”Every time I looked at the dress, a cold hand squeezed my heart and a tear dropped from my eye. Eventually, the flood of tears was too great to stop”.
(Valerie Burns, author)
Madison Montgomery
Valerie (V.M.) Burns is an acclaimed mystery writer. the author of the Baker Street Mystery, Mystery Bookshop, Dog Club, RJ Franklin, and Bailey the Bloodhound Mysteries. A member of Sisters in Crime and Crime Writers of Color, Valerie is also an adjunct professor at Seton Hill University.
LISTEN
Looking forward to an intriguing summer read, Lissa talks with author Valerie Burns about her latest work.
Packed with a delicious mix of cake, chaos, and crime, Icing on the Murder is a page-turner that’s sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats and leave them craving more!
In this fourth installment of the Baker Street Mystery series, influencer-turned-bakery-owner Maddy Montgomery is preparing for her dream wedding, but before she can say “I do” to her fiancé, veterinarian Michael Portman, she must first solve a murder that threatens to ruin her big day.
When world-renowned wedding planner Serafina is found impaled by one of Baby Cakes Bakery’s wedding cake skewers, Maddy and her trusted crew—along with a little help from her 250-pound Mastiff, Baby—take on the case. But can they unmask the killer in time for wedding bells to ring?
LEARN MORE
What is a cozy mystery? A cozy mystery is a subgenre of crime fiction characterized by its lighthearted, humorous, and often whimsical tone, with a focus on amateur detectives solving crimes without graphic violence, sex, or excessive gore. These stories typically feature a charming setting, relatable characters, and a focus on puzzles and deduction rather than gritty realism.
What is Valerie Burns reading?
The Reformatory by Tananarive Due
In our 60th episode, Lissa speaks with Queen of Black Horror Tananarive Due on the re-release of her 1995 debut novel The Between. Due is a leading voice in Black speculative fiction, and teaches about Black horror and Afrofuturism at UCLA where she developed a course called “The Sunken Place: Racism, Survival and The Black Horror Aesthetic.”
Check out Lissa’s interview with author Due, in the 60th Episode of Black Market Reads
The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley, was on Barack Obama’s reading list for Summer 2024
ENJOY!
Our production team for this episode includes co-producers Lissa Jones and Edie French, technical director Paul Auguston, the voice Yo Derek, and our artist of inspiration Ta-coumba T. Aiken. We thank Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota for supporting this series focusing on the intersection of health, race, and culture.