Mildred Abbott – författare

Christmas week sparkles with holiday decorations, sweet potato pie, lively tourists, and murder…

Estes Park is a wonderland of twinkling lights and softly falling snow, and Winifred Page wants nothing more than to snuggle up in the mystery room with Watson at her feet—after all, Katie’s pastries are tempting pieces of heaven, especially beside a warm fire. But Christmas is fast approaching, and Fred is out on a cold morning visiting neighboring stores and planning a celebration at the Cozy Corgi Bookshop and Bakery.

Fred is welcoming the holiday spirit and appreciating the friendships, love, and support she’s found during her first year in her new hometown. But the night’s festivities become a scene for local drama, and by morning a trip to the magic shop to collect a present has Fred and Watson stumbling upon a murder scene. In an unexpected twist, Fred is asked to investigate, but the suspect list keeps growing, and every one of them would give Ebenezer Scrooge a run for his money.

With Fred still coming to grips with a recent betrayal, shifting through all the curmudgeons to crack the case may take more holiday magic than she and Watson possess.

Estes Park, Colorado: picturesque mountains, charming shops, delightful bakeries, a cozy bookstore … and murder.

Winifred Page and her corgi, Watson, move to Estes Park to hit the Reset button on life. Fred is about to open her dream bookshop, and the only challenges she anticipates are adjusting to small-town life, tourists, and living close to her loveable mother, Phyllis, and hippy stepfather, Barry.

When Fred steps into her soon-to-be-bookshop for the first time, she expects dust bunnies and spiders … not the dead body in the upstairs kitchen. The local police have an easy suspect—Barry.

Determined to prove quirky Barry innocent of murder, Fred puts on her detective hat, and with Watson by her side, she explores her new town and gets acquainted with her fellow shopkeepers. Could one of her friendly neighbors be the real culprit? And what would be the motive for killing the owner of the Sinful Bites candy store? The secrets Fred discover put her at odds with the local police sergeant and threaten her cozy future in Estes.

With snow falling outside, all Fred wants to do is curl up by the fire with a good book and Watson snuggled at her feet. But before she can begin her new life and put her plans for her bookshop into action, Fred and Watson have a mystery to solve …

It’s Christmas in Estes Park, Colorado: cozy fires, twinkling lights, soft snowfall … and murder.

The winter holidays in charming Estes Park lulls Winifred Page and her corgi, Watson, into thoughts of spiced chai and gingerbread as they settle into their new home. Fred’s dream bookshop is becoming a reality, and with Christmas only days away, her only concerns are spending time with family, enforcing Watson’s diet, and finding the perfect gifts.

The toy store beckons Fred and her friend Katie, who dash in out of the cold, during a shopping spree to discover handmade toys, cuddly stuffed animals … and a dying man on the floor.

When Katie’s desperate attempts to save the man ends in her being taken in for his murder, Fred once again dons her detective hat. She puts aside her Christmas list and—with Watson sniffing around—begins a list of suspects. But as quickly as clues point to one person, new discoveries shift the spotlight to another.

With Katie’s freedom in the balance, Fred has little time to think about gifts or to enjoy the holiday lights and music. A killer is on the loose, one who became violent in a picture-perfect Christmas toy shop, and Fred and Watson can’t begin to predict what might happen next …

Rocky Mountain National Park has it all: rugged peaks, pine-scented forests, enchanting bird-watching locations … and murder.

The Cozy Corgi bookshop finally opens, and Winifred Page and her headstrong corgi, Watson, are ready to welcome their first patrons. With her new best friend, Katie, creating heavenly pastries in the bakery on the top floor of the store, Fred’s dreams are all coming together in delicious and unexpected ways.

When Katie caters a meeting of the Feathered Friends Brigade and drags Fred along, they expect nothing more than loquacious chatter about birds as they endeavor to build a professional relationship with the owner of the wild bird shop. Fred and Katie are quickly roped into a moonlight snowshoeing hike in hopes of spotting a rare owl. While the endangered bird proves elusive … the murdered man in the snow is hard to miss.

Fred’s growing relationship with Sergeant Wexler hits a snag when he forbids her from donning her sleuth hat yet again. But Fred is a lot like her corgi—she doesn’t like being told what to do, even if it puts an end to a possible romance.

As Fred and Watson delve into the lives of the ornithological club members, the tangled birds’ nest of an investigation makes Fred wonder if she should have left this one to the police. But when feathers begin to fly, Fred has no choice but to flush out a killer …

A celebratory weekend at a historic inn brings a blizzard, delicious cornbread, a cozy fire, and a murder… or two…

Winifred Page and her sidekick corgi, Watson, join an assortment of family and friends to celebrate her uncles’ anniversary at Baldpate Inn, nestled above Estes Park, Colorado. A blizzard is approaching, but the prospect of being snowed in means more time in the lovely mountain retreat—complete with river rock fireplaces, log cabin rooms, and a collection of thousands of keys from around the world.

With the blizzard raging outside the rustic inn, the early arrival of a knitting group adds a touch of drama, but nothing can unravel the cozy party spirit. Even when the power goes out, the merrymaking continues by lantern light. But in the flickering shadows and twisting hallways, relationships transform, secrets are uncovered, and death comes calling.

A weekend of glittering celebration unlocks a storm of change for Fred and Watson…

Estes Park is fired up by a new coffee shop and pottery studio bringing chocolate espresso pastries, fierce competitive spirits, and murder …

Winifred Page might feel apprehension as she steps into the Koffee Kiln—Carla Beaker’s new charming coffee shop and pottery studio—but her corgi sidekick, Watson, welcomes the idea of a new place for snacks. With Carla’s disdain for the Cozy Corgi Bookshop and Bakery, Fred fears the caffeine will come with a side of drama. What she finds is delicious chocolate espresso scones, decaf coffee … and a dead body.

As Fred and Watson fire up their investigative savvy, they face down one of Estes Park’s cold-hearted matriarchs. To solve a murder, Fred must confront her own insecurities as she navigates the tangled coils of obsessions, business deals, and betrayals.

(This culinary cozy mystery includes a recipe for a sinfully delicious chocolate espresso torte.)

As the summer tourist season begins, downtown Estes Park bustles with celebrations, inventions, pastries, and murder …

Winifred Page’s twin brothers-in-law are finally ready to open their invention shop right next to the Cozy Corgi Bookshop and Bakery. But the noise level is keeping customers away from the bookshop and driving Fred and her corgi sidekick, Watson, out of their minds.

Adding to her stress, family and friends are gearing up to celebrate Fred’s fortieth birthday—not that she’s overly concerned about her age … Mere hours after entering her new decade of life, resentments reach an explosive level as downtown Estes Park is rocked by a fearsome calamity.

As the shop owners of Elkhorn Avenue come to grips with the crisis, Fred and Watson are pulled into the investigation. While she’s unsure there’s a murder to solve, Fred soon discovers a host of secrets and lies …

(This culinary cozy mystery includes a recipe for tasty cream puffs.)

As the summer tourist season begins, downtown Estes Park bustles with celebrations, inventions, pastries, and murder …

Winifred Page’s twin brothers-in-law are finally ready to open their invention shop right next to the Cozy Corgi Bookshop and Bakery. But the noise level is keeping customers away from the bookshop and driving Fred and her corgi sidekick, Watson, out of their minds.

Adding to her stress, family and friends are gearing up to celebrate Fred’s fortieth birthday—not that she’s overly concerned about her age … Mere hours after entering her new decade of life, resentments reach an explosive level as downtown Estes Park is rocked by a fearsome calamity.

As the shop owners of Elkhorn Avenue come to grips with the crisis, Fred and Watson are pulled into the investigation. While she’s unsure there’s a murder to solve, Fred soon discovers a host of secrets and lies …

(This culinary cozy mystery includes a recipe for tasty cream puffs.)

Summer in Estes Park is filled with tourists, wildlife, pastries, and scandal …

The Chipmunk Chronicles, the local newspaper, has a new gossip column—and gossip is great for the Cozy Corgi Bookshop and Bakery. Though infuriated by the way people are treated by the column’s author, Winifred Page can’t help wondering about the outrageous revelations. Fred’s grumpy corgi, Watson, however, is more concerned with an endless search for treats than the rumors flying around town.

When Gerald Jackson, a less-than-brilliant local lawyer, is featured in the column, people begin to suspect he’s working the town over in a quest for wealth rather than fighting for justice. As his status sinks, others are pulled under with him—people Fred loves.

For once, Fred and Watson are cajoled into investigation mode not for murder, but to help clear her friends’ names and their tarnished reputations. But while the greed and secret dealings in the dark she uncovers bring more questions than answers, murder finds a way to make an appearance after all …

(This culinary cozy mystery includes a recipe for crispy, golden empanadas.)

Summer in Estes Park is filled with tourists, wildlife, pastries, and scandal …

The Chipmunk Chronicles, the local newspaper, has a new gossip column—and gossip is great for the Cozy Corgi Bookshop and Bakery. Though infuriated by the way people are treated by the column’s author, Winifred Page can’t help wondering about the outrageous revelations. Fred’s grumpy corgi, Watson, however, is more concerned with an endless search for treats than the rumors flying around town.

When Gerald Jackson, a less-than-brilliant local lawyer, is featured in the column, people begin to suspect he’s working the town over in a quest for wealth rather than fighting for justice. As his status sinks, others are pulled under with him—people Fred loves.

For once, Fred and Watson are cajoled into investigation mode not for murder, but to help clear her friends’ names and their tarnished reputations. But while the greed and secret dealings in the dark she uncovers bring more questions than answers, murder finds a way to make an appearance after all …

(This culinary cozy mystery includes a recipe for crispy, golden empanadas.)

Halloween creeps in, bringing costumes, carbs, and a corpse or two …

Estes Park is bustling with fall tourists as Winifred and Katie deck out the Cozy Corgi Bookstore and Bakery, while corgi mascot, Watson, helps in his own special way—snacking, napping, and being his adorable grumpy self.

When Fred and Leo’s date at the romantic restaurant, Pasta Thyme, leads to an invitation of a murder scene, instead of ghouls and goblins, Fred is haunted by ghosts from the past. Death might lurk around every corner as Fred investigates motives of infidelity, jealousy, and the dark shadow cast by a crime syndicate.

By the time Halloween night arrives, not everyone will get out alive …

(This culinary cozy mystery includes a recipe for luscious tiramisu.)