A county fair that still has a beauty pageant? Willa is there with her variety of cheeses to sell and to support her employee who is one of the few males in the opening number. Willa is also helping her friend Mrs Schultz in supporting the competition. All seems good until murder happens. It isn't in Willa's county so Heath, her "ex" won't be involved. Why isn't anyone more concerned about the death? Willa starts snooping and danger shows up. Fun read with delicious, cheesy recipes.

I do love a tightly-paced, twisty culinary cozy mystery, and the fifth installment of the Cheese Shop mystery series delivers exactly that!

Now that she’s more solidly established her Curds & Whey cheese shop in the Sonoma Valley town of Yarrow Glen, cheesemonger Willa Bauer is ready to fully participate in the Dairy Days festival hosted by the neighboring town of Lockwood. She and her beloved employees Archie and Mrs Schultz will be running a booth selling grazing boxes when they’re not helping out with the festival’s Miss Dairy pageant. Mrs Schultz is a long-time volunteer with the beauty and scholarship pageant, assisting her friend Beatrice with wardrobe. Due to a dearth of male volunteers, she’s roped Archie in to help the contestants perform their opening musical number this year as well.

Willa only starts to worry about her friends’ involvement with the contest after she meets some of the big personalities involved. Perhaps the biggest of these characters is Nadine, the woman in charge of the pageant. She’s hard-charging and not afraid of stepping on people’s toes – or running over them with the mobility scooter she’s been using since she accidentally broke her foot several days earlier. Mrs Schultz is used to her high-handed ways, but nothing can prepare either Mrs Schultz or Willa for finding her body, crushed beneath a pile of ceramic milk jugs in the museum just a short walk away from the pageant stage.

Not having an in with the local police, Willa doesn’t know how to make her protests carry weight when Police Chief Womack tries to rule Nadine’s death an accident. She’s relieved when the Lockwood police start taking her fears seriously… until suspicion falls on Mrs Schultz, of all people. Willa knows that there’s no way that the kindhearted older lady would ever murder anyone. Will she be able to help clear her friend’s name and find the real killer before anyone else gets hurt?

One of the biggest strengths of this series is the way Team Cheese – comprised of Willa, her best friend Baz, Archie and Mrs Schultz – works together to solve problems, including the occasional murder mystery. I loved watching their team tentatively expand in Fondue Or Die, even as I was impressed with the way Korina Moss had me constantly second-guessing whodunnit right up till the end. Ms Moss’ pacing is brisk and suspenseful, making for a read that’s as satisfying as it is tempting with its many delicious descriptions of cheese and related foods.

The recipes for three of those dishes are included in this book, and I decided to try out this one:

QUOTE
Extra-Cheesy Alfredo

Pasta of your choice. (Linguine is the classic choice. I like fusilli.)
1 quart heavy cream
½ cup butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 ½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (or simply Parmesan), shredded
½ cup smoked mozzarella, shredded
¼ cup Asiago cheese, shredded
¼ cup sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons cream cheese, cut into bits
black pepper

In a large pot, bring water to a boil for the pasta. Cook as directed.

In another pot, slowly heat the heavy cream and butter on LOW. Continuously stir just until the butter melts. (You can use a double boiler if you prefer.)

Add the garlic and the shredded cheeses, plus the diced cream cheese.

Stir with a whisk until the sauce is smooth.

Remove from heat and season to taste with black pepper.

Add the cooked and drained pasta to the Alfredo sauce and fold in.

Serve warm. Enjoy!
END QUOTE

I had my kids pick out the pasta with the expectation that they would be the ones most interested in this cheesy dish, but I was wrong! I adored the layering of the different cheeses, with the accents of smoke and garlic bringing so much complexity to a purportedly simple dish. Unfortunately, my kids did not feel similarly. I think they were expecting something much more basic, so only ate enough to be polite that first night I served it. Be warned, thus, other home chefs: this wonderfully sophisticated take on Alfredo may not go over well with the boxed mac and cheese crowd.

Instructions-wise, I did turn up the heat to medium from low after adding all the cheeses into the sauce, as I have no idea how they would melt otherwise. I also served this with steamed asparagus and broiled beef sausages to round out the meal. The pasta actually goes really well with any protein or vegetable, as I’ve discovered since my children refuse to eat any more and I’ve had to get creative with my own servings. It’s also really good as is, if that’s more your style.

Next week, we travel to the Midwest to bake up a savory snack while investigating a missing party guest’s frozen corpse. Do join me!

This is book 5 of the series, but the first I have read. It's an enjoyable cozy, and if you've ever had to help put on a pageant or festival, everything in the story will ring true and familiar. Add in an unexpected death to festival craziness and pageant mom drama, and you have the beginnings of neat little mystery. Willa is a likable lead, and her sleuthing is a natural result of occurrences that happen to her and her friends in the book. It was enjoyable getting to know the characters, and I'll probably go back and read the previous 4 books.

Fondue or Die by Korina Moss

Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you to Macmillan, Netgalley, and Korina Moss for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Willa owns a cheese shop in Northern California, and the town is holding a dairy festival along with a Miss Dairy pageant. When the pageant's organizer is found dead, there is a question of whether it was a homicide.

Willa Bauer and the rest of "Team Cheese" are working at Dairy Days, the dairy festival in a Sonoma Valley town. There is lots of drama around the Dairy Pageant event, where teenage girls compete for a $15,000 scholarship. When Willa finds Nadine, the head of the pageant, dead under very suspicious circumstances, she's shocked that law enforcement wants to pause the investigation for the sake of the festival. Willa feels that it’s her duty to investigate.

Fondue or Die is an excellently written, cozy mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end. The dairy festival provided a fantastic background for this mystery and I loved the focus that Moss put on cheese. Overall, a super fun read that I’d certainly recommend!

The Dairy Days Beauty Pageant is underway, & nothing can dim Willa’s enthusiasm for her business’s presence at the pageant. Well, nothing except for the pageant director dying in a mysterious accident. When Mrs Schulz accidentally becomes a prime suspect, Willa and Team Cheese must investigate the murder before the killer strikes again.

I do love the characters in this series. & seeing more of them was delightful. One of the things I wished most in the last installment was more depth in the side characters. And here we got more with Archie and Baz’s lives, as well as progress with Willa’s interactions with Heath.

But this mystery’s ending was a little unsatisfying at least as far as the culprit was concerned. It didn’t feel set up well. Usually, when a reveal surprises me, I feel like I can go back and find the breadcrumbs, but not for this.

I did like this one well enough to continue with the series, and I can’t wait to try the recipes at the end of this book!

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for this arc.

Team Cheese is back with another murder to solve. The team of Willa, Archie, Mrs. Schultz, and Baz are faced with a slew of suspects when the despised director of the annual Dairy Days beauty pageant is found brutally murdered. The Team, known for their sleuthing skills must uncover any and all clues that will lead the authorities to the bottom of the heinous act on one of their own townspeople.

Fondue or Die is the fifth book in Korina Moss’ Cheese Shop Mystery series. And like the previous novels, it’s a cozy whodunit that revolves around a specialty cheese shop — Curds & Whey and all of its cheese goodness.

The characters are carryovers from the prior novels. But for some reason for me, they lost some of their appeal from Book #4. The characters seemed more subdued — especially Archie who wasn’t as comical as in the past.

As a cozy whodunit, Fondue or Die wasn’t as entertaining. And there really weren’t any surprises or plot twists on the perpetrator. Coupled with an implausible motive, I didn’t find Fondue or Die as good as the author’s prior novel. Four stars.

I was invited to read a DRC from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley. This review is completely my own and reflects my honest thoughts and opinions.

Fondue or Die by Korina Moss is a cheesy-filled mystery.

Can Team Cheese solve the mystery?

Willa Bauer
Willa Bauer is our sleuth, and she's honestly a hoot. She's not afraid to speak her mind and go head-first into solving a mystery. Even if she has been told not to get involved if a friend of hers is in the crosshairs, Willa will stand by said friend.

I honestly love that Willa cares about her friends enough to try to solve mysteries for them. Another thing that I like is her love for cheese. It's a wonder she can't be tired from eating so much of it or being around it all the time. Willa is a sweet person, and I like the home she has made for herself in Yarrow Glen.

Team Cheese
Willa's circle of friends have dubbed themselves Team Cheese, and they solve the mysteries together. Well, the ones that Willa finds herself stuck in the middle of. They are Mrs. Schultz, Archie, and Baz. Mrs. Schultz is a retired high school drama teacher, and she's so much fun to read. The main reason is that she loves seeing the positive side of things and doesn't want to think the worst of anyone until she has the proof. Mrs. Schultz also works part-time at Curds & Whey. Another employee of Curds & Whey is Archie, and he's very interested in learning about the cheese business. Archie is a great guy trying to find his footing in the world, and I think he has found it at Willa's shop. Lastly, Baz is Willa's next-door neighbor and another great addition to the team. Baz is a handyman and also does small jobs around the town.

Team Cheese is such an integral part for Willa to bounce ideas off of and to help her solve a mystery.

The Mystery
Willa finds Nadine dead after witnessing quite an outburst of argument between Nadine and a judge. Team Cheese has their work cut out for them as the case leads them to clues of a cold case. What does that have to do with this murder now? Willa is trying her hardest to figure everything out before Dairy Days is over so that none of their suspects leave the area, making it more challenging to solve. I have to say that I had a feeling of who and why they did it, but I also hoped that I was wrong.

Five Stars
Fondue or Die by Korina Moss is my first book in this series and I loved every minute of it. Ms. Moss does a fantastic job of keeping me guessing about who could have done it. My rating for Fondue or Die by Kornia Moss is five stars and I wholeheartedly recommend this series.

Remember to check out the three recipes in the back of the book: Pimento Cheese Sandwich, Extra-Cheesy Alfredo, and Fall Fondue. I might have to try that Pimento Cheese Sandwich recipe.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Fondue or Die by Korina Moss.

Until the next time,
Karen the Baroness

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out Baroness Book Trove.

Dairy Days should be fun for Willa and her pals but nooooo...someone has killed Nadine, the organizer. This is a nice addition to the series (which will also be fine as a standalone). Cozy fans know that Nadine had annoyed a lot of people, from pageant moms to cheese mongers, but who among them would go so far as to murder? It's got some good red herrings to test the intrepid amateur detective team. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Good characters and fine storytelling make this a good read. AND- recipes!

Book: Fondue or Die (A Cheese Shop Mystery, Book 5)
Author: Korina Moss
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publication Date: October 22, 2024
Favorite Quote(s): “I could totally imagine her as a Woodstock – attending, peace-and-love hippie teenager of the early seventies. Although now it might be peace, love, and gossip – Beatrice liked to know what was going on with others.”

“Still sitting on her scooter, Nadine withdrew a pair of reading glasses that were nestled next to the headband. That headband was like Mary Poppins’ bag – what else would she pull out from under there?”

“‘You mean in all your years as a police detective, you’ve never gone undercover?’ ‘Not as Woody from Toy Story,’ he said dryly.”
In "Fondue or Die" by Korina Moss, intrigue is found on every page as Willa Bauer and the team at Curds & Whey dive headfirst into the annual Dairy Days in Lockwood. The bustling event, a highlight for the three neighboring towns including Yarrow Glen, turns sinister with the unexpected death of Nadine Hockenbaum, the formidable organizer of the Miss Dairy Pageant. Known for her abrasive demeanor, Nadine had no shortage of adversaries. But could any of them have resorted to murder?
The shocking discovery of Nadine’s body by Willa and Archie, hidden away behind a pocket door at the Historical Society Museum, sets off a chilling chain of events. The officers of Yarrow Glen sense foul play, but jurisdiction falls to Chief Peter Womack of Lockwood, who quickly points the finger at Willa’s friend and employee, Mrs. Schultz. Willa is determined to clear her friend’s name. Mrs. Schultz stumbles upon a cryptic note penned by Nadine, indicating she had urgent, undisclosed information. As Willa delves deeper, she uncovers a web of secrets and lies, realizing that someone was desperate to keep Nadine silent. With tension mounting and the clock ticking, Willa must unravel the mystery before the killer strikes again.
"Fondue or Die," the fifth installment of The Cheese Shop Mysteries by Korina Moss, invites readers back into the charming world of Willa Bauer and her delightful cheese shop in Yarrow Glen, Curds & Whey. From the very first page, Korina Moss captivates with her vivid descriptions of the quaint town and its picturesque surroundings. The author’s keen eye for detail transports readers to the heart of the town, making them feel as though they are walking the streets and breathing in the rich aromas wafting from festival. The setting is not just a backdrop but a living, breathing component of the story that enhances the cozy mystery atmosphere.
In addition to the compelling scenery, Korina Moss skillfully weaves in small tidbits from previous installments, gently refreshing readers' memories about past characters and events. This thoughtful touch ensures that even those who may have taken a break from the series can easily re-engage with the storyline. It’s a testament to Korina Moss’s ability to maintain continuity and depth across the series, rewarding long-time fans with a sense of nostalgia and familiarity while remaining accessible to newcomers.
Character development remains a significant strength in "Fondue or Die." Korina Moss reintroduces familiar faces with rich descriptions that give them new depth while seamlessly integrating new characters into the narrative. The dynamic interactions among the characters, including hints of potential future relationships, are crafted with care and subtlety. Readers will find themselves invested in the evolving friendships and potential romances, rooting for their favorite pairings as they navigate the latest mystery.
The heartwarming camaraderie within Team Cheese, led by the affable Willa, is another highlight of the book. The team's collaborative efforts to unravel the mystery create a sense of community and friendship that resonates throughout the story. Their meetings are not only about solving the case but also about supporting each other, reinforcing the theme of friendship that is central to the series. This friendly atmosphere adds a layer of warmth and sometimes gentle humor, balancing the tension of the mystery.
Cheese, in all its varieties, plays a starring role in the narrative, almost as if it were a character in its own right. Korina Moss’s descriptions of the cheeses Willa uses in her dishes and graze boxes are so delectable that they might leave readers craving a taste of their own. The inventive uses of different cheeses throughout the story showcase Korina Moss’s creativity and add a unique flavor to the series, setting it apart from other cozy mysteries.
The mystery itself is masterfully crafted with an array of twists and red herrings that keep readers on their toes. The suspects range from townspeople to figures of authority, offering a diverse pool to ponder over without becoming overwhelming. Korina Moss expertly maintains suspense, leading to a twist ending that is both unexpected and satisfying. "Fondue or Die" is a delightful addition to The Cheese Shop Mysteries, promising an engaging and cozy read that will leave readers eagerly anticipating the next installment.
In conclusion, "Fondue or Die" is a gouda addition to The Cheese Shop Mysteries series, delightfully blending the brie-lliance of small-town life with the grater intrigue of a well-crafted mystery. Korina Moss cheddarly combines the warmth of community with the thrill of suspense, crafting a narrative that is both comforting and engaging. The vivid portrayal of Yarrow Glen and its inhabitants, alongside the mouthwatering focus on cheese, makes this book a true feast for fans of cozy mysteries. As readers wrap up the final page, they might feel like they've just had a slice of satisfaction and eagerly await what Willa Bauer and her team will face next. Korina Moss’s knack for weaving together familiar elements with fresh twists ensures this series remains a must-read for mystery enthusiasts and cheese connoisseurs alike. It's truly a story that's perfect for any cheesemonger!

I want to live in Yarrow Glen, I want to eat all the cheese with Willa, I want to be a member of Team Cheese, and I want to see Willa and Heath's relationship develop even more. Book 5 in this series and I wasn't disappointed as it takes place at the Dairy Days festival, when suddenly the pageant director is found dead. There is a lot happening in the book but it's easy to follow and Moss does a good job of laying down some breadcrumbs early in the book to keep the mystery interesting. We have a couple new characters introduced in this installment that I hope are present in future books - June and Beatrice, but I did miss the presence of some characters from previous books...more Constance is always welcome and I fear we've lost Roman and possibly the Meadery. But whatever Moss wants to do, I'm okay with it as long as we get more cheese.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Another great one in this cheesy series. If you live cheese , adventure and lots of action this one is for you. It's ok as a stand alone but better if you can start from book one and get familiar with the characters.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an e-copy of the book. All opinions are my own.

When the director of the Miss Dairy pageant turns up dead, cheesemonger Willa Bauer takes on the case to clear the name of one of her Curds and Whey cheese shop employees suspected of the murder.

It’s Dairy Days in Lockwood. The festival is a Sonoma Valley tradition, and cheesemonger Willa Bauer is setting up a booth with her Cheese and Whey employees. Held over Labor Day weekend, the highlight of the festival is the Miss Dairy pageant. Nadine Hockenbaum is the pageant’s director. She’s run the pageant for years with a drill sergeant’s discipline. Her attitude hasn’t made her many friends, but it may well have made her enemies. Willa discovers Nadine’s body underneath a pile of books, broken stoneware jugs, and a toppled shelving unit.
Suspects are plenty. Pageant mothers. Angry former pageant judges. A chief of police dragging his feet with the investigation makes Willa’s suspect list. Willa knows for sure who didn’t do it, and that is her employee Mrs. Schultz. As Willa proceeds in her investigation, she begins to uncover secrets from the past involving a long-ago disappearance of a child. Is the long-ago case tied to the murder? Maybe, maybe not. Either way, someone is determined to stop Willa from uncovering the truth.
I enjoyed reading Fondue or Die. The writing and the mystery kept me engaged throughout the book. The characters are clearly supportive of one another. Another plus for me is the multi-generational makeup of this close-knit group. Fondue or Die – 4/5 stars.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the eARC of Fondue or Die! All opinions in this review are my own.

It is no secret that The Cheese Shop Mysteries are one of my favorite cozy mystery series! I love the characters and how well paced the mysteries are. I like that the author introduces the mystery early on in the book so the rest of it can be about finding clues, interviewing suspects, and solving it!

Fondue or Die is another excellent edition in the series! I think my favorite part about this one was the setting. Fondue or Die takes place during a festival called Dairy Days and the food offered there sounds incredible! Not only does Willa create themed grazing boxes that sound amazing, but at one point, it is also mentioned that there is a stand selling macaroni and cheese in a garlic naan. I would definitely enjoy my time there!

I LOVED IT! 50 billion million stars... Oh my goodness.. first of all the setting... a dairy festival with cow chip bingo! LOVE!
Like every single book in this series, Korina Moss has made me fall deeper and deeper in love with Team Cheese. I don't know how it's possible, but here we are. I was going to take my time with this one because I didn't want to rush and wanted to savor, but I could not stop reading it!
The story takes place in a neighboring town, so Detective Heath was able to be a civilian and that left he and Willa to be on the same playing field. Mrs. Schultz was being her sassy self and helping out the pageant. Archie was being the kind and helpful young man he always is and Baz being the best friend everyone needs. Loretta, being the queen she is as well. I also love the addition of the milk carton.. if you know you know. I can't really say much more because I don't want to spoiler it, but this one was amazing, you can't get any cheddar. (see what I did there?) I will say the twist ending is one of my favorite kinds... you will have to read it to get what I mean. Now all the waiting for #6... curses... Go Team Cheese!!

I love a good cozy mystery, and this was no exception. The characters and plot were fun and look forward to more from this author.

Willa and Team Cheese are hosting a booth at Dairy Days in a neighboring town. Mrs. Schultz is helping with the beauty pageant. When the woman in charge of the pageant is killed and the local police seem to be lacking in their investigation, Willa calls on Heath to help. A twisty story with plenty of ref herrings to keep you guessing, you won't want to put this book down until you can discover the whole story. Well plotted and great characters keep you entertained throughout the book. New characters are introduced to provide more range for this group of friends. Loved the ending and look forward to what happens next! Great, easy recipes are also included at the end of the book. A good read!

Of all the books in this series, this one was not quite the best. The writing is still good, but the plotting is not quite there. By the end of the book, I couldn't understand how many people and times they went in and out of the historical museum without the doors locked or anyone working there. The timing of the killing was so close to be questionable. I had a hard time at the beginning getting into the book and figureing out who and what was going on. Some of the clues are so obvious that you can't miss them. The ending wrap up was stretching things IMO.

"Fondue or Die (Cheese Shop Mystery #5)" by Korina Moss is set at a cheese and dairy festival in a neighboring town over Labor Day weekend. This means that Willa and crew aren't in their usual territory for some sleuthing and even get a little help from their regular detective friend, since it's not his jurisdiction.

The mystery starts off around the death of the Dairy Princess Pageant's main coordinator. Then several cold cases seem to pop up. Are they connected or just a red herring? Things start getting complicated and Willa isn't sure who to trust with what.

This one sticks well to the fondue theme. Lots of cheese ideas too. It all sounds so good and exactly like things I really shouldn't have with my health issues. Some yummy recipes at the for what gets mentioned earlier in the book.

I received an advance copy via NetGalley.

Moss's Cheese Mystery series is one of my favorites, and this newest release is a solid addition to the series. This book stands well on its own, too, so don't be dissuaded from picking it up just because you haven't read the previous books! (But do so eventually. They are fun!)

Willa Bauer and the rest of "Team Cheese" are working at Dairy Days, an annual festival in a nearby Sonoma Valley town. Drama is swirling around the Dairy Pageant event, where teenage girls compete for a $15,000 scholarship. The pageant head, Nadine, is in a motorized wheelchair after an accident on stage, but continues to rule with an iron fist as mothers squabble and tension builds. When Willa finds Nadine dead under suspicious circumstances, she's appalled that the local law enforcement wants to temporarily squelch the investigation for the sake of the festival. Willa feels compelled to investigate--and she manages to rope in her off-and-on-again beau Heath as well.

I love when a mystery keeps me guessing until the end, and this one did just that. So many twists and turns! A festival makes such a good backdrop for a murder mystery. Of course, cheese is mentioned often throughout the book, and Moss highlighted some excellent ones.

This is my first time reading anything from this author and for the most part I enjoyed the book. I know I am coming in at the latest book and normally I can catch up pretty quickly with who everyone is and what their role is. I had a harder time doing that with this book. There were almost too many characters and I found myself a bit overwhelmed with trying to remember who everyone was and why they were included in the plot.

I enjoyed the fact that technically there is more than one mystery in this book, so that was a very nice surprise. The writing is smooth and easy to follow. The world building was nice too, I had no trouble envisioning the fair atmosphere and surroundings.

I enjoyed the story though and once I finally caught on with everyone, I had an easier time relaxing into the story. I think this series would be easier understood if the reader reads the previous books before the latest one. Other than that, I really did enjoy the mysteries and Willa. The cheese facts were interesting too.

Thanks to Net Galley, the publishers, and to Karina Moss for the ability to read and review this book. All opinions are my own and are completely honest.