UP TO NO GOUDA

Eschewing her beloved cats, last seen in The Girl With the Kitten Tattoo (2020), Reilly debuts a cheesy new series.

After the death of her husband, Carly Hale returns to her charming Vermont hometown and opens her dream restaurant devoted to all things grilled cheese. All goes well until her new landlord, Lyle Bagley, gives her notice that he plans to turn her shop into a boutique run by his girlfriend, Tiffany. When Tiffany finds Lyle dead in the alley behind the restaurant, Carly’s an obvious suspect, but there are many others who hated Lyle. Unfortunately, one of them is Carly’s valued worker, Suzanne, whose dicey position makes Carly decide to do a bit of sleuthing. The police chief is an old family friend who takes time from a rash of high-end burglaries to warn Carly to be careful. It turns out that Lyle was a dishonest slum landlord whose adoring secretary did his bidding and that his half brother, who’s still furious over not getting their father’s Cadillac, is back in town. The editor of the town’s free weekly newspaper, whom Carly once babysat, wants her to team up with him to find the killer. Getting help from friends who go all the way back to high school, Carly apparently spooks the culprit, whose threatening notes suggest that she may be slated to be the next victim.

The appended specialty grilled cheese recipes and a hint of romance add spice to a promising new series.