Deceptive Designs

Snow flurries, eclectic interior designs, and hidden malice . . .

Colorado's winter storms might rattle the windows, but the heavenly scents of zucchini bread and a crackling fire warms the Cozy Corgi Bookshop and Bakery. Between chapters of a favorite novel and the caffeinated joy of dirty chais, Winifred Page considers new literary challenges as her faithful corgi sidekick, Watson, naps contentedly, after lots of love in the form of treats.

But the growing unease in the shops linking Elkhorn Avenue brings on a shiver that has nothing to do with the weather. New stores are opening, adding glitz and glam to downtown Estes and worrying longtime business owners. When Anna Hanson's grand scheme of hiring an elite interior designer and social media maven to add some buzz to her high-end furniture boutique backfires, she faces consequences more dangerous than bad press.

To help a friend, Fred and Watson investigate, stumbling upon an old secret . . . and murder. The uncovered lies that have poisoned one Estes Park resident threaten to change the way Fred views her beloved little mountain town irrevocably.

(This culinary cozy mystery includes a recipe for the quintessential zucchini bread.)