Thank you NetGalley, Linda Reilly and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC of No Parm No Foul. This is my personal review.
I was so glad to get back to the little town in Vermont and more of the Grilled Cheese Mysteries series.
The mystery in this one had twists and turns but for me I figured out the culprit earlier than I wanted to as I read the book.
Carly owns a grilled cheese sandwich shop, and this will surely get you craving a grilled cheese as you read this book.
This being the second book is building on the first so as I was reading, I got to know the characters better.
I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

this is my first novel from linda reilly’s series and it did not disappoint! balsam dell sounds like the cutest town ever with its decorated streets and halloween festivities. my goodness - all the food talk was unreal! i’m not kidding when i tell you i had grilled cheese for three days straight while reading this book! although “no parm no foul” is a mystery, i enjoyed the romantic aspect of the story. carly and ari are the sweetest couple and i can’t wait to see what else is in store for them! i was really hooked with the pacing of this novel, it had me on my toes the entire time and my list of suspects kept changing! however, i felt that it fell a bit flat at the ending. there was so much suspense that was built up and the “big reveal” was anticlimactic for my taste. nevertheless, this was such a fun, quick read that i’d definitely recommend if you love joanne fluke’s cozy mysteries!

This is the second book in the Grilled Cheese Mysteries and it's as delightful as the first. It can easily be read as a standalone. The mystery was complicated enough to have me second-guessing but I did actually figure out the killer earlier on. The grilled cheese descriptions and recipes had my mouth watering - and I don't even like cheese! Will continue to follow Carly on her adventures in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

I'll come back to make this more thorough before the publication date!
I just wanted to say that No Parm No Foul has lived up to its predecessor. Even with just 2 books out so far, I feel comfortable calling this one of my 3 favorite cozy series. I have a hard time choosing a singular favorite.
The one thing I was not exactly a fan of was the conversation with the dementia patient that revealed key information. I lost one of the closest people in the world to me to Alzheimer's over the course of about a decade, so I know I am perhaps a bit oversensitive to these things... however, I also felt it was a bit unrealistic and inaccurately portrayed the condition. The author has done a better job than most portraying all her characters with dignity and respect, so I'm not that peeved by it; it's just something I'd rather not see again.

I did also find some of the villain's actions at the end to be a little too irrational; why would he tell Carly he was planning to kill other people? Classic exposition by monologue, I guess, but his rant raised my eyebrows a bit.
No book is without little things to critique here and there, and I still thought this was a fantastic book regardless.
Reilly does really well with creating characters with a little depth to them (like Holly!) without overcomplicating the plot.
I also thought the "clown boyfriend" her sister had was a brilliant little bonus mystery. It gave me a good chuckle thinking back to 2016, when I was a college freshman living in the dorms amidst the whole killer clown thing.

Anyways, like I said, I'll be back to polish this review later; I just wanted to get some thoughts down while its fresh on my mind.

Would it surprise anyone if I tell you that I simply had to have a grilled cheese sandwich while reading this one? Didn't think so. Any excuse for a grilled cheese for us grilled cheese fans works. In any case, between bites, I found the story intriguing if a bit bemusing at times. The red herrings seemed to come at us fast and furiously, pointing main character Carly and the rest to different suspects at different times. And, who knew a Halloween costume choice might place you directly on the police's radar for murder? Or that a local, seemingly frivolous competition between businesses for the right to call themselves the best eats could be so cut-throat? Fakes ballots? Confrontations? Anger? All for a plaque and prize that most some felt they'd donate on to charity? Yep, that's right.

The morning after the festive gathering and competition, one of the competitors, the winner of the past three years, is found murdered. What does a partial footprint have to do with anything? When did Ari last see his boots and the generic Dracula cape? Could the figurine clutched in the victim's hand be a clue? Why didn't Carly report the vandalism to her vehicle? Should Carly be worried that the dead man's daughter wants to work for her temporarily? Why is the school board's efforts to cut its budget have to do with anything? Who'd harm sweet Evelyn? Why are the police watching Carly's home? Why.... oh, so many questions. Nope, not telling. You'll have to read the book for the answers to these and more, not to mention to find out what's in the future for talented musician/chef-wannabe Grant.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #PoisonedPenPress for inviting me over for a grilled cheese. It was fun to hang out with Carly and fun dog Havarti for awhile. Enjoyed the recipes and am looking forward to more of their adventures.

I really enjoyed the first book of this series. However this book just seemed to graze over side characters we met in the first book. Causing for very little character development. I typically read cozies for just that. I can say I enjoyed the murder plot and was not able to figure out who did it. I will definitely give the third book a try but not sure if I will continue beyond that.
Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for allowing me to read this ARC.

The second in the Grilled Cheese cozy mystery series! Carly is excited for the Halloween activities in her quaint Vermont town. However, one of her local competitors winds up dead and Carly’s boyfriend is the main suspect. Carly is determined to prove his innocence and find the real culprit.

I like this series a lot! You can read this one even if you haven’t read the first one (although I had and it does help some). Warning though - you will want grilled cheese after reading this!

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

I'd give this entry in the Grilled Cheese Mysteries a 3.5. It was an enjoyable read with a pretty satisfying solution. There were just enough little nit-picky things that annoyed me for me to knock it from a full 4. A title that has no bearing on the story whatsoever. The random recommendation of another set of mystery books (I assume by this author or a friend). Carly's decision not to show the clearly threatening note to the chief.

But there are things I really like about it, too. I love Carly's relationship with Grant and how she supports and mentors him. And her relationship with Holly, too, come to think of it. Realistic. Firm. Supportive. I also enjoy her relationships with the rest of her family and her various customers. This book has a nice number of suspects--enough to not make the killer obvious, but few enough so that they don't all blend together.

Review copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Love this series and author. If you haven't read it yet I highly recommend doing so. I suggest reading in order. Can't wait for the next book in the series.

Carly Hale owns a sandwich shop. Everything is going great for her until Ferris Menard accuses her of trying to sabotage his deli shop and steal his help. They both have entered the town's annual Halloween Scary-Lucious Smorgasbord competition. Then Menard is found murdered, and Carly's boyfriend is being framed for it. Can she find the real killer? I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, xxxxxxxxx and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

I truly appreciate a good cozy mystery, No Parm No Foul fit the bill!

Unfortunately, the second installment in the Grilled Cheese Mysteries wasn't my favorite.

I'll start with the good! Of course, as with any cozy mystery, the ambiance of this book was great! I absolutely love Balsam Dell, and the characters that Reilly has created. I think having Carly own a grilled cheese shops is the perfect setting for a cozy, and the descriptions of the yummy sandwiches really makes me want a grilled cheese.

I think what is also done very well is the entire vibe of the book. I think it's the prime example of a cozy mystery, and there's definitely an audience for this kind of book, but it's not me.

No Parm No Foul follows Carly as she enters in a Halloween food competition in the town. All of the characters have returned from the first book including Suzanne, Grant, and Carly's new beau, Ari. The competition is pretty tough, and the competitor Ferris Menard is tougher. Unfortunately, after the competition, Menard is found dead in his sub shop! Carly does her amateur sleuthing to help the Balsam Dell find out whodunnit!

There were definitely a few things that really left me wanting after reading this book. The first is that I don't feel as though there's a deep connection between Carly and her friends and family. Everything is very surface level, and I don't even feel that attached to Carly herself. There's continued mentions of her ex-husband, but these really feel like afterthoughts, most of the time.

The biggest issue that I had with this book were the constant, and I mean constant, cliche phrases. I can handle a few in a cozy mystery novel, but when there's a cliche'd phrase on every page, it really starts to frustrate me. Sometimes it almost comes off as patronizing because it is just so silly.

I also love a good slow burn of an ending, and something I have found with the two books in this series so far is that the endings wrap up very quickly, and by the end I almost forget who some of the characters are because they're not overly fleshed out.

I love cozy mysteries, and I really think that if they're done well, they're wholesome and silly with just a dash of murder, but No Parm No Foul was just mostly silly to me, and I don't think I'll continue with the rest of the series, unfortunately. I think the first book in the series was a lot stronger and didn't rely on continuous cliches to keep the story moving forward.

What a wonderful read!! No Parm No Foul was not only fun to read but it kept me guessing to the very end. With its delicious grilled cheese sandwiches to the fun sweet characters it’s a grab and go kinda a book and of course a yummy grilled cheese sandwich to take along with it …perfect together. The recipes are mouth watering and the book is even better !! Loved it !!!!

This is a cozy mystery and quick read. Quirky characters...likable...from the protagonist who owns a sandwich shop to the customers who frequent her restaurant. Murder and mayhem...family and friends...good food...unique sandwiches...this is a book that is fun...cozy up with a warm afghan, cup of steaming tea, and a grilled cheese sandwich...read and immerse...this book was sent to me by Netgalley electronically for review. I am eager to read more of these stories from this talented author.

An easy, quick cozy mystery.

I want to like the mc, Carly but she is just meh. As much as I enjoy Cozies, it irritates me how she is so confrontational and dumb when interviewing suspects.

I also don't see the strong connections among the mc and her friends and family, except for her employee Grant.

I love the concept of the grilled cheese restaurant. I love the setting of a small town in Vermont.

I do think the mystery is written well. There is a good flow to the story. The author definitely keeps the reader guessing, as to who is the culprit.

But, the fact that I just don't like how Carly is written, and that there is not any real connection between Carly and most of the other characters, leaves me wanting.

Carly finds herself at the center of another murder investigation in the small town of Balsam Dell. Another local restauranteur shows up dead after a contentious outcome of the Halloween food competition. A fun second installment to this series!

When Carly Hale’s fellow business owner accuses her of stealing away his best employee, she’s shocked to find that the man was murdered that next day. With her boyfriend Ari being set up for the murder, she has to clear his name, knowing with her whole heart that he didn’t do it. But if Ari didn’t know did? That’s what Carly aims to find out by serving up some justice, even though it might just the last thing she may serve up.

A great series that leaves me drooling with the sandwich descriptions and changing my mind on whodunit as new clues are introduced. Be sure to check out the recipes as the end.

Carly Hale is the owner of Grilled Cheese Eatery in Balsam Dell, Vermont.
She’d moved back to her hometown after the death of her husband two years earlier and has been seeing a man named Ari Mitchell, a local electrician.

Twenty-year-old Grant Robinson, Carly’s part-time grill cook since she first opened, also works part-time at Sub-a-Dub-Sub, a sandwich shop.

Carly’s looking forward to attending the town’s annual Halloween Scary-Licious Smorgasbord competition, which is only two days away. It would be her first time participating in the event and Grant had also helped her design their entry.

A few days before the event, Ferris Menard owner Sub-a-Dub-Sub storms into Carly’s eatery and verbally attacks her for trying to sabotage his sandwich shop. Ever since Grant handed in his resignation, Ferris has had it in for Carly. He blames Carly for encouraging Grant to quit and for getting a citation from a health inspector.

Unfortunately at the competition, the judges discover the votes were rigged so they could not announce a winner. The next day Ferris is discovered dead by his daughter, Holly in his restaurant. Apparently, he was stabbed to death. Thought the investigator believes the knife was stuck in his chest after he died. Who killed him and why.

A cozy mystery that draws you in from the start. The storyline was easy to follow and full of interesting and well-drawn characters.

The book concludes with recipes such as Alvin’s Panko Perfection and Farmhouse Cheddar Sleeps with the Fishes. Definitely recommend this book.


Thank you to Linda Reilly, NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the arc of this book

This is shaping up to be a quality cozy mystery series. There is less predictability and good character development. I love the quaint Vermont setting.

let me just start by saying this series is so darn tooting cute.....

It's quirky and sweet and just makes you smile.

There is always a good whodunnit in this series. This is book 2 and I really hope they continue it pass 3 books.

Grill Cheese and murder - my favorites.

Carly is back at it, solving the murder of a local competitor. Great supporting casts and friends. Def. Pick this sweet book up.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.