This was a delightfully fun Christmas cozy mystery that made me seriously want a grilled cheese! Like all the other books in this series, this book left me with a case of the warm fuzzies and a dire hankering for a sandwich.

Carly is looking forward to her first Christmas in her new home with fiance Ari and dog Havarti. She is especially excited to see the play A Christmas Carol being put on in the town's newly renovated opera house. Unfortunately, the actor playing Marley ends up dead (as a door nail!) and the suspect list is quite long. Unfortunately, it also includes Carly's BFF Gina and Carly is determined to clear her friend's name. She continues to find more questions than answers as just how badly the victim was hated becomes evident.

While I did figure out the murder weapon before its reveal, the whodunit was a nice surprise. I appreciate an author that can use enough red herrings that I can't figure it out and then when everything comes together it all makes perfect sense.

This is one of the better Christmas cozies I have gotten in a long time. I look forward to the next book in the series!

My thanks to Netgalley and Beyond the Page for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Linda Reilly serves up another delicious mystery in Humbug! Humbug!, blending Christmas cheer with a side of murder—and yes, grilled cheese is on the menu! This time, Carly Hale is caught in a holiday whodunnit when a local theater production of A Christmas Carol takes a dark turn. Forget Scrooge—the real villain is the insufferable actor Prescott Lennon, whose bad attitude gets him killed. But when Carly’s friend Gina is framed for the crime, it’s up to our favorite sleuth to find the real culprit.

The suspects are juicy: a shady understudy, a suspicious widow, and an entire cast full of people Lennon rubbed the wrong way. Toss in rumors of a shadowy past, and you’ve got a mystery packed with twists, turns, and a sprinkle of holiday magic.

The best part? The story doesn’t just warm your brain—it warms your belly with mouthwatering grilled cheese recipes that are practically a character of their own. Between the festive small-town vibes, the well-paced plot, and the cheesy goodness, this cozy mystery is as satisfying as a gooey sandwich on a snowy day.

If you love holiday mysteries and crave comfort food with your crime-solving, this one is an absolute treat. Bring on the grilled cheese and sleuthing!

It’s the holiday’s in Balsam Dell and you know what that means for restaurant owner Carly Hale, right? Well yes, specialty grilled cheeses of course, but also murder! Much like Jessica Fletcher in Murder She Wrote (or honestly any leading character in a mystery series) Carly always seems to around when someone turns up dead. This time around it’s one of the lead actors in the town’s production of A Christmas Carol. Naturally one of her friends ends up being a prime suspect, and so Carly, of course, jumps into help the investigation. This is just a fun series. Linda Reilly always delivers a well thought out crime, and that is definitely the case in her latest book: You Feta Watch Out. There are quite a few suspects, ie plenty of red herrings, and this one had me guessing until the end. Now if you’re like me, you might not be tempted to try the Scrooge’s Redemption (a grilled cheese made with fruit cake), you’ll still a have a great time joining Carly as she tracks down Balsam Dell’s latest killer in time for a Merry Christmas. I’d like to thank Beyond the Page Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of You Feta Watch Out.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R1ECRWGG410RFA/ref=pe_123899240_1043597390_SRTC0204BT_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

You Feta Watch Out is the 5th wonderful book in Linda Reilly's Grilled Cheese Mysteries. The characters are warm and likable and the cozy mystery kept me guessing. True book takes place just before Christmas. Carly Hale owns a restaurant that specializes.in unique grilled cheese sandwiches and soups. The local theater is putting on A Christmas Carol. Carly's friend Gina has a small part so Carly is invited to a dress rehearsal. During the rehearsal, an unpopular actor causes problems and then ends up dead. Gina is a suspect so Carly does some investigating. The theater group are primarily the suspects. The mystery played out nicely and without peril or suspense. Carly and her fiance Ari are decorating their house for Christmas. They are a cute couple along with Carly's sister Norah and Nate and Gina and Zach. Restaurant friends Val, Suzanne, Nina and Grant add to the story as well. All of the main characters add warmth and depth to the book and make it so enjoyable. #YouFetaWatchOut #GrilledCheeseMysteries #NetGalley #BeyondThePage #LindaReilly

It doesn’t get much cozier than Linda Reilly’s You Feta Watch Out, the fifth installment of her Grilled Cheese Mystery series.

Carly Hale, proprietor of Carly’s Grilled Cheese Eatery and amateur sleuth has front row seats in the Flinthead Opera House, to watch her best friend Gina’s dress rehearsal of A Christmas Carol. However, before the day is done, Dickens’ beloved work has a fourth ghost or rather the actor, who had been playing Marley, was found dead with Scrooge’s boss’ chains around his neck and Carly’s bestie is a prime suspect.

With the help of a local journalist, the winking knowledge of the local police chief and a cast of characters as rich as her cheeses, Carly is committed to finding the real killer, proving Gina’s innocence – not an easy task, even a dangerous one when questioning actors, not knowing if they are telling the truth or plying their trade.

There will be no pouting if you read You Feta Watch Out and I highly recommend it for cozy mystery fans looking for a festive read. I received this advanced reader copy from Beyond the Book Publishing, courtesy of NetGalley.

A cute festive cozy that great for festive reading
I will def be looking out for more from this author

I'd like to thank netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read and review this book

This is a new author to me and I think I have found my new favorite author! It’s Christmas in Balsam Dell, Vermont, and the town is putting on “A Christmas Carol.” Carly Hale, owner of the Grilled Cheese Eatery in town is at the dress rehearsal when Marley, played by Preston Lennon, who has a reputation of being extremely difficult to work with, stomps off stage. Carly’s bestie, Gina, finds him dead and becomes the chief suspect. As the list of suspects grows, Carly teams up with Don Frasco, the publisher of the town’s newspaper, who Carly used to babysit for and her sister Norah to solve this murder. Between working at her Eatery, getting ready for the holidays and planning for her wedding, Carly works to help Gina. This was a very fun read. I loved Carly’s little Grilled Cheese Eatery and the ending just blew me away – never would have suspected it! Even though this is the fifth book of this series, it was easy to read as a stand alone – and now that I have discovered it, I can’t wait to read the first four books.

YOU FETA WATCH OUT is the fifth book in the Grilled Cheese Mysteries by Linda Reilly. From the absolutely darling holiday cover to the festive cheer, to the Christmas Carol theme, to the puzzling murder of a stage actor, this book is the perfect read to usher in the holidays. As you read, you’ll feel like you’ve been wrapped in a soft and cozy afghan, sipping hot cocoa in front of a warm fireplace, while the snow falls outside in chilly Balsam Dell, Vermont. With attention to details and a strong descriptive voice, the author brings each scene and the setting to life without detracting from the pace of the plot. You can always count on Ms. Reilly penning a page turning story filled with people you’d love to spend time with. In a nutshell, her core characters are kind and caring, especially protagonist Carly Hale. She treats her friends and family equally with respect and love. I especially enjoyed watching her relationship with Ari change and grow over the course of the series. It’s added a layer of sweet emotional involvement to the stories.

But of course, a cozy mystery needs, well, a mystery and in this newest book, an arrogant actor playing opposite Scrooge, meets his demise. The author sets up conflict right away and with the victim being a detestable excuse for a human being, there are suspects galore to keep readers guessing. Unfortunately, law enforcement turns their gaze on Carly’s best friend, Gina, as the primary suspect when several clues point in her direction. Carly, true to her nature, jumps in to clear her friend of all suspicions. As she delves into the life of the victim, old misdeeds from his past may have come back to haunt him. There are twists and turns aplenty, and the quickly moving plot kept me turning pages. In the end, as the clues became clear and the killer was revealed, all the threads of the story wove together in a highly satisfactory manner. Changes may be coming for Carly, and I can’t wait to find out what happens next!

Owning a grilled cheese eatery, there are all sorts of delectable items being consumed and talked about during the story. I also love how Carly relates past experiences to food associated with those events. It was a unique way to introduce backstory for new readers so they wouldn’t get lost in the story without slowing down the plot. Ms. Reilly also includes a couple of recipes at the back of the book for the home cook to try.

I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Love this series, though it does always make me want to have cheese toasties and soup which is never the same when it's Heinz :D
More please!

Thank you Netgalley and Beyond the Page for the ARC of this book. This was an honest review.

What could be better than grilled cheese and Christmas? In addition to her friends and family, Carly's grilled cheese shop created a festive atmosphere. Along with the tasty and unique grilled cheese. Though I wasn't a fan of the plot with the mystery set being a play of "A Christmas Carol", I found the characters intriguing. "Scrooge" is the most irritating character in the play, and Carly cannot let her best friend take the blame for his murder. After a determined Carly solved it, I couldn't help feeling sympathy for the killer.

"You Feta Watch Out (Grilled Cheese Mysteries #5)" by Linda Reilly got a bit Christmas and a bit theatre related. While at a dress rehearsal for A Christmas Carol, Carly's friend stumbles upon the really dead Marley. So, of course, between that and having argued with the victim, her friend is a suspect.

The victim had a few enemies or potential enemies he could have. I honestly didn't have any one particular person in mind as the culprit. I was a little surprised when it got to the reveal.

A touring theater company has come to Balsam Dell to perform <i>A Christmas Carol</i>, and the residents of the town are excited to see the show. The actor playing Scrooge, though, is as crotchety as the character, so it’s no surprise when he is found dead. When Carly learns that her friend Gina is at the top of the police’s suspect list, she sets out to find the killer, and to prove that her friend is being framed.

I have enjoyed the earlier books in this series, so was excited to learn that the series was continuing. I like Carly and her friends, and would love to spend the holidays in a small town like Balsam Dell. We’ve seen the opening of a lot of food establishments in our area that specialize in a very limited menu – only donuts, only cheesecakes, only Bundt cakes, for example – but I still wonder how long an eatery like Carly’s will thrive with such narrow-minded offerings.

We never got to know the murder victim before his body was found, but it was obvious that he was not well-liked and that he was a nasty piece of work. Accordingly, there was a long list of suspects to consider, and it was hard to narrow that list down to a manageable number of names. I didn’t figure out who the culprit was until it became obvious, and even then I was surprised. Given the character, the motive made complete sense.

If the series continues, I will gladly read the next book. I’d love to find out what happens next with Carly, Nate, Gina and the rest.

Balsam Dell is welcoming Christmas with a rendition of The Christmas Carol in their theater. Carly’s bestie has a part as a caroler. Unfortunately, the actor playing Scrooge is not so well-loved. He has a long history of issues which Carly has to pursue as someone has killed Scrooge. I always enjoy a trip to Balsam Dell. I really enjoyed the bonding of Carly with her sister in this addition to the story. I highly recommend.

The holidays are here and Carly and Ari are in their new home and anticipating their wedding. But first, a production of A Christmas Carol is being held in town. When Carly's best friend discovers one of the lead actors dead in his dressing room, Gina becomes a suspect. Carly begins asking questions which leads to more suspects. I like the balance between Carly's sleuthing and life in the grilled cheese shop, this makes for a good read. These are great characters and it's fun to be back in the shop. A perfect Christmas read!
I received an advanced copy of the book in exchange for a review.

When you hang with the theater crowd, things get interesting! This is a well-plotted mystery with plenty of red herrings. It's fun to visit with Carly and all the season regulars, and this was a satisfying read. Sometimes it's hard to get so invested when the victim is such a horrible person. But Reilly manages to keep me caring, at least for Gina's sake. This is a good entry in an enjoyable series.

Thanks to the publisher for the review copy, via NetGalley.

I love the Grilled Cheese Mysteries and You Feta Watch Out is a wonderful holiday addition to the series. Carly is bustling around her eatery as she and her crew serve all the holiday shoppers.
Also happening this festive season is A Christmas Carol. The day of the dress rehearsal ends badly for the actor playing Jacob Marley. He wasn’t very nice, which provides many suspects for review in determining who was behind his death.
This is a mix of holiday coziness and a bit of horror and sadness for some of the people that were in the dead man’s life. Instead of leaving good in his wake Prescott Lennon sowed the opposite. Carly felt he deserved justice but most readers will have little sympathy for him. Instead the sympathy will be for those negatively impacted by him.
The book ends with some holiday cheer. The main characters all support and care for each other, which saves the book from being overpowered by some heavy feelings and situations.
I enjoyed reading You Feta Watch Out.
Thanks to Netgalley and Beyond the Page Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.

Carly is happy to be attending a dress rehearsal of the production of A Christmas Carol that has come to town. However, Preston Lennon, the actor playing Jacob Marley, causes such a disruption they have to take an unscheduled intermission. Then Carly’s friend, Gina, finds Preston’s body in his dressing room. Can Carly clear her friend?

While a play of A Christmas Carol might be familiar in a Christmas cozy, I enjoyed the twist on who the victim was. It led to a strong mystery with plenty to suspects and a logical climax I didn’t see coming. The characters are all fun to be around. I especially enjoyed spending time with the series regulars again, and I appreciated that the warnings to Carly to be careful were toned down in this book. The Christmas spirit is strong; it made me wish I were reading it in December with my decorations already up. There are two recipes at the end, including a Christmas grilled cheese. Grill up a sandwich and enjoy this fun Christmas mystery.

What's cozier than A Christmas Carol at Christmas? Well, it would be if someone hadn't died. Carly can't help but start questioning suspects, even if her real job is running her grilled cheese eatery. Who's the killer? Well, you'll have to read this cute story to find out. It's a fun, cute story to read during the holidays.

While three ghosts visit Scrooge in a Christmas Carol, Carly finds herself trying to figure out who turned Scrooge into a ghost before his time. The actor cast in the lead role was anything but charming and kind, who would actually want to kill him? That’s exactly what Carly aims to find out.

With quite a few suspects, And absolutely zero fans, the actor was never on Santa’s nice list. But can Carly figure out who took Scrooge out before they have a chance to take her out as well?

Cheese, a solid, cozy mystery, and several delicious recipes always make an entry in this series a delicious pleasure. The author has developed solid characters that come to life on the page and makes each entry feel like a visit with old friends. I have enjoyed each entry in this series.

A Christmas Carol is one of my favorite stories, so I was happy to read a book centered around a performance of this timeless take. The only issue I had with the story is Carly’s need to get answers at all costs. She basically makes a man relive a horrible experience just because she wants answers. It was not a good moment for her.