Murder Is a Piece of Cake - (Baker Street Mystery) by Valerie Burns (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

In this feisty new culinary cozy mystery series from Agatha and Edgar Award-nominated author Valerie Burns, social media #influencer Maddy Montgomery is adjusting to her new life after moving to small-town Michigan to run a bakery and take care of a gigantic English mastiff--all while solving the murder of a rival bakery owner.

Can young entrepreneur and social media influencer Maddy Montgomery run a bakery, care for a 250-poud English mastiff, and cultivate a picture-perfect relationship--all while exposing a murderer?

With small town New Bison's Spring Festival just around the corner, the pressure is on Maddy to continue her late great-aunt Octavia's legacy. That means scoring the top prize and transforming Baby Cakes into Southwest Michigan's must-visit bakery, even though her inexperience in the kitchen brings nightmares of humiliating tagged photos and scathing reviews.

There's another reason for lost beauty sleep. A second bakery is opening in town under the ownership of CJ Davenport, a shrewd investor with a reputation for sabotaging anyone who gets in his way. And savvy, flashy Maddy tops his list. It's a sticky spot to be in--more so when Davenport turns up dead with a Baby Cakes's knife stuck in his back.

Maddy's whole life just went from #thriving to barely surviving. Now, supported by the crafty Baker Street Irregulars and her new boyfriend, she must find the courage to face off against a killer who could very well get her name trending for the first and last time . . .

Review Quotes

Praise for Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder by Valerie Burns:

"Snappy dialogue, a well-drawn supporting cast and an irresistible canine companion all add delicious flavor. Gulp this book down or savor it, but consuming it will guarantee a sustained sugar high." --The New York Times Book Review

"Everyone is a suspect in Valerie Burns's entertaining new mystery, filled with surprising twists, suspicious characters and a mastiff named Baby who will win your heart. Top that off with humor and delicious recipes and you have a delight of a cozy." --Valerie Wilson Wesley, author of A Fatal Glow

"A sweet read." --Criminal Element

"A great start to a series that is part poignant, part humorous, and part suspenseful while introducing a wonderful, new, African American heroine." --First Clue Newsletter

"All you need to read is the first chapter, and you will be enamored with Maddy Madison and the #hilarity that ensues. From this first chapter until the end, I could not put this book down, quickly becoming a page-turner as I had to know who was doing what to whom. This well-written and fast-paced whodunit kept me immersed in every minute detail in the reading of this drama." --Dru's Book Musings

"If readers have never read one of Ms. Burns' books before, they should run and grab this one, along with all the others written by this tremendously talented author. This story is in time with today's society, but with a touch of old-world charm. I can't wait to see how Maddy and her mastiff, Baby get along and she matures as a person and becomes a hard-working bakery owner who will bake her way into readers' hearts." --The Cozy Review

About the Author

Valerie (V. M.) Burns is a mystery writer whose novels and short stories have been finalists for the Agatha, Anthony, Edgar, and Next Generation Indie Book Awards. She is the author of the Mystery Bookshop, Dog Club, RJ Franklin, and Baker Street Mystery series. Valerie is a member of Sisters in Crime, Crime Writers of Color, Mystery Writers of America, and the Crime Writers' Association. She is also an adjunct professor in the Writing Popular Fiction Program at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, PA. Born and raised in northwestern Indiana, Valerie now lives in the southeastern United States with her two poodles. Connect with Valerie at VMBurns.com.