Maddy sits down for a question-and-answer session with dru’s book musings so that we can learn more about what makes her tick. Let’s see what she has to say.

What is your full name?
Madison Renee Montgomery, but everyone calls me Maddy.

How old are you?
28

What is your profession?
I am an entrepreneur. I inherited Baby Cakes Bakery from my Great Aunt Octavia.

Do you have a significant other?
Oh YES!!!

What is their name and profession?
Dr. Michael Portman and I have been dating and I think things are getting serious. At least, they are on my part. Although, I’m not sure about Michael. He seems like he likes me, but he’s been working a lot and missing dates and well. . . I’m just not sure.

Do you have any children?
No human children, but when I inherited Baby Cakes Bakery from my Great Aunt Octavia, I also inherited a 250 lb English Mastiff named Baby who is like a child.

Do you have any siblings?
Nope. I’m an only child. My mom died when I was a baby.

Are your parents nearby?
No. My dad is an admiral in the Navy and lives in L.A. He recently came for a visit and although our relationship had been strained, I think we’re finally understanding each other and growing close. We probably just need to spend more time together.

Who is your best friend?
My best friend is April Johnson. She’s the local sheriff and rents the lower level of my house. She’s smart and beautiful.

Do you have cats, dogs, or other pets?
I have a large English mastiff.

What town do you live in?
I live in New Bison, Michigan. It’s a lovely resort town located on the shores of Lake Michigan.

What type of dwelling do you own or rent?
I Inherited my Great Aunt Octavia’s house. It’s a bit outdated, but it has great bones and amazing views of Lake Michigan. Although I hate the stairs that lead down to the beach, they’re old and rickety. It’s where Great Aunt Octavia’s body was found.

What is your favorite spot in your home?
I love the library. It’s warm and cozy with bookshelves full of mysteries. Great Aunt Octavia and I both loved mysteries.

What is your favorite meal and dessert?
As a social media influencer, I have a certain reputation. However, since moving to New Bison I have learned to appreciate the simple things of life. My favorite meal is the fried chicken from Love’s Soul Food Kitchen. My favorite dessert is Great Aunt Octavia’s Chocolate Soul Cake. It’s super moist and I’m so grateful that she left the recipe. It’s our top-selling item.

Do you have any hobbies?
I love social media and if I’m not working in the bakery, then I am usually online promoting Baby or our baking classes.

What music do you listen to?
I love most music, but Great Aunt Octavia was a big fan of Frank Sinatra. In fact, that’s how Baby got his name. His registered name with the American Kennel Club is Champion Crooner Ol’ Blue Eyes, One for My Baby. Baby is his call name or nickname. She must have listened to Frank Sinatra a lot. She left me a note that suggested if Baby was anxious, I should play Frank Sinatra. Surprisingly, it works. Whenever he gets anxious, especially during fireworks or thunderstorms, I play Sinatra and it calms him down. I am becoming a fan.

What is your favorite color?
Pink, but not the light bubble gum pink. I like deep, rich pink that’s more fuchsia.

What is your favorite vacation spot?
My favorite vacation spot is spending time at Harrod’s Department Store in the U.K. Of course, I love sightseeing, but there are a lot of sights to see inside that store, too. It’s massive and you can buy nearly everything in one place.

Are you a morning or night person?
I am definitely NOT a morning person. However, now that I own a bakery, I’ve had to adapt to getting up earlier. I don’t like it, but I do it.

What is your idea of a really fun time?
Shopping at my favorite stores- Harrod’s, McMullens, Sak’s, Bloomingdales, Barney’s, etc.

If you were to write a memoir, what would you call it?
A Fashionably Sweet Tale of Likes and Loaves.

Amateur or professional sleuth and whom do you work with?
I’m an amateur. My Great Aunt Octavia had some close friends that she referred to as the Baker Street Irregulars. Since moving to New Bison, they have become my friends and have assisted me in solving several complex mysteries. Miss Hannah Portman was my Great Aunt Octavia’s closest friend. She also happens to be my boyfriend, Michael’s grandmother. Leroy Danielson is now my head baker. Sheriff April Johnson is not only my best friend and my tenant, but she is a member of the Irregulars. Tyler Lawrence is a yarn artist. He crotchets and knits unique items that he sells in his shop. Along with Michael and Baby, these people have become my friends and my fellow sleuths.

What is a typical day in your life like?
I get up early. I’m not a morning person, but years on a military base have made it easier. Well, that and a couple of Cortados or Red eye coffees from my friend and neighbor, Candy Hurston-Rivers’ new gourmet coffee shop, Higher Grounds Coffee and Tea. It’s next door to Baby Cakes, so I order from the app on my phone, although Candy knows me well enough to have at least one red eye waiting for me every morning. The only question is whether it’s a two shot or three shot kind of day. I shower and dress while Baby gets his last few winks. Then, we go to Baby Cakes Bakery. I make a quick stop next door to pick up coffee for me and a mastiff-sized pup cup for Baby. After greeting the staff and devouring his pup cup, Baby curls up in a dog bed and snoozes while Leroy, Hannah, and I get busy. There’s a lot to do in the early hours, so we alternate between baking, stocking, and taking care of customers. Some evenings Leroy teaches demonstration classes and I manage most of our advertising through social media. #BabyCakes has become quite popular not only in New Bison, but globally. Our social media has attracted people from all over the country to New Bison to meet Baby and try a slice of Great Aunt Octavia’s Chocolate Soul Cake. Most people are friendly, but some people are intent on causing problems—sometimes, even murder.

A Cup of Flour, A Pinch of Death, A Baker Street Mystery Book #3
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release: July 2024
Format: Print, Digital, Audio
Purchase Link

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 . . .

About the author
Valerie (V. M.) Burns is an Agatha, Anthony, 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.