When the Rev. Dr. Carolyn Wills lost a dear friend to dementia, she was saddened and lost. But when she realized her friend had been a victim of elder abuse, she was furious.

The result is a novel, Maggie, a book about her friend’s tragic end. The book is available at the Estes Valley Library and Wills will give a free reading at the library on Monday, May 15 at 10:30 a.m. in the Hondius Room.

“Elder abuse takes place right here in Estes Park,” said Wills. “I wrote this book to warn members of the public and the senior community that this is a real threat.” Wills said older widows and widowers without family can become victimized and manipulated by people who appear to be concerned but are in reality shrewd and scheming, pretending to be friends while planning financial abuse. The end of a financial abuse scheme may take place when the victim is coerced into changing his or her will for the financial reward of the manipulator.

“Attorneys who specialize in wills and estates should watch out for this scam,” said Wills.

“Maggie is available from Amazon. A portion of the proceeds will support scholarships for women,” said Wills.

“If I can prevent one person from being victimized, writing the book will have more than served its purpose,” she added.