A Cup of Flour, A Pinch of Death (A Baker Street Mystery) by Valerie Burns

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Welcome to my stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for A Cup of Flour, A Pinch of Death (A Baker Street Mystery) by Valerie Burns. Stop by each blog on the tour for interviews, guest posts, spotlights, reviews and more!

A Cup of Flour, A Pinch of Death (A Baker Street Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – Michigan
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Kensington Cozies (July 23, 2024)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 288 pages

On the shores of Lake Michigan, influencer Maddy Montgomery has turned the bakery she inherited from her great aunt Octavia into a destination. There’s just one thing she won’t post: the body in the freezer . . .

Thanks to Maddy’s social media savvy, Baby Cakes Bakery is becoming a huge success—so much so that she’s attracted the attention of her former nemesis, the fiancé-stealing Brandy Denton. When Brandy blows into New Bison like an ill wind and disrupts a vlog Maddy’s filming, their argument goes viral. After Brandy’s body is found in the freezer at Baby Cakes, Maddy instantly goes from viral sensation to murder suspect.

As Maddy is still reeling from the murder, a stranger shows up in the bakery claiming to have been a friend of Octavia. He believes Maddy is in danger. When a second body washes up on the lake shore, it seems clear someone’s out to kill to keep a secret—and it may have to do with her great aunt.

Maddy rallies her aunt’s friends, the Baker Street Irregulars; Sheriff April Johnson; and her veterinarian boyfriend Michael—not to mention her English mastiff Baby—to do some digging and root out whoever’s behind the killings . . .

Interview with Valerie Burns

Thanks for taking the time to share a bit about yourself with my readers and me!

Thank you for having me.

Tell us a little about yourself.

My name is Valerie Burns, but I write as Valerie Burns, V. M. Burns, and Kallie E. Benjamin. I have three cozy mystery series that I write as V. M. Burns. I have my Mystery Bookshop Mystery series, Dog Club Mystery, and R. J. Franklin Mystery series. As Valerie Burns, I write the Baker Street Mystery series, and as Kallie E. Benjamin, I write the Bailey the Bloodhound Mystery series. I have been a finalist for the Agatha, Anthony, Edgar, and Next Generation Awards. I am also an adjunct professor in the Writing Popular Fiction Program at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, PA. I was born in Northwestern Indiana, but I now live in Northern Georgia.

How long have you been writing?

I’ve been writing for a long time, but my first book wasn’t published until November of 2017.

Did you always want to be an author? What made you choose the cozy mystery genre?

Unlike a lot of writers, I didn’t always WANT to be an author. To be completely honest, I wanted to make money and most authors don’t make much money. However, I LOVE to read. When I was young, I discovered cozy mysteries, and I fell in love with them. I love the puzzle. I love that there isn’t a lot of violence, bad words, or sex in a cozy. The focus of a cozy is the puzzle and trying to figure out Whodunit. I also love that cozies can include themes, pets, and are often humorous. Over the decades, I kept a wish list that I called, “I Wish Someone Would Write A Book About. . .” One day, it dawned on me that no one was writing those books. So, I decided to try my hand at writing.

Do you prefer to read cozy mystery books, or do you have another favorite genre? What are you reading now?

I love to read and I read a lot of different genres, but cozies are my first love. I read a lot of them. Right now, I’m reading Four Cuts Too Many by Debra H. Goldstein. It’s the fourth book in her Sarah Blair Mystery series. It’s a culinary cozy about a woman who doesn’t cook.

Do you have a favorite place to write?

I have converted the family room in my home to my office. I write everywhere, but my home office is my favorite. I’m surrounded by my books and I have two dog beds under my desk where my two poodles curl up while I’m writing.

What’s on your desk (if you write at one!)?

My laptop, an external monitor, a keyboard, and a mouse are the primary items. I also have a coffee mug, a planner, a headset for Zoom meetings, and dog treats that I use to bribe my dogs to be quiet while I’m on Zoom calls.

What is the first book you remember reading as a child? What was one of your favorite books you read as a child?

The first book I remember reading was a Dr. Seuss book. I read a lot of Nancy Drew, but my favorite book was Anne of Green Gables. I have all of the books and I still love to read them.

Do you like audiobooks, physical books, or e-books better? Why?

YES! I love books and I like all formats of them. I like the pleasure I get holding a book in my hands. I love the smell of books. I like ebooks because I can read them anywhere. If I find myself at the doctor’s office or getting an oil change, then I can pull up a book on my phone and read. Plus, ebooks are great because I can increase the font size. I love audiobooks, too. I love to listen to audiobooks while driving. I feel like I’m multitasking. I can drive and listen to a great book at the same time.

If you had the opportunity to live anywhere in the world for a year while writing a book that took place in that same setting, where would you choose?

I would love to live in England and write a British historical cozy mystery.

What or who has influenced you the most as a writer?

I am a huge fan of Agatha Christie. I read and reread her books often. She is the Queen of Crime Fiction and each time I read her books, I find a clue I didn’t see before or the misdirection she used to throw the reader off the scent.

Do you have any author friends who support you while you’re writing? Do you belong to any writing groups?

I have a lot of author friends who provide support. Debra H. Goldstein and Kellye Garrett are two of them. I am a member of Crime Writers of Color, Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Authors Guild, Crime Writers Association, and Thriller Writers of America. Whew! That’s a lot, but each group provides something different whether it’s support, encouragement, education, technical support, etc. It takes a village to survive as a writer.

Finally, what are you working on now? Can you tell us a bit about it?

Currently, I’m working on the 4th book in my Baker Street Mystery series. The current working title is Icing on the Murder. I’m also working on edits for the second book in my Bailey the Bloodhound Mystery series that I write as Kallie E. Benjamin. The title is Hounding a Killer.

Thank you again for taking the time to answer my questions!

Thank you so much for having me.

About Valerie Burns

Valerie (V. M.) Burns is an Agatha and Edgar Award-nominated author. She is the author of the Mystery Bookshop, Dog Club, RJ Franklin, and Baker Street Mystery series. As Kallie E. Benjamin, Valerie writes the Bailey the Bloodhound Mystery series. She is an adjunct professor in the Writing Popular Fiction Program at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, PA, and a mentor in the Pocket MFA program. Born and raised in northwestern Indiana, Valerie now lives in Northern Georgia with her two poodles. Connect with Valerie at vmburns.com.

Author Links

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/v-m-burns

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vmburnsbooks/

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16534140.V_M_Burns

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vmburnsbooks/

Website: vmburns.com

Purchase Links
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