The second installment of the Grilled Cheese Mysteries series by Linda Reilly is No Parm No Foul. With an expected release date of July 26, 2022, No Parm No Foul continues to follow Carly Hale and the residents of Balsam Dell. The Halloween season is upon Vermont, which means cooler temperatures and rising tempers. When a restaurant owner is found dead in his shop, Carly takes it upon herself to figure out who the murderer is.
I want to thank Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of No Parm No Foul. All opinions presented here are solely mine.
Synopsis from Goodreads
After a long hot summer in Balsam Dell, Carly Hale is ready for crisp Vermont weather and gourmet grilled cheeses at her Grilled Cheese Eatery. And the upcoming Halloween food competition is the perfect way to impress the locals.
But Ferris Menard, the owner of Sub-a-Dub-Sub, is nursing a serious grudge against Carly. Two days before the competition, one of Carly’s employees quit his part-time gig at Menard’s sub shop, sending Menard into a serious snit. In a confrontation at the Eatery, Menard accused Carly of sabotage and vowed to bring her down.
That’s when Menard’s body is found in his kitchen the morning after the competition, a steak knife sticking out of his heart. But Menard had a slew of enemies, and if Carly doesn’t figure out which one is the culprit, she might find herself—or someone she cares about—serving grilled cheese sandwiches under lock and brie!
Positives
I love the continued exploration of Balsam Dell and seeing more of the town. Along with that is the continued introduction of characters.
Negatives
Honestly, I can’t think of anything I didn’t like about the book. There were a few characters that I didn’t care for, but that is to be expected in a mystery.
My Opinions
No Parm No Foul continues exploring Balsam Dell, a small college town in Vermont. The first installment, Up to No Gouda, was released in January 2022 and is set at the beginning of the summer. This installment starts at the end of October as the town prepares for a Halloween festival.
Ferris Menard continues to be a thorn in Carly’s side until he is found murdered in his restaurant. Carly isn’t a suspect, though. With Menard’s actions before his death, it would be understandable if she had been. Instead, someone close to her is the prime suspect, and Carly takes it upon herself to prove the police wrong and find the real killer.
I will admit this time-I didn’t suspect the true culprit. I had suspicions about a few others, but not the one who did it. That’s okay with me, and I don’t mind not knowing.
Some of the characters we get to see more of in this book are Carly’s mom and sister. Grant’s dad also makes an appearance. Havarti was in the book a bit more, but I still want to know more about the little guy! He is so darn cute and fluffy!
Be prepared to crave grilled cheese sandwiches as you read this book! As a bonus, you will find a couple of recipes at the end that you will be tempted to try.
As with most, if not all, cozy mysteries, you don’t have to read the first book to understand what is happening in the second. You may not understand a few minor details, but generally, you aren’t missing out on anything if you don’t start at the beginning.
No Parm No Foul is an excellent addition to the cozy mystery world. And I can’t wait to read the third book, Cheddar Late Than Dead.
Looking for some more books to read? Check out my other book reviews and my monthly reading wrap-ups.
This sounds like a really cute cozy mystery series! I think I need to start this one—and I also think I’ll be making myself a grilled ham & cheese sandwich for lunch today. Yum.
I hope you’re grilled cheese was tasty!
It was, thanks!