Journalist Alex Grant is enjoying the last days of her summer holiday in Croatia when she is accosted by an old school friend, Marie Puharich, and her odious brother, Brian, both there to attend the funeral of their fearsome grandfather’s two loyal retainers. The only upside of the whole sorry business is meeting Marco, the family’s resident adonis.
An incorrigible foodie, Alex is unable to resist Brian’s invitation to visit the family creamery in Australia’s south-west to snoop around for stories and eat her body weight in brie. But trouble has a way of finding Alex, not least because her curiosity is the size of a giant gouda wheel.
What begins as a country jaunt in search of a juicy story will end in death, disaster and the destruction of multiple pairs of shoes.
Read some great reviews from our Preview readers here:
Fromage, by Sally Scott, is a rollicking read that can be easily devoured in one sitting. Freelance journalist Alex Grant instantly grabs the reader by the hand and embarks on a mystery surrounding an old friend from school Marie and her not so delectable brother Brian. Scott transports her readers to the sights and sounds of sizzling summer days in Croatia and then whisks them away to the sticky family saga at a creamery in the Margaret River in Western Australia. Alex’s perceptive skills in finding stunning shoes, creamy cheese and delicious wine makes her adventures all the more pleasurable to follow along with. However, when the dead bodies start to accumulate the reader begins to wonder as to how she can possibly defy the odds and keep herself, and her stilettos, in one piece. Scott has created a fabulous mystery story that is packed with action, humour and lovable characters. Fromage is a delightful novel that needs to be consumed with just the right amount of your favourite creamy cheese and a glass of velvety wine – delicious! Genene, SA, 5 Stars
Fromage was an enjoyable light-hearted read, that kept my interest from start to finish. Freelance journalist and food critic Alex Grant is enjoying a break in Croatia when she runs into an old school friend. From that moment on she is caught up in the mysteries of their family cheese empire and the many layers of hostility and fractured family relationships that go along with it both in Croatia and on returning to Australia. Alex is an excellent heroine who doesn’t take herself too seriously. She is feisty and hilarious and willing to sacrifice her favourite shoes to get a good story. Sally Scott has a casual, friendly writing style that is fun and easy to read. The story-line is unique, and I loved the armchair travel to Croatia and Margaret River and of cause the 90’s nostalgia. I thoroughly enjoyed Fromage and can’t wait to read more of Alex’s adventures. Debbie, NSW, 5 Stars
Sally Scott’s Fromage is a hilarious romp of detective story filled with questionable Croatian characters, delectable cheese, a policeman housemate and multiple pairs of shoes. A bonus armchair travel element takes us from the Adriatic sands to the natural beauty of the Margaret River region. Full of larger than life characters, and hilarious situations, Alex hits journalistic gold when events take a deadly turn. What I loved about Alex was her strong sense of self which is unwavering throughout her adventures. Fromage is a thoroughly enjoyable novel and the perfect light hearted antidote to lockdown. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Better Reading and Fremantle Press for introducing me to another fantastic female Australian author. I look forward to more from Sally Scott! Imogen, VIC, 5 Stars
A delightful and perky adventure that takes us from Croatia to Margaret River. I very much enjoyed the opportunity to be provided with more information and examples of what what happening along the way. The adventure unfolds by meeting up with an old friend and her brother while in Croatia. Then upon returning to Western Australia the adventure starts up with her keen journalist skills locating criminal activity while enjoying her favourite pastime – eating (this time cheese). Trouble follows her but luck is always on her side and bad guys are caught and she winds up with an amazing story of here adventures eating and drinking around Margaret River. Dale, VIC, 5 Stars
Set in the 1990’s, Alex Grant is a freelance journalist, confirmed foodie and lover of shoes. Whilst on a self-indulgent sojourn in Croatia, Alex is serendipitously met by an old school friend who’s embroiled in a family drama. Unwittingly drawn into this old, established and patriarchal family, Alex is swept along the tides of the family attempting to preserve their name by refuting murder accusations. An explanation of Croatian culture is a perfect inclusion to provide relevant background and context and adds interest to how other parts of the world works. The return to Australia and the Margaret River region brings a familiarity to readers, particularly from Western Australia, and explores some of the region’s business and leisure attributes. Period perfect with relevant Nokia phone models and use of public payphones evoke memories of days past. Very witty and laugh-out-loud moments in this enjoyable read. Although a crime novel with some grim scenes, the light heartedness and likeability of the main character Alex as the inadvertent detective brings a lightness to the story. Thoroughly recommend! Thank you to Fremantle Press for the opportunity to read and review this book. Merilyn, WA, 5 Stars
Fromage by Sally Scott is quite possibly the best book I have ever read! Alex Grant is funny and has all of the attributes of the modern woman, including divine taste in shoes. The book will have you laughing out loud on one page then holding your breath on the next as she manages to wriggle out of another tricky and dangerous situation. Excellent characterisations you can picture the handsome Marco and steady Brian…Whats a fabulous story, I can hardly wait for the next book in the series and hope there will be many more…Excellent! Sharon, NSW, 5 Stars
This was a fantastic read and thank you to Better Reading Preview, Fremantle Press and author Sally Scott for my copy. The story had me hooked by chapter 2 and also snorting and giggling my way through the book. I loved the humour, even the black humour had me laughing and the references to Brian’s rather large nose throughout the book were a crack up. If you’re a food lover this book will have you drooling over the dishes and I’m amazed the main character Alex could eat so much. Alex has a passion for food, especially cheese which makes her an excellent food critic, but she’s also super nosey which makes her a great journalist. I loved the scenes where Alex goes sleuthing Ninja style, these had me laughing but also there were tense moments where she truly put herself in danger spying on the crazy Croatians. The first part of the story is in Croatia, which I found really interesting and entertaining. Then the story goes to Perth and “down south”. The author captures Perth and the south of WA really well and the description of the painfully slow drive down to Margaret River in the 90’s was spot on. There are some gorgeous guys in the book too and why oh why does Alex’s hunky/cook/Policeman friend have to be gay, he’s sooo perfect. A lot of fun, food and a great juicy story with some dangerous undercurrents was such an enjoyable read. My only tiny gripe, I wouldn’t complain if the book was a little longer and would have loved to find out more about Alex’s story she writes about her adventure. Tracy, WA, 5 Stars
Fromage by Sally Scott is a surprisingly fun read. Set predominantly in Australia’s prestigious Margaret River region, the narrative follows the ever-inquisitive Alex Grant’s quest to uncover the true reason behind the success of the Puharich family business. With her penchant for a good story (and good cheese), Alex quickly embroils herself in complex family dynamics in the pursuit of truth, which has deadly consequences. The juxtaposition of Alex’s witty, comedic prose against the sheer seriousness of the book’s themes make this a highly enjoyable read. It is the perfect blend of mystery and comedy, with touches of crime, drama and adventure. What a delectable delight – thank you Better Reading for the advanced copy! Sarah, VIC, 4 Stars
Two old high school friends reunite on a beach in Croatia, thousands of kilometers away from their home in WA, Australia. While Alex is reluctant to reenter the life of her one time best friend, Marie Puharich, she finds herself pulled along in the wake of drama that surrounds the Puharich family. Alex Grant, Freelance Journalist, finds herself intrigued by the secrecy and danger surrounding her friend’s family, the Puharich cheese making dynasty. Much cheese is eaten and shoes destroyed as she finds herself in the beautiful, Margaret River. But is a love of cheese worth putting your life in danger? You won’t be disappointed…where Alex Grant goes, chaos ensues. Joanna, VIC, 4 Stars
So this was quite the surprise package ! You would think by the title, the book would be swimming in cheese, BUT it isn’t and the the cheese in the story is perfectly distributed. Alex Grant is a young 20 something freelance journo and food reviewer who we find on an amazing last hurrah holiday in Croatia. She runs into a brother and sister scenario she knew from school that maybe she could have done without. This chance meeting sends Alex’s world into a spin of murder, mayhem and cheese of course. Set around the amazing coastal towns of Margaret River, Gracetown and Prevelly of WA’s south west, the story really appealed to me being a lover of this area of my home state. It was a really easy read, and I hardly put it down, wanting to find out what was around the corner of each page for Alex. Some interesting turns of events find Alex risking her life for the story of a lifetime. Recommend the read for a something light and likeable. Suzie, WA, 4 Stars
What a fantastic read!!! I probably say that about every book, but every book deserves praise when you enjoy it. I am looking forward to more books in this series, as I absolutely was drawn to this one. You certainly can’t beat mysteries, and this one was no different. Annette, NSW, 4 Stars
I really liked Alex and found her relatable with her penchant for good food (especially cheese, which is where all the trouble starts…) But how she can eat so much and not end up as big as a hippo is a mystery I wish I had the answer to! The shoe fixation I don’t share so much – if it was boots rather than shoes in general I’d get it, but undoubtedly there’s plenty of people who have the same addiction who will find all the footwear descriptions fascinating. I look forward to the next installment of the Alex Grant Mysteries. Ayesha, NSW, 4 Stars
Fromage is great fun, a cozy style mystery set in Croatia and the Margaret River region. Alex Grant reconnects with an old school friend, Marie Puharich, on a Croatian beach, only to find herself persuaded to attend a family funeral. Alex finds the deaths of the family’s loyal retainers puzzling. Returning to WA, she decides to visit the Puharich family’s creamery in Margaret River in search of answers and a scoop. Alex is a feisty journo who loves cheese and shoes and goes through a quite a lot of both traipsing around the creamery, farm and surf beaches. An Australian sister-in-crime to Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum To tell the truth, I was hooked the moment I read the first line of the author’s bio ‘born in the shadow of Mt Roland’. Sally Scott has had a varied career but has returned to her first love, writing. I for one am very pleased that she did, and I look forward to the future adventures of Alex Grant. Terese, TAS, 4 Stars
I did enjoy Fromage by Sally Scott, in particular the cheese descriptions and WA scenery! However, at just over 200 pages, it did feel a little like the action was being rushed through and this affected character development. Despite that it was a rattling good mystery with enough twists and turns to keep me interested. Anne-Marie, VIC, 4 Stars
Not your ordinary crime/mystery story. More light and bright than dark and doom. Alex is a likeable character with many flaws that she happily admits to. Being too nosy for her own good is one of them. And it gets her in to a spot of bother or two! An easy and fun read. Katrina, VIC, 4 Stars
Oh, Sally Scott… I can’t wait for the next Alex Grant mystery. You had my interest from the very first chapter. I could feel the sand on the Croatian beach…and could well understand why Alex had chosen to holiday there.. after all “Turkish coffee cost fifty cents and fabulous antipasto platters filled my stomach for about four dollars.” While relaxing, Alex was surprised by a chance meeting with old friends resulting in an invitation to a funeral for a couple she had never met. Her journalistic curiosity couldn’t resist, nor the invite to visit their Australian creamery. How could a passionate cheese lover and food reviewer resist? Besides Alex still had her doubts about what had happened to the elderly couple.. Baba Tete, who looked after the Puharich family, reminded me of my own formerly European Nona… extremely loyal to family, not always to newcomers. Would Alex ever find the truth she was looking for.. and just how many pairs of shoes would it take? Shoes, dear reader, are an obsession with Alex, but I’ll leave you to enjoy that as the story unfolds. I am so looking forward to “Oranges and Lemons” .. the next of Alex’s adventures. Chris, QLD, 4 Stars
Fromage was a fun, light hearted take on a murder mystery in the Aussie cheesemaking region of the Margaret River. The fun and very single Alex cannot help herself but get involved in a juicy story. Especially if that scoop may or may not lead to a liaison with a handsome man or a not so handsome one if that is what it takes to get to the bottom of the cheese vat. Or in her case a very murky cheesy Croatian story that starts whilst on holidays in Croatia and then oozes into a more interesting twist at home in Perth. Her lovable friend Ben, adds to her backstory, as does her family ties, a free-spirited mother and a law enforcing father. These are what add a little bit of flavour to the idiosyncrasies of her lifestyle as a 30 something single female freelance journalist. It is a quick read that will leave you satisfied that justice will be done and you can still enjoy a nice wine and cheese straight afterwards! Gillian, QLD, 4 Stars
I found this an easy read with something to interest everyone. A little bit of travel, a little bit of romance, little bit of humour, a little bit of mystery and of course a little bit of crime with some twists and turns. I share some common ground with the main character; Alex Grant. I am also a lover of cheese; I am also not into cooking myself but love food. I did at some point in my life also share her love of footwear. This story is set initially in Croatia and then moves to the Australian Wine region of the Margaret River. Whilst holidaying in Croatia; Alex by chance runs into an old school friend; Marie Puharich. Alex’s dysfunctional family seems vanilla when compared to that of the Puharich clan. Now that I have read the first of the Alex Grant mystery series I look forward to the next edition; Oranges and Lemons when it is released. Thank you to Fremantle Press and Better Reading for an advance copy in exchange for my review. Vicki, QLD, 4 Stars
The protagonist is Alex Grant – journalist and food reviewer. Alex is impulsive, somewhat naïve, somewhat quirky, and has an uncanny ability to often be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The characters Alex encounters along the way have depth of character, meaningful interactions and varying and intriguing personalities and relationships. As a fellow cheese lover, Alex’s vivid descriptions of her cheese tasting opportunities had my mouth watering!! It’s a light hearted read, amusing in parts, surprising in parts and whilst somewhat unbelievable in parts, it’s written in such a way that you can just enjoy the ride and not over analyse it too much. There is another book in the series on its way and I look forward to continuing the Alex Grant journey. Bree, NSW, 4 Stars
What a fun book! Sally Scott writes with a subtle humour, often at the expense of her protagonist, Alex Grant. Grant is a travel and food journalist, with tastes beyond her humble earnings and a prodigious appetite for both food and danger. I look forward to reading her future misadventures. The Croatian countryside, cuisine and culture are not often explored in mainstream literature and were consequently a fascinating and welcome change from New York, London, or even Sydney. Alex hails from Perth, which was also interesting to this Melburnian (especially now that we are restricted to travelling within 5km from home!). Appearances are frequently misleading in this tale of wealth, privilege and influence. Although Alex comes from a privileged background herself, she can recognise its misuse by others. The fashion and tech gadgets of the early 90s, are a bit of nostalgic fun, and I cheered for Alex when she felt the need to replace three ruined pairs of shoes with five new ones. Watch out for the scene with the expertly starched panties gusset! (and there’s a sentence I don’t anticipate ever writing again!) Heidi, VIC, 4 Stars
Fromage is an entertaining mystery with a likeable lead character. Cheese and fine food and wine feature heavily and Alex’s enjoyment of these was refreshing. I enjoyed the locations in Croatia and Margaret River. I think Fromage would be a great holiday read and I would recommend it to friends looking for an enjoyable mystery. Julie, NSW, 4 Stars
Fromage is a wonderful novel to read as I felt like I was on holiday when reading it. I was giggling through the ‘cheesy’ humour which made me feel relaxed and happy. Alex Grant is a great character who is funny, in your face honest and never gives up on solving a mystery. Her love for food, a good story for her freelance journalism job and sleuth detective work takes the reader to scenes that are set in Croatia and Margaret River, Australia – A fantastic place to be if you love everything food and travelling. I really enjoyed giggling at the well written funny lines and recommend reading Fromage if you need a smile on your face. Raffaela, VIC, 4 Stars
Alex Grant is sure to become your new Book Bestie. She’s a plucky and cheerful journalist with a steely backbone and a heart of gold, plus a love of cheese and shoes. A girl after my own heart! Alex is ostensibly writing food reviews of the Margaret River region, but she’s really checking out the creamery run by the Puharich family. They claim their cheese is the best, but Alex is sure there is more to their business than meets the eye. Murder and dodgy dealings for sure! Ideal for fans of Janet Evanovich, this is sure to be a hit. Sally Scott has a refreshingly mature style which which keeps the tension building and emotions running high. Can’t wait to read more! Monique, QLD, 4 Stars
Thanks to Better Reading and Fremantle Press for my copy of Fromage by Sally Scott. Starting on the Dalmatian coast of Croatia, Alex Grant is enjoying the last day of her holidays when she is confronted by an old school friend who desires her support to face an upcoming funeral. Marie’s grandfather is burying his faithful retainers and she believes something is amiss. Alex would prefer to say no but Brian, Marie’s brother and Alex’s prior suitor, refuses to accept a no and in true arrogant Croatian male style arranges to collect Alex. At the funeral Alex’s journalistic instincts are aroused. As she leaves Brian extends an invitation for her to visit the family’s creamery in Margaret River WA. Once back in WA Alex realises there might be a story and decides to investigate the family business. Accepting the invitation she sets in motions a series of events that finally leave her traumatised and in the middle of a special crime investigation. Sally has woven an interesting and fast paced plot with a lot of humour. From the very first page the reader is drawn into the storyline, needing to find out who is involved in the secret activities. It is a very easy and enjoyable read. I’m looking forward to more Alex Grant mysteries. Michael, ACT, 4 Stars
This was a fun mystery with some really decadent descriptions of cheese. I’d almost be willing to put up with the murderous family if it meant getting access to that cheese! I didn’t find it hard to guess who the murderer was, but there were only a very small number of suspects, which is probably a downside to having the murders take place in such a tight-knit family. There were a few points where I thought perhaps things could have been taken a bit further – for example, when Alex loses the bow off her shoes while spying, nobody ever seems to find it. Having someone find it at the crime scene would have been an ideal opportunity to ramp up the tension and get Alex into more trouble. This was an amusing read, and I recommend having some good cheese on hand while you read! Helen, VIC, 3 Stars
I enjoyed the main character Alex learning getting to know the other characters overseas on holiday in Croatia before the action really started closer to her hometown. Fans of shoes and or cheese should give this book a try. And whilst I tried to ignore some of the silly shoe choices in a murder mystery book, I did enjoy what the side characters brought to the story. I’d suggest this book if you need a light pool side or lockdown distraction read. Probably best to have a platter of cheese ready to graze on as you read, I know it gave me cheese cravings! Fiona, VIC, 3 Stars
The first novel in the Alex Grant series, Fromage is a snazzy whodunnit tale, perfect for fans of Kerry Greenwood. Featuring a brazen amateur sleuth who also works as a food journalist, Fromage follows the colourful antics of this keen-eyed reporter as she delves headfirst into a big mystery case. Murder, danger, mayhem, speculation, confusion, intent, mystery, underhanded antics, culinary delights and travel forms the basis of this debut novel. With lots of pizzazz, a side serving of fun and plenty of good food references, Fromage offers something a little different in the cozy crime department. Featuring a solid cast and a likeable lead, who you can easily imagine sharing a good bottle of wine and some mouthwatering cheese with, Fromage offers the reader an immersive experience. I enjoyed following Alex on her unexpected but raring adventure to get to the bottom of a perplexing mystery case. With the additional appeal of some Croatian travel sequences, plus plenty of well-known West Australian based location references and some 1990s nostalgia, Fromage is smooth and palatable crime tale. Take a chance on this engaging and sharp series opener, it might take you by surprise! Amanda, WA, 3 Stars
Fromage by Sally Scott takes us from the sunny summer beaches in Croatia, to freezing winter beaches in Western Australia, all the while drinking wine and eating cheese. Alex, the main character is a sassy, independent mid-thirties woman with a penchant for sniffing out a good story and getting into trouble. Her work as a food writer who dabbles in investigative journalism has given her the perfect skills to investigate the strange occurrences that seem to surround a cheese-producing family from her past. This book is the perfect balance of mystery and humour, would definitely recommend. Aidan, NSW, 3 Stars
I always like to read a new author and was excited to get my hands on Fromage by Sally Scott. It wasn’t a bad book but I wouldn’t say it was one of my favourites. I enjoyed the storyline and I liked the characters but I don’t think they had much depth. Alex’s like of food and shoes is nice but it feels disjointed with no real explanation as to why she likes them. I did like the interaction between Alex and her friend Ben. It was witty but there was also a sense of care and friendship there. The crime part of the story was a bit predictable. I like something that takes me awhile to figure out. I liked it but I didn’t love it. Denise, SA, 3 Stars
Fromage. Just the name got me excited. This is a fun book, not too long with a bit of food thrown in, so to speak. Alex, a journalist and lover of food ends up in Western Australia, uncovering murder along the way. Looking for one story about food (cheese in particular) she stumbles across a bigger and better story becoming an amateur detective in the process. This is an easy to read murder mystery which isn’t over the top with blood and guts. It is a bit of fun, a bit of suspense and a bit tasty. This is a good, easy and fun book to read when you don’t want something heavy, full-on and long-winded. A kind of cosy mystery I would say. Donna, TAS, 3 Stars
Alex Grant is a journalist and food reviewer. She seems to attract danger and chaos wherever she goes. While on holiday in Croatia she runs into an old school friend Marie Puharich and her brother Brian. The Puharich family is a wealthy family who is the biggest manufacturer and exporter of cheese in the Eastern block, including to Australia. The facility in Margaret River exports to Southeast Asia. On meeting the siblings they convince her to attend a family funeral the next day. There she meets their cousin Marco who is an Adonis. They invite her to visit the facility in Margaret River, the offer is too good to refuse as she can’t wait to eat her body weight in cheese and to snoop around. She is suspicious of the deaths in Croatia and wants to find out what the Puharich’s are hiding. She goes to Margaret River and gets herself into danger and almost killed. I found the main character Alex annoying and I couldn’t warm to her. Overall the novel was average and was easy to read. Thank you to Better Reading for giving me the opportunity to review this novel. Renae, QLD, 3 Stars
Fromage is entertaining and humourous with good descriptions of scenery and events. I felt I was immersed in the Margaret River area of Western Australia, with a little of Croatia at the start. Alex has oodles of personality and is obsessed with shoes. Unfortunately, several pairs are ruined while she is investigating unusual deaths and activities in the home and headquarters of the Puharich cheese business in Margaret River. Alex, a freelance journalist, doesn’t mind taking risks for an interesting story which adds to the interest. I enjoyed this light read. Sandra, ACT, 3 Stars
Fromage by Sally Scott. This is a light and sometimes very funny read. Alex, a journalist, is a delightful and amusing character. Brian, the main male lead is a strong dependable man. But trouble looms. Get out the cheese and bickies and enjoy Fromage. Light, funny and quite enjoyable. Kim, NSW, 3 Stars
Fromage is Sally Scott’s first novel set in Croatia and the wine and cheese region of Western Australia’s Margaret River and billed as an Alex Grant Mystery. Alex is a journalist and amateur sleuth and the narrator of the story. The plot, however, is fairly thin and I prefer my murder mysteries to have more grit than this one. Perhaps a tighter edit would have removed some of the multitude of adjectives and metaphors which peppered the text. It seems like the author was going for laughs rather than thrills with the her main character’s many flip one-liners. This comedic style of writing seems to be creeping in to a lot of novels aimed at the feminine market lately. I did laugh out loud a couple of times thanks to poor big nosed Brian so an extra star for that. Dianne, QLD, 2 Stars
Not a book I could really get into, even though after reading the blurb on the back cover I thought I would enjoy. The story is about a journalist and food reviewer who whilst on holidays ran into a school friend and attended the funeral of her friends grandfathers assistants. It seems that trouble has found the main character Alex when she visits her friends family business. Heather, NSW, 1 Star
That demonstrates your ability to gather useful information waffle game.