Home to the Winter Haven series of cozy murder mysteries Winter Haven is a very popular, albeit fictitious ski resort town in northern Colorado, nestled deep in the author’s imagination where Winter Haven Mountain towers...
WINTER HAVEN: BOBCAT IN THE TREES “… I loved everything about this novel because the plot was airtight. The authors also carefully developed the storyline and characters, and the editing was flawless.”Jennifer Ibiam for Readers’...
Home to the Winter Haven series of cozy murder mysteries
Winter Haven is a very popular, albeit fictitious ski resort town in northern Colorado, nestled deep in the author’s imagination where Winter Haven Mountain towers above the town to the west and Pickens Peak looms high above to the east, majestically standing guard over the sleepy resort town.
At over 14,000 feet, Pickens Peak is a rugged, undeveloped wilderness area protected by the Bureau of Land Management.
But at 13,000-feet, Winter Haven Mountain has fifteen main ski runs on its front side that are generally easy, well-groomed, and family-oriented, with many more trails on the backside that offer greater challenges for advanced and expert skiers.
The legendary Detective Brad Sanders had left the high-stress meat-grinder of the Philadelphia Police Department three years ago, and moved to Winter Haven with his wife, Linda, to fill the vacant lead detective job in Winter Haven.
Follow Detective Sanders as he relies on his vast depth of investigative expertise to solve several difficult and intriguing murders that have plagued this sleepy mountain resort.
“… I loved everything about this novel because the plot was airtight. The authors also carefully developed the storyline and characters, and the editing was flawless.” Jennifer Ibiam for Readers’ Favorite
More twists and turns than a ski run!
“Well written, and I found myself back in the mountain skiing again; the descriptions were spot on. “I found the character development very well done, and the interaction very true to everyday activity . . . nothing seemed forced or rushed. “Usually something will tip you off as to who did what. In this first Winter Haven book, you truly need to read to the end!”
“Get ready for an absorbing sleuth story with Charlie Avera and Pam Shanahan’s Winter Haven: Lake Secrets. When a dead body rises to the surface of the local lake of the small ski town of Winter Haven in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, Detective Brad Sanders once again finds himself as the catalyst to solve the case. After discovering that the victim, Edward Charles Bearson III, was murdered, Brad delves deeper into the investigation, following one clue after another. He finds out that Bearson was a gambling addict with a lot of baggage who might have been embezzling money from his bank. With the list of suspects rising with each new reveal, Brad must get to the bottom of the mystery soon. But doing so might put one of his loved ones in danger.
“If you’re looking for a cozy whodunnit murder mystery to spend your evening with, Winter Haven: Lake Secrets is the perfect book for you. Charlie Avera and Pam Shanahan weave a captivating yarn of murder and crime told through the eyes of a charismatic detective who is as intelligent as he is charming. From the Rocky Mountains of Colorado to the glittering casinos of Las Vegas, the settings change as the twists and turns of the plot take you on a captivating quest alongside Detective Brad Sanders. The authors also sprinkle humor throughout the pages with some easygoing banter between Brad and his colleagues. As someone who loves sleuth stories and whodunnit mysteries, I thoroughly enjoyed it and will gladly recommend this book.”
Reviewed by Pikasho Deka for Readers’ Favorite
“Lake Secrets, the second book in the Winter Haven series, is a mystery with the same believable characters from the first book. With Brad Sanders as the lead detective, his wife Linda, and John Lambert, his partner, they pull you along with them as they work to solve the Lake Secret murder. The reader is able to follow as new clues are added and visualize different settings and locations that become important later in the book. It was easy to get involved in this story with its many twists and turns that kept this reader guessing the solution until the very end.”
Barbara Goodloe – Beta reader, reviewer
“The cover of this book is beautiful while eerie, inviting mystery lovers to learn more. This second book in the Winterhaven series did not disappoint. Intrepid Detective Brad Sanders is plunged into a search for a killer after a grisly discovery. Red herrings abound as Brad is sent out of his comfort zone to chase down leads. This is a quick read with plenty of interest and a scary ending. The characters are fleshed out and we find out more about Brad’s wife, Linda, one smart cookie. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a mystery.”
The legendary Detective Brad Sanders left the high-stress meat-grinder of the Philadelphia Police Department to fill the vacant lead detective job in the quiet ski town of Winter Haven high in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. But after three years of enjoying life in the slow lane, Brad finds out that Winter Haven is not completely insulated from intrigue and crime. The peaceful resort town is interrupted by a suspicious death on a ski run and by other mysterious deaths around the small town.
Follow Brad and his partner, John Lambert, as they follow clues around the country to solve the strange mysteries.
More twists and turns than a ski run!
