Review of "Brie Careful What You Wish For: A Grilled Cheese Mystery" by Linda Reilly

In this 4th book in the 'Grilled Cheese Mysteries' series, restaurateur/amateur sleuth Carly Hale feels compelled to investigate when a young man she knows is suspected of murder. The book works fine as a standalone.

When thirtysomething Carly Hale's husband died in a tragic accident, she moved back to her hometown of Balsam Dell, Vermont and opened Carly's Grilled Cheese Eatery.



In time Carly's grief subsided, and she started dating an electrician named Ari Mitchell. Carly and Ari are now in a serious relationship, and very happy together.



Carly's restaurant has become quite popular, and she currently employs assistant manager Valerie Wells;



part-time server Suzanne Rivers;



and grill cook/aspiring chef Grant Robinson, who'll soon be off to culinary school.



In addition, a young man called Ross Baxter, who's saving up for college, delivers food from Carly's Grilled Cheese Eatery to elderly residents of Balsam Dell.



Ross is personable, and all the senior citizens like him except for one grumpy woman, Mrs. Octavia Gray. Ross confides in Carly that Mrs. Gray called his grandmother, and complained that Ross was rude, spied on her, and ate some of her chips - none of which is true.



Carly offers to have the food delivered to Mrs. Gray by someone else, but Ross insists he'll do it, because his grandmother is a stickler about respecting your elders.

The next day, when Ross delivers Mrs. Gray's Smoky Steals the Bacon sandwich, with extra chips, he finds Mrs. Gray dead.....her head bashed in with a frying pan. Police Chief Fred Holloway takes Ross in for questioning, and Carly fears the young man will be arrested for murder.



Carly is certain Ross is innocent, so she decides to investigate herself, against the advice of all her friends and family. Carly's previous investigations endangered her life, and everyone fears this could happen again.

Carly learns that the victim, Mrs. Octavia Gray, was disliked by almost everyone in Balsam Del. So Carly enlists the help of journalist Don Frasco, who's always looking for a story, to help her investigate.



Carly manages to interview and collect information about a number of possible suspects, including:

Tara Gray Shepard - Octavia's stepdaughter, who's opening a pocketbook store called Pugs and Purses. Tara resented Octavia for giving away expensive handbags that had belonged to Tara's deceased mother.



Sawyer Gray - Octavia's stepson, who needed money to finance his kitchen supplies store, and might have expected to benefit from Octavia's will.



Mrs. Imogene Hughes and her adult son Mark Hughes - Octavia's neighbors, who were forced to move a fence at Octavia's insistence.



Lois Feeney - a woman whose husband had an affair with Octavia.



In fact, in her younger days, Octavia had targeted many married men, so any number of women resented her.

In between running her restaurant and investigating Octavia's death, Carly visits with her mother Rhonda; hangs out with her best friend Gina; chitchats with her landlady Joyce; plays with her pooch Havarti; and plans for the future with her boyfriend Ari. Carly also makes the acquaintance of baker Nina Cyr, and considers featuring Nina's specialty cookies in Carly' Grilled Cheese Eatery.





This is a good addition to the grilled cheese mysteries, with recipes for Raspberry Sizzle and Zesty Pesto grilled cheese sandwiches.


Raspberry Sizzle Grilled Cheese Sandwich


Zesty Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Thanks to Netgalley, Linda Reilly, and Beyond the Page Publishing for a copy of the book.

Rating: 3 stars