Avery Aames

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 show more 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. show less

Charlotte Bessette and her cousin, Matthew, have just taken over the family cheese shop from their grandparents. They've expanded and redecorated the store, adding a connected wine shop since Matthew has experience as a sommelier. The relaunch party is spoiled when their obnoxious landlord is stabbed outside the store. Even worse, Charlotte and Matthew's grandmother is discovered standing over the body, covered in blood. With circumstantial evidence weighing so heavily against her show more grandmother, Charlotte feels compelled to launch her own investigation into the murder to find the real killer. The victim's equally obnoxious widow, Kristine, is at the top of Charlotte's list of suspects. Kristine is challenging the incumbent mayor, who happens to be Charlotte's grandmother, in the upcoming election. Would Kristine go so far as to implicate her rival in murder in order to win the election?

I like the characters, the small town Ohio setting, and the food aspect introduced in this book. However, the mystery and Charlotte's investigative organization leave much to be desired. Charlotte is too suggestible. Her friends keep feeding her ideas, and Charlotte usually dashes off to follow through on whatever has just been suggested to her without much thought about the potential consequences. She keeps forgetting that most of these friends are also suspects in the murder, since they were all at the reopening party and had access to the murder weapon. The cast of locals is quite multicultural, probably more so than the typical small town in a rural Ohio county. I'll likely make a return visit to Charlotte's shop when I'm in the mood for cheese. I hope she has a new set of door chimes by then. The “grape-leaf-shaped chimes” were wearing old by the time I got to the tenth mention! (Yes, I counted.) show less

A frothy tale of frommage, fraught with falsehood, framing and frippery.
Lovelorn Charlotte Bessette has converted her grandparent’s little, cheese shop into the Fromagerie Bessette, stocked with the finest wines and cheeses from around the globe and is prepared for her grand opening. Everyone in the quaint village of Providence, Ohio—bordering Amish country—will be there, as well as busloads of tourists from Cleveland including Zinnia, the gourmet food critic from Delicieux show more magazine.
The scene is set for disaster. Add in local politics, crooked real estate agents and a flock of wealthy women and one is hardly surprised to find a body on the sidewalk outside the fromagerie. When Charlotte’s grandmother—the current mayor of Providence—is found crouched over the body covered in blood, Charlotte has to strike quick to prove her grandmother’s innocence.
Stepping on the toes of the local police chief, Charlotte and her side-kick, Rebecca—recently converted from the Amish life—gather clues and red-herrings until the entire town is suspect of the murder.
Not since Agatha Christie has a female author created an amateur sleuth with a penchant for details. Aames experience in co-starring on Murder She Wrote and Matlock has kept her in good stead. This debut novel in the three-book mystery series, The Cheese Shop Mystery series, is a well-thought-out cozy of a mystery that will keep you engrossed for hours. show less

Charlotte Besette and her cousin Matthew have taken over the cheese shop previously run by their grandparents. Their grand re-opening celebration is interrupted by a scream just outside their door, and when they rush to investigate they spy one of the shop’s special cheese knives sticking out of a dead man’s heart, and their beloved grandmother with the victim’s blood on her hands and splashed over her dress.

This has all the ingredients for a promising cozy mystery set-up: small town show more business owner, some side bars re food and wine, a potential romantic rivalry (hunky new farmer vs town police chief), an amateur sleuth or two (including a young Amish woman who has left her community and is addicted to TV crime shows). The victim is a ruthless business man no one in town likes, so there are plenty of suspects and/or red herrings.

The problem is that Aames is a terrible writer. Tears “splashed on my shoulder” or “drenched my sleeve.” People “scurry” or “glide” or “scuttle away.” Every once in a while she throws in an awkwardly worded simile to add color. Characters behave inconsistently, the dialogue is trite, and the entire scenario (especially the solution) is just not believable.

I give it 1 star just because she has a good idea. show less