Cruel Candy by Mildred Abbott

Book Description:
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…

My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed this book.  The author is new to me and I was in the mood for a good cozy, this fit the bill entirely.  Watson may have been my favorite character because he loves treats and is just adorable! (I mean who doesn't love treats....maybe not the doggie kind but I'm all for cupcakes!).  
Fred is a good lead because she isn't a damsel in distress, but rather a strong woman.  She has had problems in the past but has moved home to open a bookshop.  Then there is the dead body, the accusation and she is determined to prove who really did commit the murder, most assuredly not her stepfather, and of course there is just a touch/hint of romance.  
Overall, I enjoyed the story and how it ended!  It was a 4/5 for me, I will be continuing with this series.

Thank you to the author for the review copy of this book (via PumpUp Your Book).  I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.