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

What is your full name?
Do I have to? Fine. You asked for it. Thoms Aloysius Burns. And if you ever call me that, we can no longer be friends.

How old are you?
29

What is your profession?
I am a deputy coroner with Fayette County.

Do you have a significant other?
After many years of solitude, and a lot of wheedling, yes, I do.

What is their name and profession?
Trooper Aislynn McAllister. She’s with the Pennsylvania State Police. Funny story: I nicknamed her “Ace” because I mispronounced her first name. It’s “Ash-lynn” not “Ace-lynn.” But I think Ace sounds better than Ash, so it stuck. She tolerates it.

Do you have any children?
Oh heavens no. Someday. Maybe. Or maybe not. I’m not sure how my personality would do with kids.

Do you have any siblings?
A younger sister.

Are your parents nearby?
Yes, they live in Pittsburgh.

Who is your best friend?
These days, I’d have to give that honor to Jim Duncan. Yes, he’s older and a bit more, um, buttoned down. He gets my humor, though. At least he puts up with it. First responders, death investigators – we see a lot and the dark humor helps protect our psyche. But I also think the guy genuinely cares about the people around him. Fortunately, that includes me.

Do you have cats, dogs, or other pets?
No pets. Not because I don’t like animals. Don’t get me wrong. But when you can be called out to take care of a dead body at any hour of the day, well, it’s not easy to care for another living creature. But if I were to get a pet, I’d get a cat. I think. I admire their independent attitudes.

What town do you live in?
Currently in Uniontown, PA.

What type of dwelling do you own or rent?
Rent

What is your favorite spot in your home?
In front of the TV with food. Or in the dining room, with food. Basically anywhere – with food.

What is your favorite meal and dessert?
Oh man. I am a sucker for a nice New York strip, medium rare, baked potato, and fine, throw a veggie in there. Pour me a couple fingers of a good aged single-malt whiskey to go with it. Dessert? Dark chocolate cake with a raspberry sauce. Now you’ve got me drooling. Thanks a lot.

Do you have any hobbies?
What’s a hobby?

What music do you listen to?
Death metal while I’m working. Jazz when I’m hanging out with Ace. Call me eclectic. Or weird. Take your pick.

What is your favorite color?
Oddly enough, I’m fond of dark red. Or maybe it’s not so odd. It’s the color of dried blood.

What is your favorite vacation spot?
What’s a vacation? Seriously, I’m cool with almost anywhere as long as Ace is there. Nothing too hot or too cold though, please. Okay, maybe not anywhere.

Are you a morning or night person?
I’m an all-day person. I have to be. Death does not come on a schedule, you know.

What is your idea of a really fun time?
What is fun? Okay, yes, I’m being sarcastic. Fun would be a day where I don’t have to deal with a dead body. Ace and I would spend all day out and about, whether that be a hike in the mountains or wandering the beach. End the day with a good dinner (see question 14). Then she and I would, um, well…this is a family blog. Use your imagination.

If you were to write a memoir, what would you call it?
Death Comes to Town? Your Daily Dose of Death? Death and Me? I don’t know. But it would have “death” in the title. The whole deputy coroner thing.

Amateur or professional sleuth and whom do you work with?
I guess I’m sort of a professional. I mean, solving crimes is not in my job description, but I do figure out the puzzle of how and when someone shuffled off this mortal coil. Technically, a lot of detectives come calling, but my favorite is Duncan. Like I said, he’s a good guy – and he’s good at his job. Woe to any lawbreaker who crosses his path, because he doesn’t give up until he gets his man. Wait, that’s the Mounties. Crap – you know what I mean.

What is a typical day in your life like?
What is typical? On any given day, I wake up, go to the office, handle an autopsy or two, and go home. Maybe I’ll get called to the scene of an elderly person who passed peacefully in his sleep. Or an overdose. Or a traffic accident. Or a murder. One thing’s for sure. It’s never boring, which is good. I don’t think I’m emotionally-equipped for boring.

Saving The Guilty, A Laurel Highlands Mystery Book 7
Genre: Traditional Mystery
Release: August 2024
Format: Print, Digital
Purchase Link

When defense attorney Sally Castle agrees to do a favor for an old friend she thinks the case will be simple: present the appeal for a murder conviction and the work is already done. But the more Sally looks into the facts of the case, the more problems she sees. Did sloppy police procedure result in the conviction of an innocent man?

State Trooper Jim Duncan is also working what seems like a straight-forward homicide: the execution-style murder of a man with suspected drug ties. But before the scene is released he learns the victim was living with a deep-cover fake identity. Why?

Jim and Sally pursue their separate investigations and lines begin to cross, leading them to wonder how separate the cases are. As they uncover murder, drugs, infidelity, and federal-level fraud, one thing becomes clear. Someone wants Sally’s client in jail. And they will go to any length, including murder, to keep him there.

About the author
Liz Milliron is the Shamus-nominated author of The Laurel Highlands Mysteries series, set in the scenic Laurel Highlands and The Homefront Mysteries, set in Buffalo, NY during the early years of World War II. Her short fiction has been published in multiple anthologies including Murder Most International, Blood on the Bayou, and Murder Most Historical. Liz is a member of Pennwriters, Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, and The Historical Novel Society and is the current vice-President of the Pittsburgh chapter of Sisters in Crime and the Education Liaison for the National SinC board. Liz splits her time between homes in Pittsburgh and the Laurel Highlands, where she lives with her husband and a very spoiled retired-racer greyhound.