Maddy Montgomery is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about A Cup of Four, A Pinch of Death, the latest novel in the Baker Street mystery series.

Welcome, Maddy. Let’s get started, shall we?

Tell us about the novel that you live inside. Is it part of a series? If so, please tell us about the series too. My name is Maddy Montgomery and I’m the main character in the Baker Street Mystery series. A year ago, I was a fashionista and social media influencer living my best life in L.A. When my fiancé was a no-show to our live-streamed wedding, I was humiliated and wanted to find someplace to hide. When I learned I had inherited a house in New Bison, Michigan from my Great Aunt Octavia, I jumped at the chance to escape. When I arrived in the small town, I learned that my inheritance came with some strings attached. I inherited a house, a bakery, and a 250 lb English mastiff named Baby, but only if I stayed for a year. So, I brought my Louboutin’s and I’m learning to maintain a home, run a business, and live with a dog who’s as big as a horse.

Does the writer control what happens in the story or do you get a say too? The writer, Valerie Burns, thinks she controls the story, but she really doesn’t. The characters tell her what to write. Sometimes she listens and things go smoothly. When she doesn’t listen, things get sticky. Eventually, she realizes that it’s best to trust the characters.

How did you evolve as the main character? I’m not a natural baker and I struggle to make decisions. However, as I’ve lived in New Bison, I’ve learned to trust my instincts and my dog. Baby is a great judge of character. I have also learned to bake. I’m still not as good as Great Aunt Octavia, but I’ve made progress.

Do you have any other characters you like sharing the story with? If so, why are you partial to them? I have some amazing friends in the Baker Street Mystery series. First, there’s my boyfriend, Michael Portman. Michael is a veterinarian and an Army vet. He’s handsome, kind, dependable, brave, and loyal. He’s the grandson of Hannah Portman. Hannah was best friends with my great-aunt. She’s a great baker, honest, and loving. She’s in the early stages of dementia, but she is still a great baker. I never knew Great Aunt Octavia, but I am learning about her through Miss Hannah. Leroy Danielson is my head baker. He is an amazing baker and a good friend. Sheriff April Johnson is a stunning beauty who rents the lower level of my house. She’s become a close friend. Tyler Lawrence owns the knitwear shop down the street. He’s also the acting mayor. Each of these people are more than friends. They’re family. Before moving to New Bison, I didn’t have strong relationships like this. My father was a Navy admiral and we moved around a lot. However, I now have friends who will risk their lives for a friend and some of them have. Lastly, there’s Baby, my 250 lb English mastiff. Baby is loyal, loving, brave, and dependable. He’s not a pet. He’s also a member of my family.

What’s the place like where you find yourself in this story? New Bison, Michigan is a lovely resort town in Southwestern Michigan. It’s on the shores of Lake Michigan and only 90 miles from Chicago. As the daughter of a Navy admiral, I’ve lived on military bases with more people than New Bison, but it’s a great community and for the first time in my life, I feel like I’m home.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell readers about you and the book? The Baker Street Mystery series is a culinary cozy mystery. Just because I’m not a great baker, doesn’t mean that the book doesn’t include good recipes. My great aunt was an amazing baker and she left her recipes. You’ll find the recipes along with an interesting cast of characters that will give you a chuckle and an interesting puzzle to solve.

Thank you for answering my questions, Maddy, and good luck to you and your author, Valerie Burns, with A Cup of Flour, A Pinch of Death, the latest book in the Baker Street mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Maddy and her author, Valerie Burns by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook, Goodreads, Bookbub and Instagram pages.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

Amazon    Apple     Books-A-Million    Barnes and Noble    Bookshop.org    Google Play    Hudson Booksellers   KOBO    Target     Walmart

About Valerie (V. M.) Burns: Valerie 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.