Abby McCree first appeared in Death by Committee and one of the best ways to learn about a person is by asking questions, so let’s get to know Abby.


What is your full name?
Abigail Anne McCree

How old are you?
I’m thirty-three.

What is your profession?
I was the Chief Financial Officer for the company my ex-husband and I started. Right now, I’m taking time off to decide what I want to do next.

Do you have a significant other?
Yes, sort of at least. I spend a lot of time with my tenant. He’s my friend and maybe a little something more.

What is their name and profession?
His name is Tripp Blackston. He recently left the army after twenty years in the Special Forces. He’s working toward his degree at a nearby university.

Do you have any children?
No, I don’t.

Do you have any siblings?
I have two younger siblings from my father’s second marriage.

Are your parents nearby?
My mother lives about two hours north of me in the Seattle area. My father and his wife live in Oregon.

Who is your best friend?
I’ve made several friends since moving to Snowberry Creek. I’ve already mentioned Tripp, but my best girlfriend is Bridey Kyser. She’s the owner of Something’s Brewing, the popular coffee shop/bakery in town.

Do you have any pets?
I have Zeke, a mastiff-mix that my late aunt had adopted from a local shelter. I inherited him along with her house. I couldn’t ask for a better roommate, well except for the fact he sheds like crazy, drools, and snores up a storm. Other than that, he’s perfect.

What town do you live in?
I live in Snowberry Creek located in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains in Washington State.

Would you say you live in a small town or a big city?
Snowberry Creek is a relatively small town.

Type of dwelling and do you own or rent?
I live in the three-story Victorian house that I inherited from my aunt Sybil. It had been in her late husband’s family for several generations.

What is your favorite spot in your home?
The most special place in my home is on the third floor. My aunt was an avid quilter, and the sewing room was her personal sanctuary. Whenever I spend time working on my own quilts up there, it feels as if Aunt Sybil is right there beside me.

Favorite meal and dessert?
My favorite meal to make is a big pot of pasta e fagioli soup. It’s definitely comfort food. My favorite dessert is a big piece of coconut cream pie from the Creek Café, the popular diner here in Snowberry Creek.

Do you have any hobbies?
I love to bake—cookies, pies, nut breads, and coffee cakes. Luckily, I have a large circle of friends who are always happy to benefit from my efforts. I’ve also taken up quilting. I’m nowhere near as good at it as Aunt Sybil was, but her friends in the local quilting guild have taught me a lot. Tripp and Gage Logan (the police chief) would probably tell you that getting into trouble is also a hobby of mine, but that’s not true no matter what they say. Really.

What is your favorite vacation spot?
It’s been a long time since I’ve taken a vacation, but I really love the Oregon Coast.

What music do they listen to?
I listen to a lot of pop and classic rock with some country thrown in for good measure.

Do you have a favorite book?
Oh, so many! I really enjoyed A High-End Finish, a cozy mystery by Kate Carlisle.

What is your idea of a really fun time?
I love when Tripp and I meet some friends at a local pub that serves fabulous burgers and fries. We followed those up with a few rounds of pool and some dancing.

If you were to write a memoir, what would you call it?
Hmmm—I think it would have to be something like A Reluctant Magnet for Trouble.

Amateur or professional sleuth and whom do you work with?
I’m definitely an amateur sleuth. I get the occasional assist from three elderly ladies from the quilting guild. Tripp and Zeke also play a big part in keeping me safe when things get a bit dicey.

In a few sentences, what is a typical day in your life like?
My days often start off far earlier than I like. After years of working in the corporate world, I really enjoy knowing my days aren’t ruled by an alarm clock. That isn’t to say that I don’t keep busy. I’m still plowing my way through several generations’ worth of clutter that had accumulated in the Victorian house I inherited. I’m also working hard to finish the quilts that my aunt had started before her death, a true labor of love. At least I’ve gotten a lot of help and advice from the members of the quilting guild. I was surprised when they insisted that I take over her position as president of the group.

I really love all those ladies, but it is a bit like herding kittens. I’m also involved with other committees here in Snowberry Creek despite my best efforts to avoid any further commitments. At least it has helped me make connections here in town, and I’m setting down some pretty deep roots in the community.


Giveaway: Leave a comment below for your chance to win an advanced reader copy (ARC) of Death by Auction, limited to U.S. residents. Giveaway ends May 23, 2020. Good luck everyone!


Death by Auction is the third book in the “Abby McCree” cozy mystery series, coming May 26, 2020.

Not only did Abby McCree inherit her aunt’s house in Snowberry Creek, Washington, she inherited a handsome tenant and a whole lot of trouble . . .

It’s hard to say no to Tripp Blackston. That’s how Abby found herself on yet another committee, organizing a bachelors’ auction to raise money for Tripp’s veterans group. The former Special Forces soldier is mortified when Abby enlists him to be one of the prizes, but she has a covert plan to bid on him herself. Before she can, she’s foiled by a sniper bid from a gorgeous stranger, who turns out to be Tripp’s ex-wife, Valerie.

Still reeling from the shock that Tripp was married and wondering what his ex is suddenly doing in town, Abby goes looking to pay the auction’s emcee, radio personality Bryce Cadigan. She finds him in the parking lot, dead in his car. Valerie appears to be the last one to have seen Bryce alive, so she’s the cops’ best bid for suspect. When she asks Tripp for help—and lodgings—it’s Abby’s turn to block by inviting Val to stay with her. But did she just open her home to a murderer?

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About the author
USA Today Best-selling author Alexis Morgan lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband. She is the author of over forty novels, novellas, and short stories that span a variety of genres. Death by Auction is the third book in her first cozy mystery series, The Abby McCree Mysteries.

All comments are welcomed.