The title of this book is clever and reflects that is part of a series that references cheeses. I think that Bait and Swiss will be enjoyed by those who like traditional mysteries.

This time in the California set series, two people from Willa's past are opening a store close to her own Curds & Whey. When a customer of that chocolate shop dies, there is a murder to be solved. Willa agrees to help despite her residual less than wonderful feelings about her ex.

Meet the suspects, follow the clues and see if you can solve this case along with Willa. Then, if you haven't already, think of reading some of the earlier entries that feature this cheese monger.

Note that the food descriptions in this book may make you hungry. This starts with the opening sentence of the novel that describes raclette. It just might be time to buy some cheese of your own.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this title. All thoughts are my own.

The main character, Willa, is not my favorite cozy mystery heroine. Fortunately the supporting characters and setting make up for it. The cheese theme is nice. This particular installment brought in some characters from Willa's past. The mystery was strong which is always a plus.

I wrote about this book on the Storygraph and Goodreads and shared links on various social media sites and talked about it at my book club. Recommended series! I gave this 3.5 stars. My full thoughts here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7624845454

This was one of my absolute favorite cozy series. I am disappointed to hear the publisher cancelled the series after only this sixth release. The author had written a wonderful quentessial cozy series that is loved by her readers.
In this sadly last book our cheese conisseur Willa has a intrusion from her past and a intriguing mystery to solve. The sleuth kept me guessing to conclusion. The author includes wonderful cheese suggestions thoughout that leave this reader hungry after every book. The addition of chocolate is French kiss to this book. The supporting characters are delightful. As always this was the perfect cozy read. Sad this series is ending obviously not a wise marketing decision.
Thank you to the author , Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity.

This series got better and better with each book. The characters and relationships evolved and the plots got more complex. I didn't figure out the murdered until the author did the reveal. Sadly, the publisher has canceled this series just as it was gaining steam. I'll be disappointed not to read more about the adventures of Team Cheese. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free eArc.

This latest entry in the Cheese Shop series revisits friends Willa, Baz, Archie, and Mrs. Schultz as they tackle another mysterious incident. Willa never imagined that her ex and her best friend would betray her, yet open a shop in her town! When a death by poisoning is traced back to a box of chocolates, Willa is determined to clear her name and solve the mystery. Even though this story seemed to drag on longer than necessary, I liked it better than the previous story in the series. There are a lot of twists and complications in the novel before the end. Readers who enjoy a cozy mystery with cheesy overtones might like this complex plot. And did I mention pets, and chocolate? There is no profanity in the book and no overt violence or physical intimacy.

I received this novel from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

“Bait and Swiss” is the nicely done sixth (and unfortunately last) book in Korina Moss’s Cheese Shop Cozy Mystery series. In this book Willa Bauer is celebrating the second year anniversary of her shop Curds and Whey as well as supporting a friend who is opening a bakery. Her celebratory mood is soon disrupted however when first her ex-fiancé and ex-best friend show up for the shop opening and then a murder occurs – and Willa is one of the suspects. Now Willa and Team Cheese must solve the mystery in order to clear her name and save her business.

I really love this series and am sorry to see it end. I love the set up – I may not be a big cheese fan but am always hungry for some when reading these books. I love Willa as a main character as well as her coworkers and friends. Having both her ex-fiance and ex-best friend adds some nice tension to the book and some more insight to Willa’s character (whether or not she wants that insight!). The mystery (someone dies after eating poisoned chocolates) with plenty of suspects, red herrings, and at times a nice sense of misdirection. I thought I had an idea who the killer was but I was completely wrong – when all was revealed I felt a bit of sadness for all involved.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

Bait and Swiss by Korina Moss brings Willa's past to haunt her.

Can Willa get past her old feelings of betrayal from Riley and Pearce?

Willa
Willa thought that she had left her past behind when she left Oregon to pursue her cheesemongering endeavors. Well, that is until the grand opening of Hope's Cakery, and she finds out that her past has come back to haunt her. Pearce and Riley own a successful chocolate business called Chocolate Bliss. Willa decided that she would be the better person and get past her emotions regarding how much they both hurt her. I must say that I love Willa in this novel, as she is strong and proves it by not letting her past cloud her judgment in solving the case.

The Mystery
Willa took a box of chocolates to the newspaper office for AJ to try and write a review on them. After she does that, a new reporter tries them and ends up dying. Now, to keep her and AJ out of the police crosshairs, Willa decides to solve the case. Well, and okay, her ex did ask for her help, but mostly Willa is doing it for her AJ. This mystery has so many red herrings that it was hard to keep track of them all, and everyone kept pointing fingers at each other. I must admit that I am proud I didn't fall for the red herrings and stayed focused on two possible suspects, and I was right on the mark.

Four Stars
My rating for Bait and Swiss by Korina Moss is four stars, and I'm recommending it to all cozy culinary readers out there. Ms. Moss does a perfect job of writing these stories as standalone pieces while keeping them connected to the series. It's great for a new reader to dive into it without feeling completely lost in the series.

Like always, Ms. Moss has recipes at the back of the book. They are No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake Jars, Swiss or Miss Dip, and Pizza Smashed Potatoes. I may try some of these.

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 Bait and Swiss 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.

Korina Moss delivers another delightful cozy mystery with Bait and Swiss, and honestly, it’s a treat from start to finish. The romance woven into the story adds a sweet touch, making the characters even more engaging. And let’s talk about the food—if you love cheese, this book will have you craving every delicious bite described.

The mystery itself is well plotted, keeping things intriguing without feeling overly complicated. It’s the perfect mix of charm, suspense, and mouthwatering moments.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for the arc. All thoughts in this review are my own.

The Curds & Whey cheese shop is celebrating their two-year anniversary in Sonoma Valley’s town of Yarrow Glen, and owner Willa Bauer is preparing for a big event. It’s a happy coincidence that her best friend Hope is also having a grand opening for Hope’s Cakery, with the pastry chef transitioning from baking bread to now specializing in cupcakes and cakes. What turns out to be an unpleasant surprise is Hope’s new partnership with chocolatier Chocolate Bliss, the company owned by Willa’s ex-fiancé Pearce and his girlfriend Riley, Willa’s former best-friend. The betrayal still stings even after ten years, but as a favor to the cakery Willa offers to deliver their Brenner Rum Crèmes to a reviewer at the Gazette newspaper. It’s a favor that she’s going to regret though, as new reporter Kevin Wallace is soon found dead after eating what are possibly poisoned chocolates. While Willa had the misfortune of including with the treats a note that could have been interpreted as being threatening, it’s Hope and her cakery that quickly become incriminated for the crime. Displaying far more forgiveness than one should, Willa is talked into investigating on behalf of her former fiancé, who begs her to once again use her nosiness to clear his chocolates and save all of their businesses.

Since Willa managed to inadvertently make herself a suspect, her detective boyfriend Jay Heath is forced to remove himself from the investigation. She’s less than pleased with what she interprets as his disapproval, but that only has her even more invested in solving the crime and clearing all of Yarrow Glen’s local businesses. Aided by her sleuthing staff – otherwise known as Team Cheese – they discover a number of possible suspects who include the reporter who Kevin forced out of a job, the editor who felt betrayed, rival candy makers, and even a resentful baker.

This 6th in the series includes a plethora of cheesy details, from demonstration cheese wheel carvings to Willa’s preparation of Pizza Smashed Potatoes (recipe included). Readers will feel as irritated with Pearce’s manipulations as Willa, so it’s a bit frustrating to see her overcome her anger and come to his aid. She’s motivated more by her own curiosity and need to discover the truth than she is by any leftover goodwill towards her ex-fiancé though, even willing to encounter yet another ex-boyfriend to further her investigation. This cozy mystery is full of different romances and budding relationships, and seeing how they play out is a continual delight. The many romantic complications are an intriguing element of this novel, and readers will enjoy this entertaining mystery full of chocolate, cheese, and humor.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me a copy of this book to review.

This was a fun cozy mystery novel, and I enjoyed it a lot. I am looking forward to reading more by this author.

Just when Willa is about to celebrate the second anniversary of her shop, her worst nightmare occurs. The two former friends and supposed to be partners who broke her heart ten years ago show up in town. What is worse they are opening a branch of their chocolate business in the reopened bakery down the street. In her anger she spouts off a few unedited comments that will come back to haunt her when chocolates she delivered to the newspaper office kill the reporter who ate them.

Naturally with her history with the pair, she is a suspect and everything she has said and done does nothing but prove her motive and opportunity. But it is more likely to be an inside job. Who had the greatest reason to sabotage the business? Was it the other businesses in town who would be impacted by their arrival? Was it one of the associates who had not been dealt with fairly? Was it someone altogether different? Willa is not allowed to confer with Heath as he is told to keep at arm’s length lest his fondness for Willa impact the investigation.

There were lots of good clues but because there were so many some of the twists were expected and some unexpected. I like that there is lots of excitement and suspense but Willa does not go out of her way to get into dangerous situations. She is a heroine with a brain. Plus I learn so much about cheese every time I read on the series.

Four purrs and two paws up.

This cozy mystery series just keeps getting better! In Curds of Prey, Willa Bauer is back with her cheese shop thriving—but trouble comes wrapped in chocolate when her ex and ex-bestie open a pop-up right across the street. After a reporter ends up dead (yep, death by chocolate), Willa reluctantly agrees to help crack the case.

With plenty of small-town charm, cheesy puns, and a lovable cast of characters, this one was a fun, fast-paced read. If you love food-themed cozies with a side of murder, you’ll want to add this to your TBR.

Another fun mystery in this series. I liked it but it definitely is not my favorite in the series.

What I liked:
🧀The found family Willa has in Yarrow Glen. These characters all work so well together, banter, comfort, etc. Their closeness shines through.

What I wanted more of:
🧀Heath. I don’t like that he has to “stay away” while investigating.
🧀The cheese shop.

What wasn’t my favorite:
🧀The conclusion to the mystery. I loved the actual mystery, investigation, trying to figure out whodunnit and who was the actual victim. At the end though, the conclusion was a little underwhelming for me.

This still remains a favorite series. The characters and setting are truly the heart of this series and I love re-visiting again and again.

I was really excited to see that we get to learn a bit more about Willa's past in this novel.  Since I picked up the series at book #2 (and still haven't managed to get back to read book #1), I was extra excited to find out about her ex and the reasons she came to Yarrow Glen.  Her ex-fiancé lives up to the non-hype, unfortunately for Willa and everyone else.   

Willa really goes through it in this installment.  In addition to having to face her ex-fiancé and ex-best friend, she's also a main suspect in the murder.  Which, inevitably, puts pressure on her relationship with Detective Heath.  I felt badly for her many times during this one, but she always manages to pull herself together and get things done.  

So many people got hurt in this book though, wow.  Thankfully there was only the one death, but I was afraid that there was about to be a second.  Willa was especially knocked about and hopefully this doesn't continue to be her norm.  While I don't mind the occasional mishap while investigating, I don't like it when the main character is constantly abused.  In the end, nothing serious happened, which makes me happy.  

To date, I've really enjoyed each new book in this series.  As the series progresses, the characters become more fully realized and the mysteries become a bit more involved.  I was completely convinced that it was one person, then a second person.  Not once did I even briefly think that the murderer was who it wound up being.  Nothing makes me want to continue a series more than this.  Keep me guessing and keep me wanting to know more, and you've got me hooked.

Bait and Swiss is another fun and flavorful mystery from Korina Moss’s Cheese Shop series. Set in the cozy town of Yarrow Glen, this one brings back cheesemonger Willa Bauer as she gets pulled into a new murder case—this time involving her ex and a suspicious chocolate shop. The mystery keeps you guessing without getting too dark, and the small-town charm, cheesy puns, and lovable cast of characters (especially Team Cheese) make it a super enjoyable read. (I received an advance reader copy and all opinions are my own.) If you like your mysteries cozy, clever, and full of cheese, this one’s a treat!

Fast and friendly. Another great adventure!

Moss is at her best with the next installment of the cheese shop mysteries. We finally get to meet some of the characters from Willa’s past, namely her ex fiancé and best friend.

The pacing was swift in this episode and the clues (and red herrings) were plentiful. My only regret is that I read it so fast! Looking forward to the next one.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Korina Moss for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Bait and Swiss coming out April 29, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I haven’t read the other books in the series, but I really love cozy mysteries. I was excited to check this one out. I love cozies involving food. The characters were fun and interesting. I would check out other books by this author.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries!

Willa’s ex is in town and is accused of poisoning a customer with his chocolates. Both he and his partner, Willis’s former best friend, beg her to help clear his name. If only Willa didn’t care so much about Yarrow, Glen, should be able to say no and walk away. Will I help find out who actually poisoned the chocolate before she finds herself the next victim?

I love this series. From the cheese to the characters to Willa’s chopped, loving pet fish, there’s nothing I don’t like. Each and every entry delivers a solid mystery gooey cheesy goodness and plenty of red herrings to go along with it. If you haven’t read a book in the series yet feel free to start with this one. It’ll read fine as a standalone, but you’ll be ready to read the rest as soon as you’re finished.

Bait and Swiss is book six in the Cheese Shop Mystery series by Korina Moss.
I just love this cozy mystery series!
These characters were amazing and well fleshed out.
The plot progresses nicely to a satisfying conclusion.
There’s just something so comforting about cozy mysteries.
And Moss has done a phenomenal job here.

Thank You NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!