An Interview with Author Valerie Burns by E. B. Davis

 

Influencer-turned-bakery-owner Maddy Montgomery has sold plenty of wedding cakes before, but before she turns one out for her and her fiancé’s wedding, she’ll have to solve a little case of murder . . .

Aunt Octavia would be so proud! Maddy has turned Baby Cakes Bakery—named for her 250-pound English Mastiff, Baby—into a runaway success, and she’s marrying the love of her life, veterinarian Michael Portman. #DreamWedding! Plus the timing couldn’t be better: the country’s biggest bridal expo has come to New Bison, Michigan, and Maddy has secured a spot for Baby Cakes to showcase their cakes. She’s also entered a contest for an all-expenses-paid wedding extravaganza offered by world-renowned wedding planner Serafina.

Unfortunately, supremely nasty Serafina truly takes the cake—she makes the worst bridezilla seem like a shy flower girl. But there’s one thing the wedding planner didn’t plan on—being impaled by one of the skewers Baby Cakes uses on their tiered wedding cakes.

While Maid of Honor Sheriff April Johnson rounds up suspects at the expo, Maddy and her aunt’s friends, the Baker Street Irregulars, and even Baby join forces to unveil a killer hiding in plain sight . . . before wedding bells start to chime.

Amazon.com

 

Icing on the Murder is Valerie Burns’s fourth book in the Baker Street Mystery series. The possible murder of Maddy’s Great-Aunt Octavia is put on the back burner while Maddy and Michael plan their wedding. Although Michael wants a smaller wedding, for the chance of getting an all-paid-for wedding with wedding planner, Serafina, Maddy enters the Bridal competition. April, the former beauty-queen sheriff, isn’t the only one lacking confidence. Maddy, it seems, needs Serafina to make all the decisions fearing she’ll make mistakes. With Michael’s standing in the community, Maddy wants perfection.

 

From the start, I was dubious of Maddy’s choice of entering the contest, but in a way, Serafina’s murder took care of some of the complications with Michael that winning the event would entail. That’s callous, but once you get to know the wedding planner, you’ll probably agree.

 

Valerie has created a stressful environment at the Bridal Expo, in which a murder must be solved.  Please welcome Valerie back to WWK.                 E. B. Davis

Thank you for having me at Writers Who Kill. I’m thrilled to be back.

 

Maddy’s been in New Bison nine months. Is she jumping into another marriage too quickly?

After the first wedding debacle, Maddy realizes that she wasn’t in love with Elliot, her ex. However, Michael Portman is the real deal. Normally she struggles with making decisions, but she is learning to trust herself and to trust her heart. Choosing to marry Michael Portman is an easy decision because he’s the right one. When you know, you know.

 

After Maddy got left at the altar while being streamed live online, I was surprised she wanted a big wedding. Why does she feel the need? Is bigger better?                                                              Maddy, like many women, struggles with meeting expectations. She is in a new community. Her fiancé is a successful veterinarian, and she is now the owner of a successful bakery. A big wedding is what she thinks is expected, and she doesn’t want to disappoint. Many couples spend a ton of money on a wedding because they believe it is what is expected. In Maddy’s case, bigger isn’t better, but bigger is what she feels is expected.

 

When Maddy and Michael compromise on the wedding, why does Maddy still want Serafina as her planner? Why does Maddy have problems making decisions?

Good question. Maddy’s struggle with making decisions stems from a lack of self-confidence. She is the daughter of a navy admiral capable of making important decisions that impact millions. Her father, the admiral, loves her, but he doesn’t know how to show her (other than giving her money). Her wedding day is the most important day in her life. It’s also a day that will have a lot of attention. In her previous world as a social media influencer, she has experienced first-hand the cruelty that can be spewed by people with differing views online. Some of the comments posted by people like Brandi Denton were extremely hurtful. However, if a professional like Serafina makes the decisions, then it takes the pressure off. No one would dare criticize Serafina’s choices.

 

What is watercolor cake painting?

Watercolor cake painting is a technique for decorating cakes using edible paint or food coloring usually on fondant. Artists can then unleash their creativity. The cake becomes the canvas and the final product can be as simple or as complicated as the artist wants.

 

Why does Maddy decide to go with unconventional cakes for their booth at the Bridal Expo? What types does she choose?

Maddy owns a bakery, and she is also planning her own wedding. She has seen a lot of wedding cakes. Most are white with lots of roses and other flowers. Maddy is aware that there will be a lot of other bakers showcasing their cakes at the bridal expo. Leroy is a talented baker and cake decorator, but Maddy isn’t as skilled. What better way to stand out from the masses, than to showcase a cake that is outside of the norm which will, hopefully, appeal to couples who are not traditional.

 

Maddy was young when her mother died. Even so, she doesn’t seem to know that much about her. Why?

Maddy’s father was devastated when his wife died. He was building his career in the military while raising his daughter. Talking about his late wife only stirred up emotions he wasn’t willing (or able) to deal with. Rather than facing his grief, he buried his emotions.

 

How does Maddy know all the differences in naval uniforms back to 1949?

As a fashionista and daughter of navy admiral, she has spent her entire life surrounded by men and women in uniform. Maddy is really into clothes. Many people might not notice whether or not the women’s uniform has pockets, but someone like Maddy would. She takes her love of clothing very seriously.

 

When Maddy finds an old quilt that had been in the attic with a note attached from Great-Aunt Octavia, why does she post #FromSlave2BusinessOwner?

The quilt that Maddy finds has been handed down from generation to generation in her family. It is a part of her heritage, and she’s amazed by the journey that the quilt has undergone. Her family has come a long way. Originally created by a former slave, the quilt has now found its way into her hands, owner of Baby Cakes Bakery.

 

Did the Underground Railroad go up through Michigan to Lake Michigan? Were slaves smuggled out of the country into Canada via boats?

The underground railroad did go through Michigan and there are at least 34 confirmed locations where enslaved individuals or “freedom seekers” found shelter. Confirming the locations used for the underground railroad is often challenging, but records from white abolitionists have aided in identifying specific locations. Michigan was believed to be one of the last stops in the United States before making the trip into Canada. Slaves were transported to Canada using a variety of vessels including schooners and steamboats to cross the Detroit River, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, and Lake Erie.

 

You mentioned four types of apples harvested during September and October. Only one type, Paula Red, I’m not familiar with. But I don’t associate any of those apples as “cooking apples.” In the East, cooking apples come out in July (Early or Yellow Transparents) or August (Rambos). They are so tart you really can’t eat them fresh—they have to be cooked with sugar, which makes for a tart/sweet flavor that can’t be beat! Eating apples are harvested in September and October. Are the four types you mentioned grown mainly in the middle of the country or in Michigan? Have you worked with those apples?

The four types of apples mentioned in Icing on the Murder were: Honeycrisp, Red Paula, McIntosh, and Red Delicious. All four of these apples are grown in Michigan. To my knowledge, none are so tart that they can’t be used in baking. Red Paula apples are available after late August, while the other three are available starting in early September to late September. I LOVE Honeycrisp and Red Delicious apples.

 

Is Daisy Baby’s sister?

Daisy isn’t Baby’s sister. They are not related, but have become good friends.

 

Are you sure God is in Las Vegas?

I’m pretty sure God is everywhere, including Vegas. Las Vegas is called the “wedding capital of the world,” so I’m going to assume that God is present for those nuptials.

Why does black icing take so long to make?

Black icing takes a long time to make because of the volume needed for cakes and also to get the deep color.  It often requires time for the colors to oxidizes so that you get the black color as opposed to gray or brown.

 

Was the story about the hair coloring fiasco during the pandemic true?

Sadly, yes.

 

How does Maddy afford a $70,000 Rivian SUV?

Maddy inherited a bakery and a house from her great aunt Octavia. She got money from the insurance company after the bakery fire. She gets money for stud fees for Baby. Plus, she has expanded the bakery’s scope with baking classes and social media marketing. Plus, she was a successful social media influencer before moving to New Bison. Social media influencers with over one million followers can make anywhere from 5K to 25K per sponsored post.

 

How is police jurisdiction determined? The Expo is in New Bison, so April should be in charge. But the Expo is in the Native American-owned Casino. If the suspect is not a tribal member, then what? It’s Federal? But the FBI doesn’t solve murder cases, they are thrown back to the local police. Why does Trooper Bob, who is a state policeman and not a fan of Maddy, show up?

The question of jurisdiction where Native American land is concerned is a tricky one. By law, the FBI is responsible for investigating violent crimes on Native land. Under normal circumstances, the case with a non-native victim and non-native subject would be investigated by the State (in my case, Trooper Bob). According to the FBI Agent that I contacted, the jurisdiction is “sticky” because the victim and the subject have not been identified. In cases like this, the FBI would work together with the Tribal Officer and the state police. This makes things easier when the case goes to prosecution.

 

Baby has a date with a Grand Champion Mastiff? Maddy is loaning out Baby for stud fees? Is he in demand?

Baby is a champion show dog. His official name is Champion Crooner Ol’ Blue Eyes, One for My Baby. His call name (i.e. Nickname) is Baby. She makes quite a bit on stud fees.

 

The best collard greens I ever had were at a wedding! They were small cut and not mushy. How do Dru Ann and Sister Sylvia make them?

I asked Sister Sylvia and Dru Ann to share their recipe, but they refused. Actually, they said, they “would, but then they would have to kill me.” I can say, that their collards are cut small with pork and a bit of a kick from red pepper flakes. Sorry.

 

Now that Maddy and the team solved the murder, what’s next?

Social media queen-turned-small-town baker Maddy Montgomery, her feisty friends, and her faithful English mastiff know you have to break a few eggs to solve a murder. . .

 

As Maddy’s wedding day approaches, friends and family descend on the little town of New Bison, Michigan, to celebrate—so much so that Maddy wonders if there might be another happily-ever-after in store for her widowed father and innkeeper Mrs. Law. Unfortunately, she also has to deal with an unhappy couple: feuding cousins Hannah and Dorothy, who haven’t spoken in decades. Maddy can only hope the spectacular wedding cake crafted by her head baker doesn’t wind up as ammunition in a food fight.

 

But she doesn’t have to wait long for a wedding disaster to strike. When the imperious Dorothy crashes the rehearsal dinner—with several uninvited guests in tow—and starts battering everyone with constant complaints, the drama reaches reality-show levels. And the next day, Dorothy is dead . . . with Hannah standing over the body, bloody rolling pin in hand.

 

Nobody in town believes Miss Hannah could commit murder. But a detective newly relocated from New York doesn’t know the sweet, memory-challenged Hannah the way the locals do—and the evidence seems open-and-shut as an oven. Now, with her sous-sleuths the Baker Street Irregulars, the bride-to-be is busy digging into Dorothy’s past to catch a killer before she cuts the cake . . .