'Welcome to the grand opening of Fromagerie Bessette. Or as it's more commonly known by the residents of small town Providence, Ohio--The Cheese Shop. Proprietor Charlotte Bessette has prepared a delightful sampling of bold Cabot Clothbound Cheddar, delicious tortes of Stilton and mascarpone, a taste of sauvigon blanc, and for the piece de resistance, a little crime of passion...
Charlotte has barely begin melting like fondue in front of a handsome artisanal cheese supplier named Jordan when a blood-curdling shriek disrupts the festivities. Right outside the shop, Charlotte finds a body, the victim stabbed to death with one of her prized olive-wood-handled knives. As the police leap to conclusions, it's up to Charlotte to find the real killer...'
My thoughts:
I know absolutely nothing at all about cheese, other than it tastes fabulous and I love to eat it. This book was an eye opener to me to learn about how cheese is made and how the different types vary so much from each other. I've noticed during my reading of cozy mysteries that this series is always getting good reviews, so when the local library added this book to its inventory, I jumped at the chance to read it. Charlotte is a likeable character and her close-knit family almost seem like your own family. Her grandmother is mayor of Providence, Ohio and is the main suspect in the killing of another resident. Charlotte must help clear her grandmother's name before she is thrown into jail and loses her position as mayor. She does some amateur sleuthing of her own to discover exactly wanted this person dead and why.
I really liked reading this book. The setting was quaint, the characters were very likeable and personable and it's a culinary mystery about cheese! The only thing that really bothered me about this book was that the author described every single type of cheese and how it was made and what it tasted like. It got to be annoying after a while because there were so many that it almost seemed overwhelming, however, I can see why this was done. Not everyone knows about the different types of cheeses and what their flavors consists of, I know I can consider myself one of these people, and the author does want to make the reader knowledgeable about the subject.
I thought that this was a cute little debut mystery and to be honest I can't wait to read the next one! I was left guessing until right towards the end about who the murderer was and the motive for the killing and you know I love love books like that! I can see why this book and this series is a favorite among cozy mystery readers and I am anxious to get my hands on the next one. A fast read that appealed to this armchair sleuth!
Overall Rating: 4
Title: The Long Quiche Goodbye
Author: Avery Aames
Series: Cheese Shop Mystery #1
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: July 6, 2010
Pages: 336
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Get It: Amazon; Barnes & Noble
Disclaimer: This book was selected from the library by myself and I reviewed this book without compensation of any kind. All thoughts and opinions are solely mine.