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, … 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…
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Well, you can definitely tell Mildred Abbott is loved by a corgi in real life! This was hands-down one of the best characterizations I’ve ever read of any dog in fiction and also celebrates the unique broofiness and constant hunger of a breed I love to. The characters are great and the small town is amazingly developed too. I’m hooked!
I love how the book starts out, a murder in a book store and I am hooked.
I saw the covers for the series and that brought to mind, Daphne, my in laws dog. She was such a treasure and loved taking long walks, with her short legs, on the flats at Cape Cod. A story that has those extra elements that I can relate to, like a familiar critter, taking place in a book store or a small town, makes it even more interesting.
Cozies seem to have an equal measure of humor and mystery, with some quirky characters that quickly steal my heart. Fred’s story is no exception.
She has come home for a fresh start and her mother and hippie father in law are there to help smooth the way.
And we can’t forget about her faithful companion, Watson. He’s a ginger-furred log, a treat eating beggar.
We also have a very handsome sheriff and the sparks do fly when they meet. No insta love here, so we must continue the series to see how long it takes to break down her defenses.
One dead body + one dead body = more time spent with the sheriff.
Neither snow nor….Fred will do everything she can to solve the mystery.
The characters all have their own quirks and personalities that Meredith Abbot makes shine. The small town comes to life through her words. I was loving her writing and, even though I was traveling, I couldn’t put it down. I can hardly wait to begin Book II, Traitorous Toys. With a title like that, I anticipate some quality play time.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Cruel Candy by Mildred Abbott.
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Great setting, a dear, imminently readable cozy mystery.
When Winifred ‘Fred’ Page moves home to Estes Park, Colorado, it’s because her business arrangement with her best friend came to a halt. Now she’s decided to open her dream bookstore, the property given to her by her stepfather, Barry. When she tours the inside, she discovers the body of the baker next door, Opal. When the police suspect Barry of killing the woman, Fred knows that she – along with her corgi, Watson – need to step in and find a killer before Barry is incarcerated and her mother’s heart broken. But can she do so without the killer finding her first?
Oh, dear. I had hopes for this series, with the cute corgi on the cover. However, those hopes were quickly dashed. Partly because I don’t like drug use of any kind. (Personal and part of my people, so I am not explaining). There are other things to take to help you sleep. I use milk every night. Works like a charm! But trying to justify it here isn’t helping me like this tale at all.
Then there’s the fact that a 38-year-old woman, who’s an ex-professor and ex-big business owner, would turn to jelly when an attractive man was around. Are we sure she’s 38? Why is she acting like a teenager who got her first crush? Twice yet. Speaking of that, I absolutely ABHOR love triangles, which I’ve noted in many reviews. Even if it’s eventually resolved, we would have to go through the excruciating term of her deciding who she wanted. No thank you.
Then there’s another peeve of mine: the ‘evil nemesis’ which shows up right away in the female police officer. Why? You don’t need an evil nemesis to write a good book. There are many out there that don’t have them and are wonderful to read. So this is strike three for the book. But there are so many other things – her mother and Barry, whom couldn’t find the bathroom if they needed it. They are both flaky and I would move far, far away to get away from either of them. Talk about annoying characters. The author also added things in the book that didn’t have anything to do with the story, and it detracted from the mystery. You’ll know what they are when you read it.
I also knew who the killer was the minute they stepped foot on the page. Maybe because I read a lot of mysteries, maybe because it was pretty obvious. This author obviously doesn’t like women, since they were all written as strange, but the men were practically perfect. I really hate dinging authors on first books, and I try to give them a pass, but there is no way I will be reading any more of these in the future. Just no.
Loved It!
new to me author, I will definitely be reading more. First book in this series. It was great, I look forward to reading many more.
A quick, fun read and a photogenic dog.
Cruel Candy is about Winifred “Fred” Page who resets her life by moving home to scenic Estes Park, Colorado and opening a bookstore. Accompanied by her smart, chubby corgi, Watson, she discovers a dead body before the ink is dry on her new store lease.
When the local police zero in on her hippy stepfather, Fred follows the trail of baked goods and clues to solve the mystery and keep her stepfather out of prison. The touristy main street shops are filled with suspects and interesting shopkeepers, one of whom is probably a killer. One by one, she narrows down the possibilities while we get to know the cast of this series.
After spending a lot of time at home the past months talking to my dog, I especially enjoyed the relationship between Fred and Watson. Fred’s internal reactions and conversations with him add to the story and help us learn more about her background.
I look forward to visiting her bookstore often in this long series and getting to know the townspeople all better. There’s a bonus lemon bar recipe at the end of the book!
I found out about these books first by admiring the author’s photos on Instagram. There’s an entire Mildred Abbott account featuring corgis with seasonal props and imaginative settings that crack me up. They also post lots of delicious dessert photos.
Loved the setting in Estes Colorado, Berry was a character you would not forget. At one point in everyone’s life we’d like to hit the reset button like Fred did in this book. Loved her stubborn dog, Watson.
This review is for the audio book.
I started with book two and then went straight on to book three but enjoyed them so much I had to go back to the start of the series to where it all began. Glad I did because otherwise I missed out on a really treat. Having heard the other books I had an idea who I thought the killer was but it didn’t diminish the enjoyment of finding out I was right. I love the characters and the author writes about them so well that you have no problems visualising them and the small town. If it wasn’t for all the murders that take place there it sounds like a nice place to visit, especially if you are a dog lover. The mystery was good and was well thought out giving you plenty of suspects and clues. The cozy Corgi is a fun cozy series that I look forward to adding to my collection.
Winifred, or Fred as she likes to be called is moving back to her home town to start a book shop. With her mother and step father’s help she secures a premises and can move in straight away as the previous owner had died a few months ago and it is standing empty. It is a cute shop sandwiched between two very different sisters and is just what she was looking for. What she wasn’t looking for was the dead body her dog Watson finds in her kitchen or the dead owl in her freezer. With the pot farm growing her basement the police focus on her hippie step father, as owner of the shop he had access to the shop and a long history with the dead woman. Fred with her cop fathers blood running through her veins she can’t sit by and let the police arrest her step father and vows to find the police another suspect. With Watson by her side she goes from shop to shop introducing herself and asking questions, somebody has to know something that will point the finger or feather in a different direction.
I have heard a number of stories read by Angus Hickman and she always leaves me feeling impressed by her talent and skill
I loved this book. It was a well-written and happy story that had me laughing quite a bit. The main character and her dog were really sweet. For the dog lovers, he was in pretty much the whole story. Not one of those where you hardly see the pet at all. I’m off to start Book 2!
I loved this cozy Corgi mystery!!!
Fred and Watson are my new favorite sleuths!!!
I will say that I’ve never seen edibles described so yummy and vegan bakery items described so yucky though lol
I want to cuddle a corgi and read some more mysteries!!!
I love your books!!!
This was a great read, I am really getting into the small town cozy mysteries right now and this was brilliant read and a great start to this series. Winifred ‘Fred’ Page has moved home to Estes Park with a dream of opening a bookshop and living close to her mother Phyllis, and her stepfather, Barry. Upon arriving she manages to make an enemy out of the owner of the Sinful Bites shop who also just so happens to be her business neighbour, Opal, and when Opal turns up dead in Fred’s shop and Barry being questioned as a suspect, she cant help but start to investigate the why and who and clear her stepfathers name.
Following in her late fathers footsteps Fred does her own detective work to try and find the killer in this sleepy little hamlet in Colorado. Together with her little Corgi Watson, who is aptly named they discover more than they bargained for and I have to say I had no idea who the murder was until it all came into place at the end.
Mildred Abbott has weaved a great small town cozy mystery series, with great characters and I honestly cant wait to pick up book two for more of Fred and Watson’s adventures.
5 stars
Cruel Candy is so funny and so much fun! It’s the perfect start to what I’m sure is a great cozy mystery series. Once you read this one, I’m sure you, like I, will want to read the whole series!
I was enchanted by the town of Estes Park, Colorado. The way Mildred Abbott describes the town will make you want to move right in. Though the circumstances that bring Fred (Winifred) and her corgi, Wilson, to Estes Park are a bummer, they allow her to open her own cozy bookshop in the town where her mom and step-dad live.
Fred is excited to get her bookshop cleaned out and filled with books. But instead of the taxidermy animals she expects to find in the former taxidermy shop, she finds a dead body surrounded by candy! Fred gets involved in the investigation to try to prove that her step-dad didn’t murder the victim. But once he is let off, she can’t stop investigating…it’s a little (or a lot) exciting trying to solve the mystery.
You’re going to love the quirky characters in Cruel Candy. This isn’t an easy mystery to solve, so you’ll be kept guessing! I definitely recommend this book, and I can’t wait to read the rest of this series!
Cruel Candy by Mildred Abbott is the first book in the Cozy Corgi series. It is also the tale of Fred’s life reset.
Who killed Opal, and why in the taxidermy kitchen?
Winifred “Fred” Page
Fred is our main character and sleuth. She has moved to Este Park, Colorado, for a fresh start and to open a book store in a storefront owned by her stepdad and mom. Then she finds Opal, the candy store owner dead in her upstairs kitchen and her stepdad, accused of the murder.
Well, that starts Fred off to find out who killed Opal. In the process, she meets the townsfolk and gets to know the law enforcement officers. She also meets a couple of men that she might be attracted to, of course.
I like that Fred is a no-nonsense type; she is blunt and also honest. Fred’s inner voice is witty and fun, and the way that she speaks to her dog, Watson, is adorable.
The Mystery
Opal and her sister Lois own two sweet shops, one with sugar, and the other uses natural ingredients. Opal is found dead in Fred’s store, with a few other things that don’t make sense. But with the assistance of Watson, hopefully, Fred will figure it out.
The mystery is well-plotted, with a few red herring. I followed most of the clues, but my guess of the culprit was correct and formed from an early clue.
Five Stars
I enjoyed the characters, the picturesque location, the whole idea of a cozy bookstore, and the mystery is superb. With all these attributes, I am rating Cruel Candy by Mildred Abbott with five stars.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Great Escapes Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Cruel Candy by Mildred Abbott.
This Guest Review is for Baroness’ Book Trove.
Until the next time,
~Jen
If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.
I love cozies, the small town settings, the quirky characters, the hints of sweet, fun romance and a little touch of murder. Throw in a cute dog and it’s all good.
After a split with her partner in their publishing business, Winifred, Fred for short, moves to the small town of Estes Park, Colorado. She’s welcomed by her mother and her hipster stepfather. With a nice little cabin and an empty building she plans to settle in, make the cabin her nest and use the building to open a book store, calling it The Cozy Corgi. Wouldn’t be fitting to not show off her taciturn pooch, Watson. He’ll be featured on the stores sign. But there’s a hitch in her giddyap when she finds a dead woman in the kitchen of her new shop. Not the best way to make herself welcome and also has her bumping heads with the handsome Sargeant Branson. Time for her and Watson to get some sleuthing done so she can get back to the business of settling in.
This was fun right off the bat. I liked Fred. She had plenty of pluck and intuition. Her furry pal, Watson was a hoot too. The little guy was such a mooch and a bit of a curmudgeon. He got away with that by being so adorable.
There were the usual quirky characters. Her mother was sweet and her stepfather was all hippie. The two sisters, Opal and Lois couldn’t be more different. It was Fred’s bad luck that her business would be sandwiched between both of theirs.
Once Fred began sniffing out clues to the murder, some really fun surprises were in store. I can honestly say, this was new one for me. Who woulda thunk it. But you know what they say, you can’t ever really know your neighbor.
I enjoyed this cozy and it’s town full of fun characters and secrets. I’m already reading Traitorous Toys, the second book, and having fun.
Colorado is where it is happening with new beginnings, Edibles, and murder.
This is the first in this series and it won’t be the last that I read. This book was chock full of interesting characters, curious scenarios, dogs, and a mystery. Fred (Winifred) is moving back to Estes Park after a divorce (6 years ago so not recent) and a falling out with her business partner in a publishing house. Her first day in town she manages to make an enemy from the sweets shop next door all because of who she is related to and who also happens to own the building. Fred is off to a shaky start but thankfully not everyone feels the same way about her moving to town and planning to open a bookstore in what was a taxidermy shop. When Opal, owner of the sweets shop, ends up dead in Fred’s new shop and her stepfather Barry is suspected, all bets are off and Fred is on the case.
This book was engaging and the gears in my brain were turning trying to uncover who was the killer. While I suspected the one character it wasn’t very strong and until facts were revealed at the end did I truly understand the motivation of the killer. Because Fred’s father was a police detective, I believe she felt that she had to jump in and help solve the case. Sure her stepfather was being held as a suspect which seemed pretty unlikely considering Barry is a hippie and it was highly unlikely that he would kill anyone, much less Opal. The first police officer to question Fred is an Officer Green and it is very evident that she has it in for Fred without giving her the benefit of the doubt. Thankfully there is a detective, Branson Wexler that is a bit more open-minded. Could it be because he also finds Fred attractive and might want to date her? As the killer is being revealed you have to wonder why Fred would find herself with the killer especially if she suspected this character?
I love dogs, so the addition of Watson, Fred’s Corgi, made for a well rounded book. The conversations between Fred and Watson, well really just Fred talking to Watson since he cannot reply, were amusing and her devotion to her dog was admirable. Watson could be persnickety in who he appeared to like and it didn’t always make sense, but that is a dog for you.
There are many minor characters that I imagine will play bigger roles as this series continues and I look forward to learning more about them in future books. And the book ends with a delicious lemon bar recipe, so make sure to take notes.
Overall we enjoyed this book and give it 4 paws up.
Cruel Candy is the First Book in this wonderful Cozy Corgi Mysteries Series.
I really enjoyed reading this book. It was a fun, easy,enjoyable read. Fabulous
Characters, cute town,marvelous murder mystery.
It begins as the main characters – Winifred/ Fred for short and her sidekick Watson.
Watson is a both of a short chubby, no lets say stubby legs and many times grumpy unless tempted by special TREATS. Oh, did I forget to say Watson is a CORGI. Anyway, they arrive 6weeks early and her key to the lock box did not work at the store she was left/given so she went to her grandmothers old cabin that is
Now hers. Oops key did not work. Call to mom. So, mom and stepfather Barry arrive. Tall lanky in tie dye t-shirt,his loose fitting yoga pants Barry bends over with both hands rubs Watson’s sides voice deep and full of affection makes a bonded buddy for life.
The cabin is800 square ft log walls cute, they had flamingo curtains made Barry liked. …you’ll see why..
Watson has a thing for sniffing out chipmunks. What WILL be doing he finds on?
What WILL happen when Fred gets to open her store finallly. No one has been there for month’s.
Tell you what it is just getting warmed up..
Open the book and join the journey.. 🙂
Wildly varied characters kept this group interesting to watch as the mystery was solved. Looks to be a fun place to read about, Off to book 2!!
bookshelves: audio
I received this book for free. I am voluntarily posting this review and all opinions expressed herein are my own.
Let’s start with the cover – how cute is that face? Absolutely adorable cover.
Fred is a likeable smart woman who is starting anew with a bookshop in her stepfather’s building (a former taxidermy shop) when she finds the body of her surly neighbor in her bookshop’s kitchen and the prime suspect is her stepfather. Fred tries to help by investigating the murder.
What a fun cozy! I love the quirky characters – from Winifred’s (Fred) parents – tie dye and flamingo loving – to the rest of the town. The mystery is a good one with a major red herring – I figured it out at the same time as Fred.
The narrator, Angie Hickman, was delightful. She has a light, pleasant voice which was very easy to listen to and she did various voices for the various characters. A real compliment to the written word.
pet, dogs, law-enforcement, amateur-sleuth, small-business, small-town, family, cozy-mystery, murder-investigation
Nothing like going into what will be your new store and new life before dawn and finding the dead body of someone you only met the day before. And topping that off are a patrol cop with a very negative attitude, the police discovery that not only is there a basement but that it is a marijuana grow house, and an attractive police detective who hauls inoffensive step father off to jail. All before being in town twenty four hours! Let the sleuthing begin!
A nice comfortable read narrated by Angie Hickman.
Won in a giveaway!
Nobody saw this killer coming, especially the victims. Needing a reset to her life, Fred and her “fluffy” corgi Watson move to Estes Park to open a mystery bookshop. When Fred finds a murdered woman in her shop she’s stunned when the police arrest her stepdad. Being the daughter of a cop, Fred starts looking into things. While asking a few questions, Fred finds out that this little town has a lot of secrets and at least one of them is a killer. Who murdered the candy lady and why?