Travellin' Shoes

A house fire is extinguished to reveal the body of a choir director. The smell of gasoline points to murder. Thomas Warrendale was employed by First Baptist Church, where Detective RJ Franklin Jr. is a parishioner. Recovering from a car accident, RJ is on leave from the police force in St. Joseph, Indiana, when this puzzling case calls him back. His insider's knowledge makes him the obvious choice to lead the investigation. The congregation doubled after Warrendale revamped the music to appeal to a more youthful crowd. RJ's godmother, Mama B, gives the detective an earful about the choir director's non-musical activities. Warrendale was also an accountant and a "fancy pants" seducer. His clients believe the man was stealing from them. Warrendale turns out to be an alias; his real name was Tyrone Warren, once a highly paid CPA in Cleveland. Was Warren in hiding? From his stone-faced wife? A disgruntled client? Now someone is breaking in to the dead choir director's office and the homes of his former clients. Believing the vandal to be the killer, RJ is particularly concerned about the safety of one client, the striking owner of two hair salons. Book 1 in the RJ Franklin Mystery series. Soul food recipes included.



Genre: Mystery

"Three things: One, do not mess with Mama B. Two, do try the Sweet Potato Pie. And three, most definitely DO read V.M. Burns's delicious Travelin' Shoes. An engaging mystery, wonderful characters, a lovingly drawn setting, and recipes--what more could you want?" - Kay Charles

"Travellin' Shoes introduces the world of RJ Franklin, an Indiana police detective who returns from leave to look into the murder of his church's new choir director. RJ's investigation takes him--and us--into the places that serve as the backbone of the urban community--the churches, the hair salons and, perhaps most importantly, the dinner table of the beloved local church women who know any- and everything. Throughout it all, Burns flawlessly mixes the best elements of both cozy mystery and police procedural before reaching a pitch-perfect crescendo worthy of a Sunday morning gospel choir." - Kellye Garrett

"Sure to delight fans of Easy Rawlins. I loved watching RJ Franklin trying to dodge well-meaning matchmakers and brazen women while trying to solve a murder." - Victoria Thompson