When Willa owner of Curds and Whey gets to host an event for vegan influencer Phoebe, Willa is delighted for her cheese shop to be in the spotlight. When Phoebe ends up murdered it’s up to Willa and her friends to find the murderer and set the story straight. This was such a fun cozy mystery learning about different kinds of cheeses in an idyllic small town setting that made me want to visit. The characters were well developed, humorous and supported each other. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

This is a good cozy mystery. I didn't solve it until the end. Some of the tech is implausible but if you ignore that it is a good story.

Love a good cozy mystery as the weather changes. These punny mystery books are always a fun read. They tend to be similar but I find them to be a great fantasy palette cleanser

This was a delightful and quick read. The characters are engaging and the plot is fast paced. The cheesemaker and amateur sleuth makes for a delicious afternoon.

Another delightful and delicious mystery in my new favorite series. I think just between book 1 and 2 Willa has grown a lot in both her sleuthing and how she has seamlessly integrated into her new town. As before, I absolutely love all the "side" characters and how she works with so many people to gather clues and investigate. This one was definitely had more heart pounding moments and also some very sweet ones. As always I was hungry the entire time reading this and need to make some of the recipes in the back. I was completely shocked by the ending and it honestly made me a bit sad. I'm also rooting for a certain romance which I can't tell if it will pan out or not, but I'm enjoying the subtly of it. I can't wait for more!

This was an awesome read that I was not able to put down until the last page was read. It moves along at a pace that made for a fun and relaxing read that you cant put down. The characters are amazing and you will love them and want to be there for them, no matter what. This book is a must read, you will not be sorry that you did.

Such a cozy mystery!

This is actually the first in the series I read, so while I didn't read book one, I felt as though the story picked up well and gave a great explanation of the backstory (events that happened in book one) really well.
The characters were immediately interesting for me and while it became immediately apparent who the victim would be, it was still interesting and well laid out.

Honestly, nothing could beat the perfect fall vibes this book has. That was another really well done aspect.

I'm definitely going back to read book one, and look forward to more from this author!

It doesn’t get much Gouda than this.

Such a fun series…. Cheese and a murder mystery, a delicious combination.

Highly recommend. Fun and light hearted with suspense. I love the relationships of the core characters. I’m ready to devour the next book!!!

I really enjoyed the first book in the Cheese Shop Mysteries, Cheddar Off Dead, by Korina Moss. So, when I saw Gone for Gouda was available to review, I jumped at the chance and couldn’t wait to dive in.

Willa’s cheese shop is growing, and she has the opportunity to host a vegan cookbook author. Willa is less than thrilled upon meeting this demanding celebrity chef but is going to put aside her reservations to help her business. When the chef turns up dead, and Willa’s assistant is the prime suspect, Willa decides to try her hand at investigating once again.

I like Willa. She’s very loyal to her friends and willing to do just about anything for them. She’s struggling with attraction to two different men in her life—the local detective and neighbor Meadery owner. Willa is just a realistic character, one you can see as your friend, but also one with relationship and business concerns. It just made me cheer her on a little more.

The mystery was intriguing. There were plenty of suspects and a lot of red herrings. Willa bumbles around as you’d expect an amateur sleuth to do and gets herself into a couple of sticky situations. But she ultimately kind of solves the mystery with the help of her friends. I kept guessing until the end reveal, which is always nice, and I felt that the motive was actually well plotted out.

Gone for Gouda was a great follow-up book. Since the setting was already set, there was a little less world-building and fewer character introductions, so the author could dive right into the new mystery. I got sucked into the story and enjoyed the ride. I highly recommend this series to fans of culinary mysteries.

This book was so much fun! It was the perfect book to read right now as it’s set in fall in a small town in California.

I haven’t read book one (Cheddar Off Dead) but was able to read this one with no issues! I loved Willa, owner of Curds & Whey cheese shop. She had her hands full with how many suspects she was investigating. I thought she was a good amateur detective; not over the top annoying while figuring it out!

There was also a good cast of secondary characters and I can see a potential romance blossoming which I love to see! I didn’t solve this one so I enjoyed solving it right along with Willa. Plus, there are three recipes in the back for Bavarian Beer Cheese, Cheesy Apple Pockets, and Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese. Yum!

Looking forward to reading more of this series in the future!

[Thank you to the publisher & Netgalley for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own!]

It was fun visiting with Willa and her employees/friends as they investigated the death of a visiting chef author who turned out to not exactly be what she claimed (and everyone who met her soon found out she over-praised people to get them to do stuff for her). Poor Willa was counting on the extra income and publicity she'd get from hosting the woman, but all she ended up with was a bunch of extra food and expense she'd gone to.

At times the storyline seemed to drag a bit, but then something a little more exciting happened. I guess it's kinda like real life cases that just from reading these books anyone can learn they don't go as fast as on TV, lol, so maybe it's just a dose of reality when it gets a touch slow.

Willa's got an awesome bestie in Baz (who only lets Mrs. Schultz call him Basil lol), but I honestly don't know which I prefer for her, Roman or Heath. I guess I'm not over the moon about either guy so maybe that's why. But we don't have to wait super long for another book because Curds of Prey, book 3 comes out March 2023.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by St. Martin's Paperbacks via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

A fun read, particularly if you like stories about behind the scenes of making a tv show. Willa, the owner of a cheese shop, is feeling lucky that her store will be the site where a celebrity chef will film a tv episode. But the great experience Willa expects is quickly is filled with holes--not like a good swiss (yeah, a terrible pun)--when she has her store and life are turned upside down by the demands of the chef. Then, the chef is killed...

This is one case where you are glad the obnoxious murder victim is killed. Yeah, I didn't like her but I did like most of the other characters. A decent mystery and a fairly typical cozy.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest opinion.

It's Fall in Yarrow Glen and shop proprietor Willa it's getting ready for the season with some delicious cheesy recipes, and preparing for Phoebe, a celebrity cookbook author, to hold a cooking demo in the cheese shop...while also promoting her newest cookbook.
But when the author is later found deceased in her rental house, and Willa's employee/friend Archer is the last to see her alive, Willa quickly dons her sleuthing cap to clear his name and close the (cook)book on another murder.

Lots of twists and turns and red herrings keep this newest whodunit in the Cheese Shop Mystery series moving along at a fast pace. The characters and the town are fun and interesting and are as integral to the story as the plot is. I'm really enjoying getting to know Willa and her cheese shop. And all of the recipes at the end of the book sound delicious.

My only complaint? Thought? Wish it were otherwise? Is there could possibly be a love triangle forming, which is not my favorite trope. Regardless though, I am eagerly awaiting the next book in this yummy, gooey, super-cheesy series.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

As obscure as it is to open a cheese shop in a Sonoma Valley town, it is even more obscure to generate an entire cozy mystery series about a cheese shop in a Sonoma Valley town. Karina Moss may have chosen a niche setting for her cheesemonger protagonist to establish Curds &Whey, but the village is a charming and unique environment for sleuthing. Willa Bauer's search for the perfect spot to establish landed her in an area rich with wineries, farms, and tourists. In the second book in Moss's Cheese Shop Mystery series, Bauer and her quirky friends once again haphazardly find themselves embroiled in a murder mystery. Will Bauer find out who the murderer is? Will Bauer find love? Read on and find out. I always like to read a series in order, but I do not think it is a requirement since this is just the second book. Looking forward to book three to come out next year!

Business is good for Willa's cheese shop Curds and Whey. She is looking forward to hosting a book signing for a new cook book written by Phoebe Winston, a vegan influencer. Unfortunately Phoebe doesn't show up. She can't because she's been murdered, dead in the bath. It's not long before it's uncovered that there are photos of her eating meat. Seriously, is that any reason to kill her? One thing is certain, the police are focusing on one of Willa's employees and that puts her on the trail of the real killer.
I enjoyed the first book in this charming series and this one is just as good. The mystery kept me engaged start to finish and left me with a strong desire for a trip to a local cafe that makes a killer grilled cheese sandwich with a generous bowl of tomato bisque soup.
My thanks to the publisher St. Martin's Press and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Great second book in the Cheese Shop Mystery series. Only downside to reading this book? I wanted to eat cheese, lots and lots of cheese! But that is what makes cozy mysteries so enjoyable, the not so scary murder and subsequent investigation, and food.
This book picks up right after the first and it was easy to follow, so no need to read the first, unless you would like to be tempted by more cheese!
Willa is our amateur sleuth and once it has been determined there has been (another) murder, she is quick to start investigating. Everyone is under suspicion and I was super surprised when the murderer was revealed.

Like all great cozy mysteries, this one has it all:
amateur sleuth at odds with the hunky local policeman
2 potential love interests
adorable dog
food, in this case cheese
and recipes

Looking forward to reading more in the series.
Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for my eArc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Aside from the insane amount of cheese, the characters in this series are the main reason why it’s fast becoming a favourite of mine. Alongside cheesemonger Willa are her two shop employees (and friends), Archie and Mrs. Schultz. Both of them are loyal and supportive and ready to jump in when there’s investigating to be done. Another “always-got-your-back” friend is Willa’s neighbour, Baz. It’s so rare to find a straight, female-male platonic best friends partnership in books and I love their relationship. It was so unique that all through the first book, I thought Baz might be the killer because I couldn’t believe that they were “just friends”.

Speaking of being “more than friends”, there are two guys that hover on the edge of romance with Willa. First, Roman, the meadery owner who has a reputation of having dated most of the eligible women in town. And then there’s Detective Heath, the strong, silent officer who keeps trying to keep Willa out of investigating. So far Willa had been keeping both men at arm’s length, but near the end of this book, things seem to be warming up. I’m usually not a fan of love triangles, but this slow burn hasn’t really ignited yet and I’m enjoying it while I builds up to the inevitable decision-making.

Gone for Gouda is a great sequel to Cheddar Off Dead. With a strong cast of characters, the second book builds on the friendships and relationships that Willa has started to forge in her new town. Her little shop, Curds & Whey, is doing well and the planned celebrity signing would be sure to bring in even more customers. That is, until the celebrity in question is found murdered.

Aside from the compelling murder mystery and the wonderful characters, the other star of this series is definitely the CHEESE. Oh my goodness – don’t read this book if you’re a fan of cheese because you will definitely come away hungry. I have been introduced to so many new varieties of cheese that I feel like I should send the author an invoice for my increased cheese budget! LOL.

While the premise of the book is the same as most cozy mysteries – a not-that-well-liked character gets murdered and our amateur sleuth gets roped unwillingly into investigating. In this case, Willa has good reason to – her young friend and shop employee, Archie, is suspect number one. While sometimes I do feel like yelling “Don’t forget your phone!” at Willa, most of the time she is pretty practical and level-headed.

There were several strong suspects (but not too many) and lots of interesting clues. The action was steady and had me turning the pages quickly. I finished this book in a matter of days because I couldn’t stop reading it. Along with the murder mystery there was lots of character development and I enjoyed getting to know the main cast of characters better.

*** Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, for providing me with an e-copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

Gone for Gouda is the second book in The Cheese Shop Mysteries. I happened upon this book when I found the first. I find the idea funny because I was looking for a new cozy mystery since what I usually read is so heavy. Also, my mom likes them, and I like to find books we can enjoy together and chat about. I found Cheddar Off Dead and thought it was such a clever name I needed to get it immediately. That led me to another cheese mystery series because someone gave it such high reviews saying they had found this book due to another cheese mystery they were reading. That just cracked me up. So, Cheddar Off Dead was purchased. When the second book, Gone for Gouda came out on Netgalley I rushed in to pick it up.

In Gone for Gouda we meet again cheesemonger, Willa Baur, with her gourmet cheese shop, The Curds and Whey. She loves to help people experience cheese and create an atmosphere where people learn more about their choices. When a vegan influencer, Phoebe, comes to town Willa is determined to make a vegan cheese that will delight Phoebe. We know our girl Willa is up for the challenge and can do the trick, until it is discovered that Phoebe is a fraud. And then, even worse, dead.

We meet the two men vying for Willa’s affections and watch her as she works to solve the crime, and prove Archie, the main suspect, is not the guilty party.

I really loved this book so much and it was a great cozy read. This was a great addition to my cozy reads and is full of more twists and turns than you would expect! I kept me guessing until the end. I highly recommend this book, but I do think it helps if you have read the first one beforehand. Do not have to but would help.

“…I have to be honest about how I feel.” He stepped closer to me,
his dark eyes never leaving mine.

I felt my heart pick up speed. I caught a hint of his rich cologne. I inhaled, trying to
breathe in more of the intoxicating undertones of citrus and wood. “Go on.”
It came out in barely more than a whisper.

He hesitated a moment more, then finally spoke. “Don’t do anything stupid.”

Wait, what?
Korina Moss, Gone For Gouda, Loc. 2390

Things are going from gouda to bad to ugly for cheesemonger Willa Bauer in Gone for Gouda.

Yarrow Glen’s newest cheese shop, Curds & Whey, has a lot on its plate, but cheesemonger Willa Bauer relishes a challenge. There’s a float to build for the fall festival, plus the French-inspired cheese shop is playing host to celebrity vegan chef Phoebe Winston. But when photos surface that prove this vegan influencer is, in fact, a carnivore, things crumble faster than any cheese on the market: Phoebe is murdered. Willa’s employee, the affable Archie, was the last one to see Phoebe alive and the first person the police suspect. To clear his name Willa must uncover who’s been up to no gouda...
Amazon.com

When WWK blogger Korina Moss announced to our group that her contract had been extended for three more books, for a total of six (for now), in her Cheese Shop Mystery series, we applauded. It’s a great cozy series featuring Willa Bauer, cheesemonger and amateur sleuth. Gone For Gouda is the second book in the series, which was released yesterday by St. Martin’s.

Willa Bauer is aided and abetted in her investigations by her two shop employees, other business owners, and a friend, pitting her against the town’s police detective, who also is a widower. In Gone For Gouda, Willa appears to have not just one, but two possible romantic interests, both of which have her tongue-tied but pleased. Willa destresses by making cheese recipes and eating them. I’m a bit worried about her weight and health, but then that’s Korina’s problem.

Please give a cheer to Korina! E. B. Davis

Although the cheese shop is French inspired, the book is set during October in time for the town’s fall festival, more reminiscent of an Oktoberfest. What is the history of German Obatzda? Is it the German word for beer cheese?

It’s a classic German type of beer cheese. The dish was created during a time when cheese was quite expensive in the region, so families would look for ways to make every bit of their leftover cheese edible, thus it’s made with different types of cheeses, onions, and spices. It peaked in popularity in the 1920s when it was served for the first time by an innkeeper in Bavaria.

I was surprised that Willa carried vegan cheese in her shop. It seems like an oxymoron. What is vegan cheese made of, and doesn’t it go against Willa’s nature to sell nondairy “cheese”? She grew up on a dairy farm.

Cheese is made from animal milk and often animal rennet (an enzyme found in the lining of a cow’s or goat’s stomach), so it’s definitely not vegan. However, like many vegan foods, plant-based substitutions are made that give it a similar quality to the real thing. Vegan “cheese” uses plant-based milk, nuts, oils, and vegetable proteins. Although Willa grew up on a dairy farm and has revolved her life around cheese, she also supports any customer who may want another version of cheese that’s acceptable for their lifestyle or allergies, whether it be non-dairy or vegan. Of all people, she understands the need for cheese (in any form)!

Sponsored by a vegan cheese company, Phoebe Winston is a vegan celebrity chef doing a demonstration to support her new book at Willa’s shop. She’s also an authenticity influencer. What’s that supposed to be?

Phoebe became famous for being a cut-throat contestant on a reality TV show, but once off the show, those same terrible behaviors got her canceled. She changed her image to one of kindness (hence, becoming vegan and rescuing a dog) and resurrected her celebrity status. Feeling constricted with her kindness identity, she created a new terminology—authenticity influencer. She wanted to make it trendy to embrace who you really are, in hopes of staying on top no matter how she was perceived and becoming the next Oprah. The only trouble was, she wasn’t authentic, herself.

What are stinging nettles? If they sting, how can they be used as an ingredient?

A stinging nettle is a plant (herb) with fine hairs that cause irritation when they touch the skin. Before cooking with stinging nettles, you have to brush off the tiny needles and rinse the leaves. They’re edible without harm after that.

I don’t remember gouda as being crumbly. Is it like blue cheese? What’s the history of gouda?
What are the seven categories of gouda? How are they different?
Gouda has been produced in the Netherlands (where it’s pronounced “HOW-duh”) since the 12th century. The longer it ages (like any cheese), the firmer, darker, sharper, and more crumbly it becomes. Most of us are familiar with the young, mild form of gouda, which is why you’re surprised that the more matured versions can be crumbly. I would liken the texture to that of parmesan rather than blue cheese. The seven categories are based on how long the cheese has been aged.
Young or New Gouda: aged 4 weeks
Young Matured Gouda: 8 to 10 weeks
Matured Gouda: 16 to 18 weeks
Old Gouda: 6 months
Extra Matured Gouda: 7 to 8 months
Fully Matured or Aged Gouda: 10 to 12 months
Very Old or Very Aged Gouda: over 12 months


“The first woman in line had sky-high heels, a pencil skirt, and perfectly slicked
hair that brought to mind that iconic Robert Palmer video.”

LOL, “The Addicted to Love” video? Yes!

After Phoebe is outed as a nonvegan and is murdered, her Maltese, Buttercup, is passed around to those who can house him until another owner can be found. Willa takes a liking to him. Will she ever consider getting a pet besides her betta fish, Loretta?

I didn’t think it was fair for Willa to have a cat or dog, seeing as she can’t keep them in her shop, which is how Loretta came about. (Plus, fish don’t get enough cozy representation!) I did want an opportunity to have a furry friend in the series, so Buttercup arrives in Gone For Gouda. But, boy, when you’re writing, it’s hard keeping track of a dog in the story! I am a huge cat lover, so I do have plans to work a cat into the series in a future book. For now, Loretta rules!

Because Willa allowed her teenage assistant, Archie, to help Phoebe the day she was murdered, and Archie was the last one to leave the house according to the security cameras, he becomes a suspect. Willa must investigate to clear him and feels that his involvement was due to her actions. Willa pumps Heath, the detective, for information, but instead of emotionally venting, she’s learning to deal with him. How?

In Cheddar Off Dead, Willa had just met Detective Heath and didn’t know whether he was a good detective or if she could trust him. Now, she trusts him more and understands him better. She knows he always follow the rules, which might slow him down, but he is also a dogged detective. So instead of hiding things from him like she often did in the first investigation, she lets him in on the information she finds out. She still can’t help investigating with her friends, though. Because Willa is so close to and protective of Archie, it’s difficult for her not to be emotionally involved, and Heath is sensitive to this.

Willa decorates the outside of her shop with a straw cow she’s named Guernsey. For the fall festival parade float, she’s turning Guernsey into a scarecrow cow. How does she combine the two?

Not well, as is the running joke in the book. Willa’s first scarecrow is for the harvest festival’s scarecrow contest. Willa wants to represent Curds & Whey, so she decides to make a Guernsey cow she calls Guernsey. She does her best to shape her into a cow and uses felt to make her udder and brown and white coat. At first, Guernsey is just another craft Willa is bad at making, but the more people make fun of Guernsey, the more Willa loves her. Guernsey ends up becoming Curds & Whey’s mascot, stationed outside of the shop to welcome customers.

What is carne asada? Carnitas? Queso blanco? Pico de gallo?

Those are all delicious Mexican foods. Carne asada is a spicy, marinated skirt steak, carnitas are the Mexican version of pulled pork, and pico de gallo is a chilled topping mixture made with tomatoes, onions, and jalapenos. Willa makes queso blanco in the book, which is a melted white cheese dip. I love Mexican food, so I had to incorporate it in the series, which is why the Let’s Talk Tacos truck is a favorite takeout place in Yarrow Glen.

Is a car’s computer system hooked to the internet? If not, how would someone possibly tap into it—some computer-to-computer link? Don’t you have to actually plug into it—like at a car repair place?

No. The computer systems of cars are connected to cyberspace, so they are vulnerable to being hacked. Hackers can wirelessly send commands to the dashboard functions, steering, and brakes. According to Upstream’s Global Automotive Cybersecurity Report, in 2022, there were over 900 cars hacked, 84.5% remotely.

Is cyser another name for mead?

It’s an apple-based mead. It’s still fermented with honey, like all mead, but it’s just another variety of mead.

Given the method of murder, I can understand Willa wouldn’t take a bubble bath. But, a spa evening for Willa is to pair cranberry scones and Teahive cheese together and eat it. Hard to believe. Does she ever have a massage and/or a mani/pedi?

That’s not really Willa’s style. She has so little time to herself, she would find it a waste of time. Her idea of relaxing is cuddling (such as it is) with Loretta on the loveseat with some good cheese and Alfred Hitchcock’s Rebecca on TV.

Who put you up to the puns in your blurb?

I wish I could take credit for all the puns on the book jacket, but they are courtesy of my editor, Madeline Houpt. She is the cheese pun queen. I wish I had her talent for puns!

What’s next for Willa?

Curds of Prey, the third book in the cheese shop mystery series, will be out in March 2023. It’s available for pre-order now. Here’s what Willa’s up to:

Murder again comes to Yarrow Glen, and cheesemonger Willa Bauer must be the predator… before she becomes the prey.
Yarrow Glen's favorite cheese shop, Curds & Whey, gets to be a part of the social event of the season: Summer Harrington’s wedding. Cheesemonger Willa Bauer is going all out for the wedding shower’s cheese bar. But the eagle-eyed Harrington family is proving to be a pain in her asiago. A last-minute tasting ends in disaster when one of Willa’s potential beaus, Roman, gets in a fight with the groom. Then the shower arrives, and while there’s anything but love in the air, there is plenty of cheese. Oh, and Roman... again. The day officially ends in disaster when Willa finds the groom—who also happens to be the mayor’s nephew—in the stable, dead as a dodo. At the mayor’s request, Willa must follow the trail of cheese curds to find a killer while continuing to walk a tightrope between two of Sonoma Valley’s most powerful families.

In short: Willa is preparing to host a cookbook signing demonstration at her shop with celebrity vegan chef, Phoebe Winston. The day before photos surface showing Phoebe eating a burger and things start to crumble quicker than feta ending with her dead and 1 of Willa’s employees Archie as the prime suspect.

What I liked:
🧀Fall in a small town setting with charming characters
🧀Willa, the main character, and her sleuthing. She’s just nosey enough but still jumps to conclusions quick.
🧀Lots of clues and red-herrings to keep you guessing & invested in solving the murder along side Willa.
🧀The victim Phoebe was not the person she seems online & was unliked by many who dealt with her which led to many suspects. I loved the play of how reality influencers portray themselves versus how they actually are.
🧀Learning the origins of true Gouda cheese.

Final thoughts: This installment was better than the first and I cannot wait for book 3 now! Great small town setting, fun characters, 2 possible love interests and lots of cheese, what more could you ask for?!