Icing on the Murder by Valerie Burns
A fun and cozy book that makes it perfect for summer vacation reading
When you look up the definition for cozy reads in the dictionary (or rather search for the definition on Google), you will see the cover of Icing On The Murder by Valerie Burns, the fourth installment of her Baker Street Mystery series.
Set in New Bison, Michigan (a fictional town), it combines wedding-planning drama, small-town vibes, and a murder mystery rooted in community tension and sudden chaos — all fueled by cakes and canine charm.
From Buttercream to Bloodshed: Maddy’s Big Day Goes Bust
Madison “Maddy” Montgomery, the social-media superstar turned bakery owner, is attempting the seemingly impossible: plan her perfect wedding, launch her bakery at the biggest bridal expo the town has ever seen, and nab a dream wedding-planning contract from the glossily titled wedding planner, Serafina.
Serafina is as ruthless behind the scenes as she is polished on camera — her demeanor makes “bridezilla” look like an understatement. The tension builds naturally as Maddy juggles expo duties, hanging out with her besties, and her relationship with her fiancé, veterinarian and army veteran Michael Portman.
Then all heck breaks loose! See what I did there by keeping it cozy with the word heck? The pacing kicks into overdrive when Serafina ends up impaled by cake skewers from Maddy’s bakery, Baby Cakes. Suddenly, Maddy’s professional showcase spirals into a homicide scene.
Mastiffs, Murder, and the Most Lovable Sleuth Squad Around
This balance of lighthearted setup — complete with cake competitions, livetweets, and antics from Maddy’s 250-lb English Mastiff, Baby — and a dark, impulsive murder is something Burns handles deftly. Burns keeps a steady tension. Clues are dropped and suspects multiply, even though some characters, like Serafina, are almost cartoonishly unlikable.
Maddy’s core team — the Baker Street Irregulars (a nod to Sherlock Holmes), her Aunt Octavia’s friends — are the kind of amateur crime-solving group you wish you had in your own life. They provide different perspectives, energy, and colorful personalities that keep the investigation grounded.
I particularly liked how Burns weaved in the jurisdictional complexity when the murder happens partly on tribal land — this avoids the usual cozy trope of small-town law enforcement being either oblivious or solely heroic. That detail felt fresh and realistic, reminding me that small towns also have layered politics and legal boundaries.
A Heroine Grows, a Community Shines, and a Mystery Unfolds
Maddy herself continues to evolve. She started the series as an Instagram-obsessed brat, but here she’s more mature, vulnerable, excited for marriage, yet shaken by the violent death in her midst. Her relationship with Michael is believable — he supports her, reminds her what matters, but also worries she might overextend. That dynamic humanizes her.
Burns’ writing is accessible and fun. You come to love the characters in the book because they could be your neighbors or friends. You get the feeling that Maddy has besties and that the community of New Bison is a tight-knit community.
Alongside the characters already mentioned, you’ll hear reference to Aunt Octavia — Maddy’s late great-aunt, the previous bakery owner and Maddy’s inspiration — and meet characters like Sheriff April Johnson — maid of honor and the town sheriff, who pulls Maddy into the murder investigation.
A Murderous Treat That’s Best Enjoyed with Something Sweet
As was mentioned before, Icing On The Murder is the fourth installment of the Baker Street Mystery series. You may also want to check out Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder (Book 1), Murder Is A Piece of Cake (Book 2) and A Cup of Flour, A Pinch of Death (Book 3).
Icing On The Murder is a fun and cozy book that makes it perfect for summer vacation reading. Those who have time will read it in one sitting; others will be able to read it over a weekend.
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, as well as the Bailey the Bloodhound Mysteries under the name Kallie E. Benjamin. 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.
Publish Date: 7/29/2025
Genre: Fiction, Mystery
Author: Valerie Burns
Page Count: 272 pages
Publisher: Kensington Cozies
ISBN: 9781496753403