I will admit, I've made fun of some of the mystery sub-genres the publishing houses produce. Oh, I love the tea shops, the inns, the bookstores and libraries. But it seems like they will publish a series no matter how outlandish the core concept. After all, look at the sheer numbers of mystery series with witches, vampires, and ghosts (regular Gentle Readers know how I feel about paranormal mysteries). There are series centered on knitting--full disclosure, I'm a knitter and crocheter and read several of these series, but how many of them do we need?--, scrapbooking, a gift basket store, ice cream parlors, pet groomers, a couple of crossword puzzle series, cooking shows, record shop/coffee shop combo--if you can think of it, there's probably a series centered on it. Even vampire knitters! So when I saw one centered on a gourmet cheese shop, I groaned. But dang if I didn't like Gone for Gouda by Korina Moss. Willa owns a cheese shop in a small town in Sonoma Valley, California, and when the story begins, she is excitedly getting ready to host a visit by the latest super popular influencer cum cookbook author, Phoebe Winston, who is making a comeback with a book on vegan cuisine after a scandal. Phoebe is a graduate of the local culinary school, but not everyone in Yarrow Glen is happy to see her coming home. Then Phoebe is murdered, and Willa's employee is the main suspect, so she investigates out of guilt--he wouldn't have been the last person to see Phoebe alive if Willa hadn't insisted he be Phoebe's assistant that day. I like Willa and her best friend Baz, and I wish we had seen more of Mrs. Schultz. There's enough cheese talk to ground the book in its' setting but not so much that the reader would be annoyed (even readers like me, who love cheese). I'm not sure how long a cheese shop can function as a mystery setting, but I suppose it will do just as well as a bookstore. The characters are likable, and enough time is spent on the setting and on the town to make me want to visit again. Net Galley

This second installment in Korina Moss' Cheese Shop cozy series is just as strong as the first. It's been a few months since the first round of excitement, and now Willa is looking forward to hosting a book event with vegan cheese. It's not long before things go wrong, and her and her friends are on the case when the cookbook author is murdered. There's no shortage of suspects in or out of town.
These books will make you crave cheese, so consider this a reader's advisory to have some on hand while reading. The mystery unfolds nicely and Willa's character development is continuing nicely. Highly recommended for contemporary cozy mystery readers.

Good follow up to the first book! The second mystery is good, with plenty of suspects and the romantic side plot is fun without being unrealistic. Nice to get more background into her surrounding group and all of the amazing cheeses had me drooling and craving cheese.

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.