Lost and Fondue (Cheese Shop Mystery Book 2)

this is the second entry in series of culinary mysteries set in a gourmet cheese shop, in Lost and Fondue, Charlotte Bessette, amateur sleuth and cheese shop owner, is supporting the arts. Her friend and her cousins girlfriend, schoolteacher Meredith Vance has decided to turn the old winery in town into a college. Meredith's brother ,Freddy, and her niece, Quinn have come with a bunch of art students display their artwork in a fund raiser for the new college. Bigshot jerk, Hawker Fontanne, causing s fights and breaks up with Quinn durning the festivities, he is later found by Charlotte stuffed behind a fake wall, strangled to death with Quinn's scarf. Making her the prime suspect. Charlotte decides to get to the bottom of this, helped by her assistant Rebecca, the detective show nut, and resident computer genius, Bozz. In this continuation of the series, I find it a great story and whodunit. I like how these "cozy" mysteries, even dial down with the graphics and violence, can still have an entertaining, page mystery with an interesting and realistic cast of characters. This one along with the first did not disappoint.

This is the second book in the series. the first book was fair, but this one was almost unreadable. I did finish it, but all the flaws in the first book were super magnified in this second one. First of all, the heroine, Charlotte, owns a cheese shop. She is 34, going on 13. It is inconceivable to me how a successful businesswoman can have so many enemies, and people that she likes so little. Her bitchy and snarky comments about everyone is extremely tiresome. The author's knowledge of police procedures is laughable, and the police chief is such an idiot that he lets Charlotte and one of her employees burst into the interview room while he is interrogating a woman suspect who is the niece of her best friend. Charlotte 'demands' that he 'release her at once!' After this, the chief still allows her to stay while he finishes the 'interrogation.' Of course, he has decided that the suspect is guilty even though she is a college-age girl and the murder victim, who was strangled, is a college man who is athletic and 'hunky'. The author explains this is plausible because the girl had a black belt in karate. Later, the suspect is let out on bail, but is 'rearrested' when the police chief finds an old letter from the girl to the victim saying she 'hopes he chokes on his overinflated ego.' You don't get 'rearrested' unless you violate the terms of your bail agreement..... but it's all OK because five pages later the girl is (without explanation) out in public with her father.The plot was far fetched, Charlotte goes off half cocked repeatedly, and the final crisis scene is laughable, it's so bad. There's a lot of mumbo-jumbo about symbolism around the murder, with the scene so carefully staged beforehand -- it all involves a symbolic wall being built in a cellar, and fake jewels getting strewn around the body..... I could go on and on.Give this one a miss.

I started the series with the first book in the Cheese Shop Mystery series, "The Long Quiche Goodbye". I was pleasantly surprised at the wonderful characters that Avery Aames has created. You immediately feel for Charlotte, the main character and as you learn about her family members you care for them and are interested to see how things will involve them. Many mysteries today are written so that you can figure out the ending so early on that it makes no sense to read on. Miss Aames is terrific at the red herring, leaving you guessing until the end as to who the murderer is. The plot is involved and keeps your interest throughout. These stories are some of my favorites because as much as I enjoy the mystery, I also enjoy the characters and really want to know what will happen next.The cheese shop aspect is very interesting and you can tell that that Miss Aames has done her research. I learned a lot about cheese and wine and enjoy learning new things especially when they are presented in an enjoyable way.I cannot recommend this book and this whole series highly enough. If you at looking for a fun, light read, but something that is well written enough to hold your attention, you will LOVE this series!

Our sleuth, Charlotte Bessette, is busy with her "The Cheese Shop" when a murder of a budding artist, plops her in the midst of a murder investigation.There is much, I adore about this book. The introduction of cheeses and wines throughout the pages keeps my taste sense engaged, while the pace of the action of the characters, keep my mind involved. The combination makes this book a read in one sitting novel for me.The references to Edgar Allan Poe was intriguing and I found myself remembering his books fondly. I found the Poe trivia fascinating as well and learned facts I did not know prior. It tied in with the current murder beautifully.I found myself also enjoying the friendships that evolve in "Lost and Fondue." The respect given to the Chief of Police is appreciated and his to Charlotte as well add a nice dimension to the tale.I'm eagerly awaiting, Ms. Aames next novel, "Clobbered by Camembert." Until then, I'll content myself trying out the delicious recipes (I've already tried the quiche.) Lost and Fondue (CHEESE SHOP MYSTERY)

The second book in the Cheese Shop mystery series featuring Charlotte Bessette, and it's just as tasty as the first! Many of the characters from 'The Long Quiche Goodnight' make a return appearance and there is a lot of fun, and some angst, in seeing how the relationships between them progress. There are numerous twists and turns in the mystery story of 'Lost and Fondue', a couple of times I thought I had the culprit pegged only to discover their alibis revealed a few pages later. Aside from the mystery, the descriptions of the cheeses and other foods on sale in Fromagerie Bessette are informative and sound delicious.Looking forward to being 'Clobbered by Camembert' next year :D