect. Carly feels compelled to help out Suzanne as she is positive of Suzanne's innocence.

All cozy mysteries follow the same formula - and this one was no different. Except for the annoying mother. I'm so glad Carly's mother isn't a nagging, nosy, pain-in-the-butt. :P The perp was not obvious, and there were plenty of places to put the blame. Overall a fun, enjoyable mystery.

An amazing new cozy mystery series that’s going to make you crave a huge gooey grilled cheese during every other chapter. I alternated between the ebook and audio book and found both equally enjoyable. Narrated outstandingly by Mia Gaskin, grilled cheese shop owner Carly comes to life. Carly’s host of suspects, including old and new friends in Balsam Dell, will make future visits to this cozy little town land straight on the top of my too be read pile.

I enjoyed this cozy mystery though, it definitely makes you crave a grilled cheese sandwich (or two). The main character, Carly, is delightful, and I also liked the supporting cast, especially Grant. Havarti was so sweet too. The plot was good, with twists and a few red herrings, with a satisfying ending. I'd for sure like to read other mysteries in this series. Also, have to say that the narrator did a great job!

I’m not usually a cozy mystery type but the title honestly sold me and it did not disappoint. This book was so wonderfully adorable and incredibly cheesy (all pun intended.) 😍🧀

Carly, our main character, was so sweet and was just trying to keep her business while simultaneously trying to help solve the murder mystery she and her friends ended up mixed in. The whole cast of characters were super enjoyable, even the smarmy ones, and really pushed the story along. Plus, we got a cute dog. Y’all know I love a story with a cute dog. 😂

As a whole the story kept my attention and I had a lot of fun trying to solve the mystery myself but the ending was so exciting and unexpected it had me blown away. I really really enjoyed this and I think anyone would like it too!

I wanna give big thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for early access to this audiobook. This book/audiobook drops on Monday so add it to your TBR!

I am on an Audiobook kick so I chose this. It is a cute cozy mystery with a light whodunnit plot, kind hearted characters who find themselves in a pickle.

If you need a break from bone chilling thrillers and scary mysteries, pick this one up!

Thank you #NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for giving me the opportunity to listen to this.

This author writes good cozy mysteries and this one is no exception. Interesting characters, good setting and a great storyline make this a good read. I recommend it.

A really fun first in series cozy mystery! The characters in this had real emotional depth (which is something I often feel is missing in cozies) and they were all distinctive enough that I had no issue keeping everyone straight even from the beginning. The mystery was well crafted, and the author did a great job of having enough red herrings to keep it interesting without being overly convoluted. This did exhibit a few of the common pitfalls I see in cozies including law enforcement being overly accommodating of the main character and townspeople/suspects being overly willing to talk and give out pertinent information, but overall this was an excellent first in series cozy and I will continue with the series.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

Up to No Gouda by Linda Reilly.
Narrated by Mia Gaskin
Grilled Cheese Mystery, book one.
I did not enjoy this book as much as most other readers seemed to. I thought it was kind of boring. The most entertaining thing turned out to be the variety of cheese sandwiches. The narration was okay except for some odd mispronunciations such as saying burglared instead of burgled.
Maybe I’m just off cozies right now but this one didn’t do it for me.

Up to No Gouda by Linda Reilly was a delicious mystery in audiobook form! This one is set in a charming town in Vermont with nosy neighbors, small businesses and maybe a romance! I thoroughly enjoyed it and will be eagerly awaiting the next installment! I was a little hesitant to start this one because the main character is seeking a fresh start after her husband passes, however it was always a sweet mention and never sad.

Carly Hale put her dream of owning a grilled cheese sandwich restaurant on hold when she married her college boyfriend Daniel and worked her way up to become manager of the historic Ivory Swan Inn. Then Daniel was killed in a tragic road accident, and when Carly's grief subsided, she moved back to her hometown of Balsam Dell, Vermont and opened Carly's Grilled Cheese Eatery, which specializes in grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup.

The eatery, which opened five months ago, has two employees: Suzanne - a server who's supporting herself and her little son; and Grant - a talented nineteen-year-old cook who's saving up for culinary school. The restaurant has a central location in Balsam Dell, and Carly - who upgraded the facility using Daniel's insurance money - has high hopes for its future.

Then Carly gets a terrible shock. Her high school boyfriend, entrepreneur Lyle Bagley, has bought the building that houses the eatery and won't be renewing Carly's lease. In fact Lyle shows up at the restaurant and gives Carly one month to vacate the property, which he plans to transform into a fashion boutique for his fiancée Tiffany.

Suzanne, who'll lose her server job when the eatery closes, goes ballistic. She slams down a napkin holder, sticks her finger in Lyle's face, and says "One of these days Lyle Bagley, you're going to get what's coming to you, big time. You can bet on it."

The next morning, Lyle's corpse is found near the dumpster behind Carly's restaurant, and Suzanne is a prime suspect.

Carly refuses to believe Suzanne is guilty and sets out to find the real killer. Since Lyle was a self-centered scoundrel who made a lot of enemies, there are plenty of suspects, and Carly makes it her business to investigate them - to the dismay of the police chief.

Carly is a clever sleuth, and she's assisted by the editor of Balsam Dell's weekly free newspaper, who fancies himself an investigative journalist. We also meet other interesting characters, including: patrons of Carly's Grilled Cheese Eatery; Carly's wheelchair-bound landlady and her caretaker, who make Carly a birthday cake; Lyle's estranged brother, who thinks Lyle cheated him out of a Cadillac; a homeless Afghanistan war vet who's pulling herself up by her bootstraps; Carly's high school friend Gina, who was married to Lyle for a brief time; and more.

Most importantly we become acquainted with a handsome businessman/sports coach named Ari who makes Carly's heart flutter, and a homeless Morkie puppy that Carly feeds and names Havarti.

This is a fine debut for the 'Grilled Cheese Mysteries', with delicious-sounding sandwiches such as: Party Havarti; Vermont Classic; Bacon Grilled Cheese; Farmhouse Cheddar Sleeps with the Fishes (Grilled Cheese Tuna Melt); and more.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Mia Gaskin, who does a good job.

Thanks to Netgalley, Linda Reilly, and Dreamscape Media for a copy of the book.

You’re going to want a grilled cheese sandwich after this one! I loved Havarti, the dog, and wished we got more Havarti in this book, but I appreciate the set up for the rest of the series. I really loved the characters in the book! Carly, the main character, is such a delight. I LOVE Grant - more Grant please! I think his character has so much to offer for the next in the series. Yes, the plot is a classic cozy mystery, but come on, grilled cheese? Basically: came for the grilled cheese, stayed for the characters. :)

I didn’t see the ending coming, but I also don’t think there was really any way you could, as it kinda came out of left field. I enjoyed the way it played out and was eventually resolved.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the audio ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book comes out January 25th, 2022.

Thanks to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed this audiobook the narrator was excellent. I enjoyed the drama with the restaurant and didn’t see all of the twists and turns in the plot! I look forward to reading the next one in the series!

Good start to a new series. This book had good characters, a nice setting, and yummy grilled cheese. Cannot wait for more in the series.

Name of Book: Up to No Gouda
Author: Linda Reilly
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Pub Date: January 25, 2022
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐++
Acknowledgement: Thank You NetGalley and Dreamscape Media ~
For this audio e-Galley which has been made available to me before publication in an early form for an honest professional review.

This is the first book in the Grilled Cheese Mystery series.
Story is based in the small town of Balsam Dell, Vermont.
After our protagonist, Carly Hale’s husband Daniel dies in an auto accident, she decided to open “Carly’s Grilled Cheese Eatery”.
After five successful months, Carly finds out that the building has been bought and the new owner, Lyle Bagley, a former boyfriend wants her out. Carly isn’t pleased with this situation but knows she needs to find another place soon; that is until Lyle is found dead near a dumpster behind Carly’s eatery.
I have been a mystery fan ever since I was eight years old reading Trixie Belden and then Nancy Drew. I graduated to psychological thriller but I still love a fun Cozy Mystery.
Any cozy fans know that Cozies have a bit of a formula:
• Fun entertaining - character based
• The crime-solver is typically a female who is well liked, has a dog or a cat, and of course, is an amateur sleuth
• Love Interest ~ usually they don’t like each other at first.
• All the residence know each other and are likeable
• Mystery but no blood and gore
• Little to no profanity.

Cozy Mysteries typically have a big twist but usually not a big shock as the bad guys are usually obvious. This story had far more twists than I expected. This is truly an enjoyable read and I look forward to Book #2
The audiobook narrator Mia Gaskin did a great job in performing all the characters.

Want to thank NetGalley and Dreamscape Media ~ for this audio eGalley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for an honest professional review.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for January 25, 2022.