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A Cheese Shop Mystery #2
Lost and Fondue
When a body is found in a long-abandoned winery, cheese shop owner Charlotte Bessette trades in her fondue fork for a flashlight to clear a friend's niece of suspicion. But as Charlotte starts to turn up the truth, the killer starts turning up the heat.
297 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 12, 2011
About the author
Avery Aames
9 books591 followersAvery Aames, author of A Cheese Shop Mystery for Berkley Prime Crime, is the pseudonym for Daryl Wood Gerber. Daryl created the format for the popular sitcom, "Out of this World" and has won awards for her screenplays. She also writes short stories and suspense novels. Not one to simply read and cook, she tends to look for adventure. She has hitchhiked around Ireland by herself and she has jumped out of a perfectly good airplane.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 189 reviews
November 24, 2020
This was another fun, action-packed instalment in Avery Aames' Cheese Shop Mysteries series.
Charlotte Bessette, proprietor of Providence, Ohio's Fromagerie Bessette (commonly referred to by residents simply as "the Cheese Shop"), has been asked to provide catering - the titular cheese fondues - for a function at the spooky Ziegler Winery. Her best friend, Meredith, is part of a committee pushing for the establishment of a liberal arts college in the grandly proportioned, but long abandoned, building near Providence.
All the local movers and shakers converge on the old winery, exploring its numerous rooms and making veiled references to its shady past and rumours of buried treasure somewhere on the site. During an ill-conceived scavenger hunt, partygoers hear a piercing scream, and soon afterwards the body of a visiting art student is found in the winery's dark cellar.
Charlotte, surrounded by the usual cast of family members, friends, business associates and rivals, sets out to solve the crime. Local police chief Umberto Urso is remarkably patient with her constantly poking her nose in, offering outlandish suggestions, breaking into suspects' rooms to conduct searches and the like. Predictably for the series, Charlotte ends up in a potentially deadly show-down with the killer before order is restored.
Like most cosy mystery series, readers are required to suspend disbelief and bring a sense of the absurd to the reading experience. Lost and Fondue is an entertaining mystery, with lots of PG-rated personal drama, a sprinkle of romance and plenty of cheese references (and even a few recipes at the end of the book!).
Charlotte Bessette, proprietor of Providence, Ohio's Fromagerie Bessette (commonly referred to by residents simply as "the Cheese Shop"), has been asked to provide catering - the titular cheese fondues - for a function at the spooky Ziegler Winery. Her best friend, Meredith, is part of a committee pushing for the establishment of a liberal arts college in the grandly proportioned, but long abandoned, building near Providence.
All the local movers and shakers converge on the old winery, exploring its numerous rooms and making veiled references to its shady past and rumours of buried treasure somewhere on the site. During an ill-conceived scavenger hunt, partygoers hear a piercing scream, and soon afterwards the body of a visiting art student is found in the winery's dark cellar.
Charlotte, surrounded by the usual cast of family members, friends, business associates and rivals, sets out to solve the crime. Local police chief Umberto Urso is remarkably patient with her constantly poking her nose in, offering outlandish suggestions, breaking into suspects' rooms to conduct searches and the like. Predictably for the series, Charlotte ends up in a potentially deadly show-down with the killer before order is restored.
Like most cosy mystery series, readers are required to suspend disbelief and bring a sense of the absurd to the reading experience. Lost and Fondue is an entertaining mystery, with lots of PG-rated personal drama, a sprinkle of romance and plenty of cheese references (and even a few recipes at the end of the book!).
March 30, 2015
After the first book I was hesitant to read this book, but I decided to pace a hold on it from my library hoping it would get better. Unfortunately, the first half of the book was worse, and I almost put the book down, but the last half was entertaining and enjoyable.
Let's start with why I could not stand the first half. First of all Charlotte was once again extremely unlikeable, she thought she knew everything, and had to give her opinion on everything she saw. Secondly, Charlotte's consistent thoughts of how the police chief wasn't doing his job,a t one point she wondered if he should be having dinner with his mother and father when a murderer was on the loose! That was the point I wanted to throw this book across the room.
Now, the second half was good, granted Charlotte was nosy, but the mystery was well put together and the ending surprised me. It was smart. Towards the end most of the problems in the first half were fixed, but there were still two major things that weren't really major to the plot but allowed me anyway.
First, every single time the love interest, Jordan, walked into the room Charlotte said something about how he made her feel like there were butterflies in the stomach, or how sexy he looked in what he was wearing. Now that would be fine if she only did it one, two, or even three times, but no, she did it literally every time she saw him. Secondly, it made me upset that she called the police chief by his high school nickname, U-ey, instead of his name.
Overall not a great book, and if the next one doesn't pick up I probably won't continue this series.
Let's start with why I could not stand the first half. First of all Charlotte was once again extremely unlikeable, she thought she knew everything, and had to give her opinion on everything she saw. Secondly, Charlotte's consistent thoughts of how the police chief wasn't doing his job,a t one point she wondered if he should be having dinner with his mother and father when a murderer was on the loose! That was the point I wanted to throw this book across the room.
Now, the second half was good, granted Charlotte was nosy, but the mystery was well put together and the ending surprised me. It was smart. Towards the end most of the problems in the first half were fixed, but there were still two major things that weren't really major to the plot but allowed me anyway.
First, every single time the love interest, Jordan, walked into the room Charlotte said something about how he made her feel like there were butterflies in the stomach, or how sexy he looked in what he was wearing. Now that would be fine if she only did it one, two, or even three times, but no, she did it literally every time she saw him. Secondly, it made me upset that she called the police chief by his high school nickname, U-ey, instead of his name.
Overall not a great book, and if the next one doesn't pick up I probably won't continue this series.
March 17, 2018
Lost and Fondue by Avery Aames is the second book in the Cheese Shop Mystery series. A fundraiser is held at an abandoned winery, which is to be turned into an art college. Unfortunately one of the student artists is killed at the event and there is talk of a hidden treasure. I enjoyed this book very much and I loved catching up with Charlotte and the other cheese shop characters. I drooled over the cheese descriptions and the recipes sound delicious. The mystery was well written and I look forward to catching up with the series.
January 28, 2022
This is an enjoyable series.
June 29, 2017
I have given this series two chances, and I'm done with it. The main character is completely unsympathetic, the supporting characters annoying. Charlotte has an obnoxious judgment about everything and everyone, not to mention her offensive nicknames for her neighbors. In addition, her main argument in defense of the (presumably wrongly) accused is that "I know this person, she's almost like family, therefore she can't possibly be guilty" is weaker than over cooked pasta.
I'm willing to suspend my disbelief for the "small town that can unaccountably support expensive niche retail establishments," but this one really pushed the limits of plausibility. The tacky fundraising event for potential donors for a new college? Sad.
Also, if the abandoned winery/estate had really been shuttered for as long as suggested, it would take more than some light cleaning and "staging" to make it useable. Just saying.
I'm willing to suspend my disbelief for the "small town that can unaccountably support expensive niche retail establishments," but this one really pushed the limits of plausibility. The tacky fundraising event for potential donors for a new college? Sad.
Also, if the abandoned winery/estate had really been shuttered for as long as suggested, it would take more than some light cleaning and "staging" to make it useable. Just saying.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 5, 2011
I would give this book the same grades I gave the first, and am not waiting eagerly for book #3, due out in early 2012. Aames definitely has difficulty with characterization. Why does the boutique owner start a flyer protest about the prices charged in the cheese shop? Why does she create scenes in the cheese shop when she should be taking things up with city hall? Why did the museum owner, passionately devoted to the museum in the first book, decide to take a long vacation? How does the elementary school teacher think she is going to start a COLLEGE in an abandoned vineyard?
March 6, 2020
I am sorry to say, the heroine is a ditz, and steps over the line of helping the police way too much. The books are fun to read, but sometimes they are like being in a hamster cage, with 5 wheels going at once.
June 15, 2011
I have given this series a try and despite the wonderful recipes; I have not found anything in the main character to motivate me to return again. Adieu cheese shop mysteries!
January 29, 2020
Charlotte Bessette, owner of the Fromagerie Cheese Shop, is helping her best friend, Meredith, throw a fund-raiser to create a liberal arts college out of an abandoned winery. The winery is rumored to have some lost treasure hidden somewhere on the prooerty. When Meredith's niece, an art student and some of her friends arrive for the event/art exhibition, there is much drama between them, ending in a shocking death.
Many of the characters seemed a bit one-dimensional in this one and were frequently annoying. Meredith was quite scatterbrained and was constantly barging into the police chief's office to give her opinion on the identity of the murderer. I enjoyed the first book in the series much more than this one. On the positive side, the series has some really interesting titles.
Many of the characters seemed a bit one-dimensional in this one and were frequently annoying. Meredith was quite scatterbrained and was constantly barging into the police chief's office to give her opinion on the identity of the murderer. I enjoyed the first book in the series much more than this one. On the positive side, the series has some really interesting titles.
January 16, 2016
Charlotte Bessette and her cousin Matthew are partners in The Fromagerie Bessette or The Cheese Shop as it known to the locals. Charlotte handles the cheese shop and Matthew a former sommelier, runs the wine annex. They have been hired to cater a fundraiser for their friend Meredith at an abandoned winery that Meredith hopes to turn into a college campus. Not everyone in town is happy about this as the winery has been the source of some wild stories including hidden treasure and buried bodies.
The fundraiser is going well, people enjoying yummy fondue and wine and next on the agenda is a scavenger hunt that will send people running throughout the winery looking for certain objects. It is a lot of fun until something that wasn't on the list is found in the wine cellar, a dead body. The body is identified quickly as one of the artists that had come to paint the winery. He is also the boyfriend of Meredith's niece, Quinn. She quickly becomes the prime suspect as they had been witnessed have a little tiff during the party.
Soon they are many amateur sleuths including Charlotte trying to free Quinn and find the real killer. As Charlotte gets closer to the truth the killer turns up the heat and Charlotte may find herself fermenting in the wine cellar.
This story is a mystery within a mystery and almost every character seems to have a secret. I started this book and couldn't put it down and while some of the mysteries were solved and many of the secrets saw the light of day, they are still more that when the book ended I was almost "bleu". The author dropped a few crumbs of fine French bread by revealing a snippet of the next book in the series Clobbered by Camembert but I was left hungry for some more fine morsels like a slice Humboldt Fog or a Porcupine or just one more secret uncovered.
This story are superbly written, I know why her work was recognized with an Agatha Award. She sets each scene perfectly and develops each character at a perfect pace, even though I want to know more about Jordan and Jacky right now! Avery delivers a tasty treat that engages all our senses, you can almost taste the cheeses. She includes recipes too so we will be able to taste the daily specials from The Cheese Shop. I had "escaped" to Providence, Ohio, for a short time and can't wait to make return trip very soon.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from The Berkley Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
The fundraiser is going well, people enjoying yummy fondue and wine and next on the agenda is a scavenger hunt that will send people running throughout the winery looking for certain objects. It is a lot of fun until something that wasn't on the list is found in the wine cellar, a dead body. The body is identified quickly as one of the artists that had come to paint the winery. He is also the boyfriend of Meredith's niece, Quinn. She quickly becomes the prime suspect as they had been witnessed have a little tiff during the party.
Soon they are many amateur sleuths including Charlotte trying to free Quinn and find the real killer. As Charlotte gets closer to the truth the killer turns up the heat and Charlotte may find herself fermenting in the wine cellar.
This story is a mystery within a mystery and almost every character seems to have a secret. I started this book and couldn't put it down and while some of the mysteries were solved and many of the secrets saw the light of day, they are still more that when the book ended I was almost "bleu". The author dropped a few crumbs of fine French bread by revealing a snippet of the next book in the series Clobbered by Camembert but I was left hungry for some more fine morsels like a slice Humboldt Fog or a Porcupine or just one more secret uncovered.
This story are superbly written, I know why her work was recognized with an Agatha Award. She sets each scene perfectly and develops each character at a perfect pace, even though I want to know more about Jordan and Jacky right now! Avery delivers a tasty treat that engages all our senses, you can almost taste the cheeses. She includes recipes too so we will be able to taste the daily specials from The Cheese Shop. I had "escaped" to Providence, Ohio, for a short time and can't wait to make return trip very soon.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from The Berkley Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
May 29, 2011
When Charlette Bessette, owner of Providence, Ohio's fancy cheese shop, Fromagerie Bessette, is asked by her friend Meredith to cater a fund raiser at the old abandoned Ziegler winerey, it is with some trepidation. For years rumors have abounded of buried treasures and possibly a few buried bodies at the winery. The fundraiser is to purchase the winery and turn it into a local college.
Meredith's niece, Quinn, and her artistic friends are all excited as they want to search for the treasure; they put no stock in the buried bodies legend. Someone uses the occasion and subsequent scavenger hunt to murder one of the party. Unfortunately, Quinn becomes the prime suspect. Since the police chief Umberto Urso went to school with Charlotte and had a small crush on her, he gives her some leeway in interfering with the crime investigation. Charlotte is determined to find the guilty party and free Meredith's niece Quinn but with a lot of suspects and different motives, that might prove very difficult indeed.
Avery Aames does a terrific job of creating an atmosphere and setting the scene of the crime. I never knew there were so many different cheeses! Along with the cheese shop plot line and Charlott'es new love interest, there are several other plot lines going on that added to the realism of the characters.
However, I did have a quibble with the mystery part. Some of the clues were symbolic and had me somewhat sceptical at their plausibility but as with a lot of cozies, a little suspension of disbelief is necessary. Lost and Fondue is still an enjoyable read for cozy fans.
Avery Aames is also the author of The Long Quiche Goodbye the first book in the cheese shop series. Lost and Fondue is the sequel. Recipes are included in the book using some of the cheeses mentioned.
Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Berkley in exchange for my honest opinion.
Meredith's niece, Quinn, and her artistic friends are all excited as they want to search for the treasure; they put no stock in the buried bodies legend. Someone uses the occasion and subsequent scavenger hunt to murder one of the party. Unfortunately, Quinn becomes the prime suspect. Since the police chief Umberto Urso went to school with Charlotte and had a small crush on her, he gives her some leeway in interfering with the crime investigation. Charlotte is determined to find the guilty party and free Meredith's niece Quinn but with a lot of suspects and different motives, that might prove very difficult indeed.
Avery Aames does a terrific job of creating an atmosphere and setting the scene of the crime. I never knew there were so many different cheeses! Along with the cheese shop plot line and Charlott'es new love interest, there are several other plot lines going on that added to the realism of the characters.
However, I did have a quibble with the mystery part. Some of the clues were symbolic and had me somewhat sceptical at their plausibility but as with a lot of cozies, a little suspension of disbelief is necessary. Lost and Fondue is still an enjoyable read for cozy fans.
Avery Aames is also the author of The Long Quiche Goodbye the first book in the cheese shop series. Lost and Fondue is the sequel. Recipes are included in the book using some of the cheeses mentioned.
Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Berkley in exchange for my honest opinion.
July 1, 2011
The newest installment to Aames’ enjoyable Cheese Shop Mysteries should definitely carry a disclaimer. Do not read on an empty stomach. In addition to the feisty cast of characters and light murder mystery, you’ll find yourself being led down a path of culinary delight making you want to run, not walk to the nearest cheese shop for a tasty bite.
Charlotte Bessette, Fromagerie Bessette’s owner is always ready to lend a helping hand and when Meredith, Charlotte’s best friend asks her to cater a small fundraiser, she’s game. Only the party seems monumental when the menu is changed a day in advance, the guests exceed fifty and the folklore that billows around the site begins to course rapidly through town.
The old and abandoned Ziegler Winery does not have a pleasant past, but it could have a bright future if Meredith has anything to say about it. One major hurdle—other than the building’s illustrious past and the rumor of buried pirate booty hidden somewhere on the grounds—screeches everyone and everything to an immediate halt when the body of a young artist is found in the dilapidated wine cellar. In life, this former stud had a raging temper and a serious jealous streak, but no obvious suspects stand out.
Ever helpful, opinionated Charlotte can’t refrain from adding her amateur sleuthing skills into the mix. If truth be told, she’s technically forced into it when the Sheriff heads in an investigatory direction that many disagree with.
Readers can always tell when an author loves what they do and it’s clearly the case with Avery Aames. The town of Providence and its charming cast is a place worth visiting.
Reviewed by Shannon Raab for Suspense Magazine
Charlotte Bessette, Fromagerie Bessette’s owner is always ready to lend a helping hand and when Meredith, Charlotte’s best friend asks her to cater a small fundraiser, she’s game. Only the party seems monumental when the menu is changed a day in advance, the guests exceed fifty and the folklore that billows around the site begins to course rapidly through town.
The old and abandoned Ziegler Winery does not have a pleasant past, but it could have a bright future if Meredith has anything to say about it. One major hurdle—other than the building’s illustrious past and the rumor of buried pirate booty hidden somewhere on the grounds—screeches everyone and everything to an immediate halt when the body of a young artist is found in the dilapidated wine cellar. In life, this former stud had a raging temper and a serious jealous streak, but no obvious suspects stand out.
Ever helpful, opinionated Charlotte can’t refrain from adding her amateur sleuthing skills into the mix. If truth be told, she’s technically forced into it when the Sheriff heads in an investigatory direction that many disagree with.
Readers can always tell when an author loves what they do and it’s clearly the case with Avery Aames. The town of Providence and its charming cast is a place worth visiting.
Reviewed by Shannon Raab for Suspense Magazine
February 17, 2020
It's been so long since I read the first book in this series that I didn't really remember a lot of the previous storyline, but the author did a good job of catching readers up without giving any spoilers. I may still go back and read it again if I get time.
This was a really good murder mystery, and I didn't guess the killer at all. There were quite a few suspects, and I kind of gave up and decided to just read and find out. I knew that there were a couple of people I hoped would be the killer! Everyone got a nice ending, especially Charlotte's best friend and Charlotte's cousin. I'm hoping to read the third book soon or at least not let so much time go by before I get to it.
This was a really good murder mystery, and I didn't guess the killer at all. There were quite a few suspects, and I kind of gave up and decided to just read and find out. I knew that there were a couple of people I hoped would be the killer! Everyone got a nice ending, especially Charlotte's best friend and Charlotte's cousin. I'm hoping to read the third book soon or at least not let so much time go by before I get to it.
November 22, 2023
It's been awhile since I've indulged in a cozy mystery, and this one hit the spot. Quirky characters with mini life dramas not related to the mystery at hand fill the pages, staying as entertaining as the mystery itself. I'm not fully on board with the love interests - although we didn't go into triangle territory after all - but the main guy is mainly behind the pages and I kept forgetting he existed. The small town charm was solid, and this book made me crave exotic cheeses, fondues, and foods. Some recipes finish the story. Will read more of the cute and non-sappy series that pulls off the vibes and humors convincingly without being overdone or forced.
June 15, 2023
This is a good mystery with lots of info for those who love foodie mysteries. It features a cheese shop in a small Ohio town, and while you are reading, it just makes you want to eat lots of kinds of cheese!
November 18, 2019
Not bad, but it tried too hard, so it got repetitive. Plus, the editing had a few issues
August 3, 2011
Lost and Fondue
By Avery Aames
Copyright May 2011
Publisher Berkeley Prime Crime
The fair town of Providence has settled down to normal after last year's murder. Jonquils are in bloom. The Cheese Shop is thriving, and Charlotte's romance with Jordan is flourishing. But when her friend, Meredith, decides to throw a fund-raiser to create a liberal arts college out of a long-abandoned winery--a winery that is rumored to hold not only buried bodies but buried treasure--Charlotte's joie de vivre deflates like a bad soufflé.
Charlotte's fears are realized when an art student is found dead in the wine cellar, and Meredith's niece is the main suspect. Charlotte trades in her fondue fork for a flashlight to prove the case against Quinn has more holes than a slice of Swiss cheese. But as Charlotte’s sleuthing starts to turn of the truth, the killer starts to turn up the heat.
Charlotte and her Cousin Matthew are catering a fund raiser to convert an old (possibly) haunted winery into a Community College. The project has the whole town talking and taking sides with the pros and cons of the endeavor. The Pros talk about the added business the businesses will make, and the Cons are upset that all these strangers will overrun the town. Plus they feel that there will be problems with the students themselves.
The eve of the event has Charlotte ready to pull out her hair as Quinn and her college friends show up, along with the unexpected and unwanted arrival of Matthew’s ex wife. Things are definitely going to get interesting and tempers might flair brightly.
The night of the event, Charlotte and her staff are set up and ready to receive the guests to the fund raiser along with their checkbooks. Meredith has the whole evening planned out, starting with Chinese Lanterns lighting the way to the entrance, a lovely buffet in the dining room, and then a scavenger hunt. A hunt which ends with the death of one of the art students and Meredith’s cousin Quinn suspected of the murder.
Charlotte has to take matters into hand and dig out everyone’s secrets and past’s to find the real killer and exonerate Quinn.
This is the second book in the Cheese Shop Mysteries and Avery has served up a very tasty murder mystery which will entertain, baffle and intrigue you. I’m looking forward to many years of fantastic mysteries by this fantastic and creative author.
Avery Aames can be found at https://www.facebook.com/#!/AveryAames and also http://averyaames.com/
FTC Full Disclosure: I received this book as a gift and decided to share my thoughts in a review.
By Avery Aames
Copyright May 2011
Publisher Berkeley Prime Crime
The fair town of Providence has settled down to normal after last year's murder. Jonquils are in bloom. The Cheese Shop is thriving, and Charlotte's romance with Jordan is flourishing. But when her friend, Meredith, decides to throw a fund-raiser to create a liberal arts college out of a long-abandoned winery--a winery that is rumored to hold not only buried bodies but buried treasure--Charlotte's joie de vivre deflates like a bad soufflé.
Charlotte's fears are realized when an art student is found dead in the wine cellar, and Meredith's niece is the main suspect. Charlotte trades in her fondue fork for a flashlight to prove the case against Quinn has more holes than a slice of Swiss cheese. But as Charlotte’s sleuthing starts to turn of the truth, the killer starts to turn up the heat.
Charlotte and her Cousin Matthew are catering a fund raiser to convert an old (possibly) haunted winery into a Community College. The project has the whole town talking and taking sides with the pros and cons of the endeavor. The Pros talk about the added business the businesses will make, and the Cons are upset that all these strangers will overrun the town. Plus they feel that there will be problems with the students themselves.
The eve of the event has Charlotte ready to pull out her hair as Quinn and her college friends show up, along with the unexpected and unwanted arrival of Matthew’s ex wife. Things are definitely going to get interesting and tempers might flair brightly.
The night of the event, Charlotte and her staff are set up and ready to receive the guests to the fund raiser along with their checkbooks. Meredith has the whole evening planned out, starting with Chinese Lanterns lighting the way to the entrance, a lovely buffet in the dining room, and then a scavenger hunt. A hunt which ends with the death of one of the art students and Meredith’s cousin Quinn suspected of the murder.
Charlotte has to take matters into hand and dig out everyone’s secrets and past’s to find the real killer and exonerate Quinn.
This is the second book in the Cheese Shop Mysteries and Avery has served up a very tasty murder mystery which will entertain, baffle and intrigue you. I’m looking forward to many years of fantastic mysteries by this fantastic and creative author.
Avery Aames can be found at https://www.facebook.com/#!/AveryAames and also http://averyaames.com/
FTC Full Disclosure: I received this book as a gift and decided to share my thoughts in a review.
April 27, 2014
Not as bad as the first one. Enjoyed this one much more. Charlotte wasn't quite as pushy and intrusive as she was in the first, yet she still feels this compulsion to investigate, even though her childhood friend (and disappointingly not her boyfriend) is now the chief of police in the small Ohio town. Since the town is small, and proportionately, the police force is small (the chief and one other officer), she seems to feel it's her civic duty to help investigations.
What a crock. Just a writing device to move this character along. However, she is less annoying in this book than than the first. I couldn't abide her in the first and almost hated her. She still exhibits very annoying tendencies in this book; such as leaving her cheese shop at the drop of a hat to investigate her whims and fantasies. SERIOUSLY? We're supposed to take a woman, now in charge of her family heritage (the cheese store) as a admirable character; yet, instead of tending to her family business, she leaves the business matters in the hands of her assistant (also a terrible snoop and budding detective) to drop every thing and investigate her latest theory.
Certainly not at all the best of series, but maybe there is growth here.
I really, really have no love or sympathy for most cozy heroines. They are just to nosy, too self-important, too confident in their abilities and too blind and self-deluding to think they are the only one capable and willing to investigate and follow up on the leads. To them, the police are bubbling idiots. This may have been a good plot device in the early years, but now its tired, trite and just plain stupid.
And this is what they really are - to stupid to live heroines; ready to go at the drop of a hat to investigate or better yet, confront suspected killers, only to embroil themselves, and worse, other in perilous situations.
I guess after this rant, I realize I've had it with cozies. They were fun and enjoyable in the beginning, but after all this time, I think they have diluted and damaged the mystery genre. I don't think they are something I want to perpetuate. I want the golden age of mysteries back.
What a crock. Just a writing device to move this character along. However, she is less annoying in this book than than the first. I couldn't abide her in the first and almost hated her. She still exhibits very annoying tendencies in this book; such as leaving her cheese shop at the drop of a hat to investigate her whims and fantasies. SERIOUSLY? We're supposed to take a woman, now in charge of her family heritage (the cheese store) as a admirable character; yet, instead of tending to her family business, she leaves the business matters in the hands of her assistant (also a terrible snoop and budding detective) to drop every thing and investigate her latest theory.
Certainly not at all the best of series, but maybe there is growth here.
I really, really have no love or sympathy for most cozy heroines. They are just to nosy, too self-important, too confident in their abilities and too blind and self-deluding to think they are the only one capable and willing to investigate and follow up on the leads. To them, the police are bubbling idiots. This may have been a good plot device in the early years, but now its tired, trite and just plain stupid.
And this is what they really are - to stupid to live heroines; ready to go at the drop of a hat to investigate or better yet, confront suspected killers, only to embroil themselves, and worse, other in perilous situations.
I guess after this rant, I realize I've had it with cozies. They were fun and enjoyable in the beginning, but after all this time, I think they have diluted and damaged the mystery genre. I don't think they are something I want to perpetuate. I want the golden age of mysteries back.
July 24, 2015
SUMMARY: The fair town of Providence has settled down to normal after last year's murder. Jonquils are in bloom. The Cheese Shop is thriving. and Charlotte's romance with Jordan is flourishing. But when her friend, Meredith, decides to throw a fund-raiser to create a liberal arts college out of a long-abandoned winery--a winery that is rumored to hold not only buried bodies but buried treasure--Charlotte's joie de vivre deflates like a bad souffle. Charlotte's fears are realized when an art student is found dead in the wine cellar, and Meredith's niece is the main suspect.
REVIEW: This is the second in The Cheese Shop Mystery Series. Once again the author puts lots of twists and turns into the plot til you are not sure who the killer is. Her characters are unique, wacky and enjoyable; and of course, she throws in a little romance to keep things even more interesting. I love the small town of Providence, Ohio which makes a wonderful setting for these mysteries. Overall a good clean mystery series that I will continue to read.
FAVORITE QUOTES: "Bad habits are like chains that are too light to feel until they are too heavy to carry." (Warren Buffett as quoted in this book)
REVIEW: This is the second in The Cheese Shop Mystery Series. Once again the author puts lots of twists and turns into the plot til you are not sure who the killer is. Her characters are unique, wacky and enjoyable; and of course, she throws in a little romance to keep things even more interesting. I love the small town of Providence, Ohio which makes a wonderful setting for these mysteries. Overall a good clean mystery series that I will continue to read.
FAVORITE QUOTES: "Bad habits are like chains that are too light to feel until they are too heavy to carry." (Warren Buffett as quoted in this book)
May 5, 2011
This past Saturday Avery Aames(4/30/11) Avery won an Agatha for the Best First Novel. That book, The Long Quiche Goodbye, is the first in this delicious series.
Charlotte Bessette owns The Cheese and her cousin Matthew, handles selecting the inventory of wines for the store. Rounding out the shops help is Rebecca, an Amish girl who has left the fold, and has learned to love TV and especially police shows.
The book begins with Meredith, a good friend of Charlotte and Matthews girlfriend, asks if Charlotte can prepare fondues, an assortment of cheese and wines for a fund rasier to convert the old abandoned Zeigler Winery into a college. Among the the invited guest are art students Quinn(Meredith's niece), Harker, Dane and Edsel. During the party Quinn has words with Harker and short time late Harker is found dead.
In Charlotte's heart she knows Quinn has to be innocent and sets off with the help of a wonderful cast of characters who are residents of the town.
Great story, wonderful characters and a chance for one to learn about different types of cheese. Delicious sounding recipes that tie into the cheeses discussed in the book are also included.
Charlotte Bessette owns The Cheese and her cousin Matthew, handles selecting the inventory of wines for the store. Rounding out the shops help is Rebecca, an Amish girl who has left the fold, and has learned to love TV and especially police shows.
The book begins with Meredith, a good friend of Charlotte and Matthews girlfriend, asks if Charlotte can prepare fondues, an assortment of cheese and wines for a fund rasier to convert the old abandoned Zeigler Winery into a college. Among the the invited guest are art students Quinn(Meredith's niece), Harker, Dane and Edsel. During the party Quinn has words with Harker and short time late Harker is found dead.
In Charlotte's heart she knows Quinn has to be innocent and sets off with the help of a wonderful cast of characters who are residents of the town.
Great story, wonderful characters and a chance for one to learn about different types of cheese. Delicious sounding recipes that tie into the cheeses discussed in the book are also included.
July 28, 2012
Book #48 Read in 2012
Lost and Fondue by Avery Aames
This is the second book in a cozy mystery series set in a cheese shop. This series really makes me regret my lactose intolerance, LOL.
In this book, Charlotte once again dons her amateur detective hat when a local artist is killed at a fundraiser. The niece of Charlotte's friend is taken into custody and Charlotte wants to clear her name. However, this puts Charlotte herself at risk as she finds out the hard way.
This series is a good cozy mystery series. Charlotte and her friend Rebecca are good sleuths. Charlotte's cousin Matthew is a character that readers care about and when his ex comes back to town to try to take away their daughters from him, readers will root for him to win the custody battle. Secondary characters are well developed as well, such as Charlotte's grandparents and the Police Chief Urso. Personally, I love Charlotte's cat Rags, a Ragdoll, since I have three Ragdolls my self.
I have the third book here in the TBR pile. I recommend this series to cozy mystery fans.
http://melissasbookpicks.blogspot.com
Lost and Fondue by Avery Aames
This is the second book in a cozy mystery series set in a cheese shop. This series really makes me regret my lactose intolerance, LOL.
In this book, Charlotte once again dons her amateur detective hat when a local artist is killed at a fundraiser. The niece of Charlotte's friend is taken into custody and Charlotte wants to clear her name. However, this puts Charlotte herself at risk as she finds out the hard way.
This series is a good cozy mystery series. Charlotte and her friend Rebecca are good sleuths. Charlotte's cousin Matthew is a character that readers care about and when his ex comes back to town to try to take away their daughters from him, readers will root for him to win the custody battle. Secondary characters are well developed as well, such as Charlotte's grandparents and the Police Chief Urso. Personally, I love Charlotte's cat Rags, a Ragdoll, since I have three Ragdolls my self.
I have the third book here in the TBR pile. I recommend this series to cozy mystery fans.
http://melissasbookpicks.blogspot.com
July 5, 2017
This series is a bit of a conundrum for me. I enjoy the setting and many of the characters. Unfortunately, Charlotte grates on my nerves too much of the time. The sheriff (whom she absolutely insists on calling by his nickname at all times) shouldn’t be having dinner with his parents with an unsolved murder being investigated, but her boyfriend may be a serial killer and that just might be okay. She’s quick to action tracking a killer, but indecisive about going on a trip. Seriously? I do love her grandparents, cousin and nieces enough to read the next book, but Charlotte needs to settle. And can the ex-wife just not come back to town please? One hateful shop-owner in the town is quite enough.
The story itself moved pretty well, and I was actually caught off-guard by the solution (of course, with so many suspects, it was a little more difficult to narrow down). There were a lot of side stories going on, almost to the point of distraction, but I enjoyed the telling anyway. I’ll probably continue with the series, if only to find out what the deal with Jordan is.
The story itself moved pretty well, and I was actually caught off-guard by the solution (of course, with so many suspects, it was a little more difficult to narrow down). There were a lot of side stories going on, almost to the point of distraction, but I enjoyed the telling anyway. I’ll probably continue with the series, if only to find out what the deal with Jordan is.
January 31, 2014
Charlotte is catering a fundraiser at the old winery on the outskirts of town. During the scavenger hunt, she finds the body of one of the guests in the basement. With the police looking at someone Charlotte cares about, she must spring into detective mode to find the real killer.
I'm not sure why I waited so long to read this second book in the series. The characters were a tad overwhelming at first by their number, but I quickly had them all figured out. The plot slow down a tad in the middle, but the end result was great. I'll definitely be back for the next slice.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
I'm not sure why I waited so long to read this second book in the series. The characters were a tad overwhelming at first by their number, but I quickly had them all figured out. The plot slow down a tad in the middle, but the end result was great. I'll definitely be back for the next slice.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
May 22, 2016
The second book in this "cheesy" mystery series was a little more interesting than the first installment. Although the mystery was still centered around something personal to Charlotte, there was less expository segments and mor cheese. On the down side, this is a pretty close knit town, so much so that it's hard to have a really good mystery because either the characters we know have to go bad or one of the few walk on characters have to be guilty. It's not complex. On the plus side there really is a lot of really good information about cheese. I certainly have a list of cheeses I've never tried and I have a wide cheese palette. I will eventually read the next book, particularly when I want to try out new cheese.
September 17, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. It is the second in the cheese shop mystery series, and I had read the first one and like it, so I had high hopes for this one as well. I really like the main character, Charlotte, and her co-worker Rebecca who is always using stuff she sees on tv to try to solve mysteries. I definitely didn't see the culprit coming in this one. I also REALLY enjoy all the talk about cheese, and the sweet romance between Charlotte and another one of the characters. Looking forward to the next in this series!
May 18, 2011
This was a good enough book, but all the cheese talk is not a good thing for me. I don't eat it and find even the smell of most types of cheese actually revolting! The author is a very good writer and if she writes about another subject I will definitely be up for them, but I think I will leave this series alone from now on.....it's terribly unappetizing to me! (Home with a cold, so finished this in one day!)
May 2, 2012
Our favorite cheese-loving, amateur detective is back in the second installment of the Cheese Shop Mystery series. An abandoned winery is being converted into a college. During the scavenger hunt fundraiser, a nasty surprise is found that was not on the scavenger hunt list: a dead body. The list of suspects is varied and the crime scene is full of symbolism. Was it the angry fiancee, the jealous best friend? The art instructor?
December 29, 2016
Well... I can't remember exactly why I liked the first one so much.
There's a lot I can excuse and overlook, but the level of racism, sexism and homophobia in this book made me retch. On top of that, the story is silly, the characters are naive and cliche, and the research the author made for it was minimal at best.
I'm done with this series.
JL 646
There's a lot I can excuse and overlook, but the level of racism, sexism and homophobia in this book made me retch. On top of that, the story is silly, the characters are naive and cliche, and the research the author made for it was minimal at best.
I'm done with this series.
JL 646
June 5, 2015
I didn't finish this bood. Didn't hold my attention.
July 5, 2017
Providence seems to have put last year’s murder behind them. Spring has finally arrived and Charlotte couldn’t be happier. Her business is thriving and her romance with Jordan is moving in a positive direction. Charlotte’s best friend Meredith has a new project on her hands. She is in the midst of organizing a fundraiser to create a college in an abandoned winery outside of the town. The winery has an infamous history and is surrounded by rumors of murders and buried treasure. Charlotte reluctantly agrees to help supply food for the big event. On the evening of the soiree all seems to be going well until an art student is found dead in the wine cellar. The prime suspect is Meredith’s niece. Complicating life in the Bessette home is an unexpected visit by Matthew’s ex-wife. Charlotte attempts to push past of the the chaos and help prove Meredith’s niece Quinn is innocent.
This is the second book in the Cheese Shop Mystery series. I enjoyed this much more than the first book. I say that with the understanding that I have know idea what was going on in life when I read the first book a year ago. This book seemed to move faster for me. Not that the action is too fast, but that I was able to sit and read for long stretches and not be distracted. I also longed to pick the book up instead of doing my housework. The characters in the series continue to develop. They are believable and easy to relate to people one has met in life. As new characters are introduced we learn about them gradually, but well. The setting is comfortable. It’s a place I would love to visit. The plot moves at a steady pace. I pegged several characters as the murderer and in the end I was not right on any of them. These books make me crave cheese, and the quiche recipe in back is on my list of foods to make for my husband. I think this book is a great read and I recommend it. I think it can be read without reading the first book, but if you are like me start at the beginning. Reading out of order makes me twitch. 8->
This is the second book in the Cheese Shop Mystery series. I enjoyed this much more than the first book. I say that with the understanding that I have know idea what was going on in life when I read the first book a year ago. This book seemed to move faster for me. Not that the action is too fast, but that I was able to sit and read for long stretches and not be distracted. I also longed to pick the book up instead of doing my housework. The characters in the series continue to develop. They are believable and easy to relate to people one has met in life. As new characters are introduced we learn about them gradually, but well. The setting is comfortable. It’s a place I would love to visit. The plot moves at a steady pace. I pegged several characters as the murderer and in the end I was not right on any of them. These books make me crave cheese, and the quiche recipe in back is on my list of foods to make for my husband. I think this book is a great read and I recommend it. I think it can be read without reading the first book, but if you are like me start at the beginning. Reading out of order makes me twitch. 8->
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